A Love Through Time
by peaceloverhealer101
Summary: I thought I knew him so well. But that was wrong. I was wrong. There was so much more to know. Full summary inside. DoctorxOC Please enjoy :D (Now in the process of being rewritten under Who and Me: and the psycho frootloop called the Master')
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

I can't imagine my life without him. I thought I knew him so well. But that was wrong. _I _was wrong. There was so much more to know. As I write this, I hope to show everyone all my travels. I hope to show all the things I've seen. And most importantly…

I hope to show my love for the Doctor.

-x-

Lauren hummed a soft tune as she laughed gleefully before plopping down onto the couch in her basement. Lauren had flaming red hair with natural lighter red highlights in her hair. She had happy and bubbly hazel eyes. She was wearing a fake cheetah print sleeveless jacket over a white sleeveless shirt with the symbol of a halo and wings. The symbol was encircled in blue. She had on some black jeans, and some navy blue converse.

Lauren put the _Doctor Who _DVD into the player and skipped back to the couch. She was always happy when she watched Doctor Who. She loved the Doctor a lot. Through the whole time she watched _Doctor Who _she laughed.

-x-

The sound of deep breathing sounded softly through the room. The blue eyed girl laid with her eyes closed as she slept deeply. The T.V. screen flickered, before snow came onto the screen. As the unsuspecting girl slept the snow on the screen disappeared. A black hole opened up and sucked the girl in.

-x-

The girl groaned, and hissed as a sudden light crossed her eyes. Lauren was about to turn over before realizing something. _I'm in the basement… why is there light? _Lauren slowly lifted herself up and blinked. She was in a room. But it was completely different from her basement. The girl hesitantly got up and walked towards the wall mirror, and what she saw made her scream.

Lauren's appearance had completely changed. She had now black hair with Brandeis blue highlights. She had Egyptian blue eyes. She three piercings on each ear and a lip piercing, Lauren was wearing a black tank top with lance on the top and bottom. She had some black shorts, and had an ever so slight tan.

_What… What the…_? Lauren did a complete turn around and was still the same. She couldn't believe it. Lauren walked cautiously towards the window and looked out. Her eyes widened when she saw she was in London.

Lauren stumbled backwards and tried to control her breath. She was in London, England. Probably a hundred miles away from her home, looking completely different, and had absolutely no idea what was going on. Lauren ran a hand through her hair and walked back to the mirror. She thought for a moment, why did this look familiar. Then the idea hit her, _I look like Alexandra Harper_! Alexandra Harper was an original character that Lauren had created. _But… why_?

"Alex!" A British voice called from outside. Lauren blinked; she turned subconsciously towards the window. That voice sounded eerily familiar.

The girl jogged back over towards window, and her jaw almost dropped. Standing outside her door, was waiting Martha Jones. "What…" Lauren even noticed that her voice was slightly higher, prettier than it should. Lauren shook her head, and took a deep breath, and sighed. _Might as well go along with it_.

Lauren grinned when she saw her outfit she last remembered she had. Lauren got it on, and jogged down the stairs. She opened the door and smiled at Martha. "Hey," she greeted.

"Hey," Martha laughed. "You seem even more cheery than normal."

Lauren blinked, and shrugged. "Must be your imagination." Lauren mentally smirked; _you really got to love _Doctor Who. With that thought, Lauren walked down the road with Martha. Her phone continued to go off. Lauren smiled as she heard Martha's end of the conversation, while remembering the other side.

Lauren looked around at her surroundings while walking before hearing a voice. "Like so." Lauren turned to see the Doctor take off his tie, "D'you see?" He asked before walking past them. Lauren smiled as she turned back around to see him walk off.

"That was weird." Lauren said, pretending to feel weird about it, when she actually knew why he was there. Martha and she walked towards the hospital, and Lauren bit her lip before going on a limb. "Martha," She stopped causing the African American girl to stop as well. "I'm having a little trouble remembering things, sorry, but what's going on…"

"You're a doctor in trainin'." Martha said softly. "You're name is Alexandra Harper, and you're my best friend."

Lauren nodded slowly, and walked with Martha until a guy in a black jumpsuit and a black motorcycle helmet pushed Lauren into Martha. "Oi!" Martha yelled, "Watch it mate." The girl said. Both got an uneasy look when the man turned for a moment before turning and walking into the hospital.

-x-

Lauren blinked, totally bored as the lead doctor droned on and on about the hospital. He also seemed to like to bite of his students' heads. "Now then, Mr. Smith, a very good morning, and how are you feeling?"

Lauren's head snapped up, and smiled when she heard the familiar voice. "Oh not so bad. Still a bit, y'know. Blehhh." 'Mr. Smith' stuck his tongue out at the last word.

"John Smith, admitted yesterday with severe abdominal pains - Jones, why don't you see what you can find? Amaze me." Mr. Stoker said.

Lauren cut in, "May I do it, Mr. Stoker?" Both looked over to me, but she kept my eyes only on Mr. Stoker. "Martha has already answered your questions, may I do it?"

Mr. Stoker was silent before nodding. Lauren decided that she might go all the way and walked over to the Doctor saying, "It wasn't smart you running around like that." She couldn't conceal the smile so she turned away from the Doctor.

"Sorry?"

"On Chancellor Street, came up to my friend and me and took off your tie."

"Really?" Doctor asked, perplexed. "What'd I do that for?"

"I dunno," Lauren answered, "You just did."

"Not me, I was here, ask the nurses."

"That's weird, it looked like you." Mentally, Lauren was giggling. "Maybe, it could be a brother or something?" She already knew the answer.

"Nope, not anymore. Just me." He answered.

"As time passes and I grow ever more infirm and weary, Miss Harper." Mr. Stoker said.

"Sorry," Lauren mumbled.

Lauren took the stethoscope to the Doctor's chest, and just as she thought; she heard an echo with his heart. Lauren pretended to look surprised and hoped it worked as she looked into the Doctor's eyes. All he did was give a big smile. She put it down on his lower chest to hear the same thing. As she kept her eyes on Doctor she was happy when he gave her a small wink.

"I weep for future generations, but are you having trouble locating the heart, Miss Harper?"

Lauren kept her eyes once more on Doctor's eyes for a slight moment, feeling those deep brown eyes could suck her in at any moment before answering. "No. His… heart…" She had to remember to make it singular. "Sounds just fine. Maybe its stomach craps?" Lauren added as an after thought.

"That's a symptom not a diagnosis." The old man pointed out. "And, you failed basic techniques by not consulting first with the patient's chart…" But when he picked up the chart the metal of it shocked him greatly.

"That happened to me this morning." Martha said.

"Same with me." Lauren nodded.

"I had the same off the door handle." Morgenstern, another doctor in training said.

"And me in the lift." Julia added.

"Only to be expected." The old doctor said, unconcerned. "There's a thunder storm moving in. Lighting being the form of static electricity, as first proven by… anyone?"

"Benjamin Franklin." Lauren and Doctor said at the same time. Lauren bit her lip but smiled as she turned to the Doctor. He smiled back, an appraised look deep within his chocolate eyes.

"Correct." Mr. Stoker was about to say more, but the Doctor cut him off.

"My mate Ben!" The Doctor said happily. "That was a day and a half ago, and I got rope burns off that kite. And then I got soaked."

It took all the iron will that her character had for Lauren not to laugh out loud at the statement.

"… Quite."

"And _then_, I got electrocuted!" The Doctor answered again, with too much happiness.

"Moving on…" As Mr. Stoker moved away, he muttered to the nurse. "I think a visit from the Psychiatric." Lauren smiled on last time at the Doctor before walking away with Martha.

-x-

It was now lunch time, and Lauren hummed a random tune as she ate slowly. When she was finally done, she saw the rain, and she knew that something big was going to happen. But darn her, she couldn't quite remember. Lauren kept quiet, and threw her trash away. Lauren stopped when she saw the Doctor in the door way, wearing the normal pajamas and dressing gown. Lauren blinked. She could feel her heart speeding up. She heard Julia speak. "… The rain."

"It's only rain," Martha said. But Lauren turned and saw it too. The rain was moving up. She took deeps breaths to try and calm down. She couldn't figure out if she was excited or frightened. Tish must have pointed out the rain, because Martha responded. "Why's everyone fussing about rain?"

"The rain is going _up_." Lauren said. Martha finally looked out the window. She froze.

A couple of seconds passed before a bright light took over the window. The three girls covered their eyes. But then, the whole building threw itself around. "Gah!" Lauren said, as she was tossed around. They went left, right, and then left again. Back and forth, the brunette was lucky that Alex wasn't motion sick. The two other girls cried. Lauren tried to do anything to hang onto something. But that didn't work.

It finally stopped and the three women lay still for a moment. "What the hell was that?" Martha asked.

Lauren fixed herself so at least she was sitting up. "You alright?" Julia asked.

"I think so, yeah." Martha looked over at Lauren. "You okay, Alex?"

"Yeah," Lauren breathed. "I'm as fine as I could get." She was being slightly sarcastic.

Martha stood up. "Felt like an earthquake, or…?" When she looked out the window she froze. _'Shoot'_ Lauren couldn't remember what they were on. Curse her bad memory.

"Martha, Alex. It's night." Lauren stood up too. _'Oh, now I remember,' _they were on the moon. Yeah, now she remembered. Well, she only really remembered this part. She really needed to work on that. Julia continued. "But… It was lunchtime."

"It's not night." Martha said.

"But it's got to be, it's dark." She slid up looking out the window.

"We're on the moon." Lauren ran a finger threw her hair. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched her hair. Surprisingly, she was getting use to being Alex.

"Can't be…" Julia was shocked.

"We're on the moon." Lauren shook her head. "We're on the _friggin' moon_."

-x-

Martha, Lauren, and Julia ran out of the lunchroom. Martha and Lauren were fine. But it seemed Julia was already on the verge of crying. Everywhere people were crying. Lauren took off into another room with Martha behind her. Both took another look outside of the window. "No way." Lauren said. She couldn't believe it. It was one thing to see on the T.V. or the computer. But seeing it in real life… It was unbelievable.

They turned around and walked down a corridor. A woman – Lauren believed her name was Mrs. Finnegan – stood there. Lauren looked a little bewildered at the woman. How could she be so calm when everyone else around her was in chaos? "Have you seen Mr. Stoker?"

"I'm sorry, I can't." Martha answered in a rush. Lauren and Julia followed right behind her.

They finally got into the male ward. Lauren sighed, and spoke a in a calming voice. She usually used this voice to calm her friends. They always told her she soundly like a mother with it. "Alright, now everyone, we have a situation. But I need everyone to get back into bed; we'll have this sorted out soon."

With that, Lauren turned to the window and stood next to Martha. "It's real. It's really real." Martha asked. Lauren smiled. But still, she titled her head slightly. Something had been bugging her. _Darnit! _If only Lauren could remember the episode. "Hold on," Martha seemed to realize the same thing.

When she went to open the window, Julia stopped her. "Don't! We'll lose all the air."

"But…" Lauren's head titled even more. "They're not exactly air tight. If we were going to lose the air, we should've lost it the minute we hit space. But we didn't… So how come?" Lauren tapped her chin in thought.

"Very good point. Brilliant, in fact, what were your names?" The girls whirled around to see the Doctor standing there. He was dress in Lauren's favorite blue suit.

"I'm Alex." Lauren was even getting use to the name. She always did like the name Alex. "And this is my friend Martha."

"And it was Jones and Harper wasn't it?" Martha and Lauren nodded. "Right then, Martha Jones and Alex Harper, question is: how are we still breathing?"

The Doctor came over to the window to look out to the moon. Lauren got up beside him. "We can't be…" Julia chocked out.

"Well, obviously we are, so don't waste my time." Without thinking, Lauren struck the Doctor's arm with her hand. He looked over surprised.

"Don't be rude." The girl scolded to the Time Lord.

He looked at her a little bit longer. She saw a smile forming on his lips though. "Martha, Alex, what have we got, is there a balcony on this floor, or a verandah?"

"By the patients' lounge, yeah." Martha answered.

"Fancy going out?" He asked them.

"Okay." Martha while Lauren nodded.

"We might die." The Doctor warned.

"We might not." Lauren countered.

The Doctor smiled. "Good, come on." He pointed to Julia as he passed her. "Not her, she'll hold us up."

Lauren sighed. "What did I tell you about being rude?" She practically had to run after him. He had those long skinny legs to stride with.

-x-

They finally got to the door and the three held their breaths as the Doctor and Martha open the door. When the trio felt no outrush of air they let out their breaths. Lauren walked out and stood over the balcony. The other two came up next to her. "We've got air." Martha breathed. "How does that work?"

"Just be glad that it does." The Doctor responded.

"I've got a party tonight. My brother's twenty first. My mother's gonna be really…" Martha trailed off. Lauren's instincts went off. She couldn't help it. She was sensitive to these things.

"Are you okay?" She asked Martha softly.

"Yeah."

"Are you sure?" Lauren always wanted to be sure.

"Yeah."

"Want to go back inside?" The Doctor offered.

"No way. I mean, we could die at any minute, but all the same…" She smiled. "It's beautiful."

"Standing in the earth light." Alex grinned softly. She looked around at the stars.

"Wonder how many there are…" She mused.

"Hmmm?"

"Oh," She smiled at the Doctor. "Just wondering how many stars are out there. They're got to be more than years in a life." Both chuckled.

Another small silence before Martha broke it. "What do you think happened?"

"What do you think?" The Doctor countered.

Martha paused. "Extraterrestrial. Got to be. I dunno, a few years ago that would have sounded mad. But these days, spaceship flying into Big Ben. Christmas. And those Cybermen things, that battle in the sky…" Martha paused. "I had a cousin, Adeola. She worked at Canary Wharf. Never came home."

"I'm sorry." The Doctor said. Lauren caught his undertone. It sounded like he blamed himself. Except, knowing him, he probably did.

"Yeah." Martha answered.

"I was there, in the battle, it was…" _He's still raw about it. _Lauren thought.

"And then there's those Sontarans… Oh," There was a pause as both the Doctor and Martha looked over. "Oops, that hasn't happened yet, I'm way off."

"What do you mean?"

Lauren bit her lips. "Sorry, shouldn't have said anything. Really, shouldn't have." The Doctor was staring at her. Those eyes were piercing into hers. She found it hard, but she still looked back into his.

"How do you know about something that hasn't happened yet?" The Doctor asked calmly.

"I don't think you're going to believe me." Even with all the things that happened with the Doctor, something like this never happened. Would he believe her?

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Try me."

She sighed. "…Fine. Okay, first off, my real name isn't Alex Harper. And I'm not from this world."

"What?" Martha asked.

"I'm from a parallel world." Lauren kept her eyes locked with the Doctor's. "In this parallel world," She bit her lip. "In this parallel world there's a British T.V. show called, 'Doctor Who'." The Doctor's face told her he knew where this was going. "It's… well… it's about you. I watched it, I liked it." Lauren smiled nervously.

"You know all about me?"

Lauren thought about that. "Well… not… exactly." He raised an eyebrow. "You're my favorite regeneration." Lauren smiled sheepishly. "I like you the best."

"So you know all about me?" And this time he was directing it to himself, as the 10th Doctor.

Lauren nodded. "Yep, pretty much."

"Anything else?" Lauren couldn't tell if he believe her or not.

"Um… I don't look like this." Lauren answered. "Alex Harper was an original character that I created." Lauren smiled. "Don't know how, but I look like her now."

"So everything that's happened between us?"

Lauren finally looked over at Martha. "It's not that it hasn't happened. Or else, I wouldn't be here." Lauren thought about how to put it. "I'm a different person now. So, why don't we start over?" Lauren smiled, and held her hand out. "I'm Alexandra Harper. You can call me Alex though." She was already debating if she should keep that name, so why not introduce herself that way? "Nice to meet you Miss. Martha Jones."

Martha smiled. "First him, then you." But Martha took Lauren's hand anyway.

"I know right?" Lauren grinned. "Just gets weirder and weirder."

"Tell me about it…" The Doctor answered.

She turned back to the Doctor. "Do you believe me?"

The Doctor and she had another staring contest. He broke into a grin. She smiled back at him. "Course I do!" The Doctor chuckled. "Makes things more interesting, but you need to make sure not to slip up like that."

"Oh you have nothing to worry about." Lauren rolled her eyes. "I have a crappy memory. I only remember parts that I like." Lauren grinned. "You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

Both had another staring contest. It seemed like they were going to have a lot of those. Martha looked out into space again. She directed her words to the Doctor. "I promise you Mr. Smith, we'll find a way out." The Doctor broke eye contact and looked around. Martha continued. "If we can travel to the moon, then we can travel back. There's got to be a way."

"It's not Smith. That's not my real name." He walked over to the other side of the balcony and looked over the edge.

"Who are you, then?"

"I'm the Doctor."

"Us too if we ever pass our exams. What is it then, Dr. Smith?"

"Oh no." Lauren said cheerfully. The Doctor walked to the other side. "It's just the Doctor."

Martha looked confused. "How d'you mean, just the Doctor?"

The Doctor looked over. "Just… The Doctor."

"What? People call you 'The Doctor'?"

"Yeah."

"Well I'm not. As far as I'm concerned, you've got to earn that title." He raised an eyebrow and looked over at Lauren.

"I've always called you the Doctor." She said before he could ask. He looked back down at the floor.

"I better make a start then." He picked up a small chip from the floor. "Let's have a look then. There must be some sort of…" He chucked the piece over Lauren's head into space.

_Vwop._

Lauren blinked. She watched as the air before her turn blue. It rippled like a wave before disappearing. "Force field." The Doctor muttered. "Keeping the air in."

"Wait…" Lauren said. "If that's a force field that means that's the only air we have." She turned to the Doctor. "What happens when it runs out?" Something in her gut told her she didn't want to know the answer.

"How many people are in this hospital?" The Doctor asked.

"I dunno, um… a thousand…?"

"One thousand people, suffocating." Lauren looked at him in disbelief.

"Why would anyone _do_ that?" Martha asked, in just as much disbelief.

A loud engine met their ears. The three turned to see three cylindrical ships coming over the hospital. "Heads up. Ask 'em yourself."

The trio watched as the ships landed a ways away from the hospital. Martha grabbed a hold of Lauren as both watched. Lauren took the Doctor's hand without thinking. He squeezed her hand gently. They watched as a white panel in the front slide up the ship. They watched as a ramp slide down the opening. Small figures came walking out of the ship.

"Aliens. That's… aliens. Real proper aliens."

"Judoon." The Doctor said. 

-x-

The Doctor, Martha, and Lauren had run into the hospital and were now up on the second level looking over the scene. The Judoon walked into the hospital. The Judoon were big, brutish, stocky humanoids. Their uniforms were studded black leather panels. The lower half was a leather skirt, much like the Roman centurions and hefty boots below that. Their heads were covered with shiny black helmets. It was in the strangest shape. The thick head juts forward, on to the chest, and then twists up at the end. The Judoon captain – or Lauren assumed he was – twisted a clasp at his neck. It hissed as he lifted it up.

And there was his face. The face of a rhino, "you're kidding…" Lauren said. "They're rhinos… Like… space rhinos." The Doctor gave her an amused look. "What? That's what they look like."

"Bo! Sco! Fo! Blo! Co! Sho! Ro!" The Captain called. The other soldiers lifted their guns to the patients.

Morgenstern stepped forward. He was either really brave or really stupid. Lauren couldn't quite tell which it was. "Um… We are citizens of planet Earth. We come in peace." The Judoon Captain turned to him. He then backed the blonde male into the wall. He lifted what looked like a mini red flashlight. He put it against Morgenstern's mouth. "No, don't hurt me, I was trying to help, I'm sorry, don't hurt me, please don't hurt me."

The Judoon lifted up the mini-flashlight. He pressed a button and with it Morgenstern's voice plays back. The space rhino shoved it against his chest in some sort of nozzle. A second went by before the Judoon spoke in a deep guttural voice. "Language assimilated. Designation: Earth English. You will be cataloged."

The Judoon lifted another device. It had the same red mini-flashlight look. He put it to Morgenstern's forehead. After a few seconds of having a small blue light against his forehead and some small beeping, the Judoon spoke. "Category: Human." He took the male's hand and flips the device over. He then drew an 'X' on the back of his hand. Then to his troops he ordered. "Catalogue all suspects!"

"Look down there, you got a little shop. I like a little shop." Lauren giggled. He sounded so happy at such a bad time.

"Never mind that," Martha said. "What are Judoon?"

"They're like police. Well, police-for-hire. They're more like interplanetary thugs."

"And they're the ones that brought us to the moon?" Lauren asked.

"Neutral territory. According to Galactic law, they've got no jurisdiction over the Earth. So they isolated it. That rain, and lighting, that was them. Using a H2O scoop."

"What are you on about, Galactic law? I mean, where d'you learn that from?" It was too late. Both the Doctor and Lauren had moved to get a better view.

"I'm telling you Doctor," Martha heard as she went over to them. "They look like giant, space rhinos. Giant, outer-space, rhinos." He gave her an amused looked. "What? It's true."

"If they're police, are we under arrested? Are we trespassing on the moon, or something?" Martha joked.

"No. But I like that! Good thinking. No, wish it were that simple. They're making a catalogue, which means they're looking for something non-human. Which is very bad news for me."

"Why?"

The Doctor looked over to Martha. Since Lauren was tiny it was easy to do.

"Oh you're kidding me." The Doctor only raised an eyebrow. "Don't be ridiculous…" Martha paused as the Time Lord only continued to stare. "Stop me looking at me like that."

"Come on, then." The Doctor said. Both girls followed as he went back up the stairs.

-x-

The trio went to a door saying 'Floor 6'. They open the door quickly. People sunk to the ground, miserable. The three of them hopped around them.

They finally got to another room saying it was the nurses' station. The Doctor flew into that room with Lauren trying to keep up with his long strides. Martha stayed outside to see what the Judoon were doing.

The Doctor slid into a chair and looked over at the computer. He took out his trusted sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the computer. Martha finally ran in. "They've reached the third floor." The African American woman paused seeing the sonic screwdriver. "What's that thing?"

"Sonic screwdriver." The Doctor answered, distracted.

"Well if you're not going to answer me properly."

"No, really it's a screwdriver. And it's sonic. Look!" He turned and lifted the device up to her. She smiled.

"What else have you got? A laser spanner?" It was obvious that Martha was being sarcastic.

"I did, but it was stolen by Emily Pankhurst, cheeky woman." Martha's smile fell when she realized he was serious. "What's wrong with this computer?"

"Now Doctor." Lauren chided. "Getting angry isn't going to help." She kept her tone patient and soft. The Doctor looked over at her.

"Has everyone ever told you, you sound like a -"

"A mother?" Lauren chuckled. "I do believe I've heard that somewhere before."

The Doctor turned back to the computer, but it seemed that Lauren's words had calmed him. "The Judoon must've locked it down. Judoon Platoon, upon the Moon." The brunette Time Lord ran a hand threw his hair. Lauren smiled. His hair was now sticking up in all sorts of crazy directions. "'Cause, I was just traveling past, I swear, I was just wondering, I wasn't looking for trouble, honestly, I wasn't."

Lauren snorted. "If you aren't looking for trouble, Doctor then _trouble _comes looking for _you_." The Doctor gave her a look that told her he knew that oh to well.

He continued like the brunette girl hadn't spoken. "But I noticed plasma coils around the hospital – like that lighting, that's a plasma coil, it's been building up for two days now – so I checked in. I thought something was going on in the inside. Turns out the plasma coils were the Judoon, up above."

"But… What are they looking for?" Lauren asked.

"Something that looks human, but isn't."

"Like you, apparently." Martha said.

"Like me, but not me." The Doctor turned to look at Martha for a slight second before looking back at the computer.

"Wouldn't they have a picture or something?" Lauren asked.

"Might be a shape-changer." Lauren had to admit. He was clicking quickly. Well, more quickly than she could ever achieve.

"Well, whatever it is, can't you just leave the Judoon to find it?" Martha asked.

"If they declare the hospital guilty of harboring a fugitive… They'll sentence it to execution."

"All of us?" Martha asked and Lauren turned her eyes to look at the Doctor in disbelief.

"Oh yes." The Doctor answered. "But if I can find this thing first. Oh!" Both jumped back as the Doctor yelled at the computer. "You see! They're thick! Judoon are thick! They're so completely thick! They've wiped the records! Oh that's clever."

"What are we looking for?" Martha asked.

"I don't know." Never a good sign when the Doctor says that. "Say, any patient admitted in the past week with unusual symptoms." He put both of his hands threw his hair. He grabbed the computer and looked at the back of it. "Maybe there's a back up." His hair was sticking in even weirder directions.

"You keep working. I'll go ask Mr. Stoker, he might know." With that she ran off.

Lauren ran hand threw her hair and put some of it in front of her face. "Not use to it?"

"Hmmm?" She blinked, realizing the Doctor spoke. "Yeah, but at the same time, I feel use to it." She scratched her head. "It's hard to explain. I was thinking though…"

"Hmmm?"

"I like the name Alexandra. I always did. You can have a lot of nicknames from that." She smiled.

He returned the smile. "Thinking of keeping it?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking of accepting that as my new name." _'Alex, Alex, Alex' _she liked it. It sounded nice.

"Can you unplug this for me?" He tugged on a wire. She traced the wire to the wall and did as she was told. "Ah!" He cried.

"Got it?"

"Yep. Come on. Let's go get Martha." She followed him out of the room. Martha ran into him. "I've restored the back up."

"I've found her."

"You did what?" The three looked up as a male biker – or at least, that's what it looked like – broke down the door. "Run!" The Time Lord grabbed both of their hands and ran off with them following.

They jumped over people. Alex ran even quicker. Thank God Alex was fit. They burst through the doors and ran down the stairs. The Doctor slid across the landing to stop as the Judoon clomped up the stairs towards them. Alex turned the other way. Taking the Doctor's hand, she dragged him off with her and ran into the fifth floor door. The three of them ran, almost like a nightmare. This floor seemed to be more of a technical floor.

It felt like corridor after corridor. The place was deserted and empty. The only sounds were their running. The Doctor finally caught up with Alex and ran past her. They turn to another corridor. Alex ran like the devil was at her heels. They ran down what seems like another endless corridor.

The Doctor took another turn, swinging Martha around, and letting Alex run into him before turning her. The trio took off again before the Doctor threw open a door and pulled out the sonic screwdriver. He flashed the light and the door locked. The Time Lord took both human girls and pushed them into the staff room. "When I say 'now', press the button."

"But how do we know which one?" Martha called to him.

"Then find out!" He answered. As the Doctor fixed the x-ray to be where he wanted it. Alex looked around until she saw the instructions' manual. Alex grabbed it and almost threw it over to Martha. Both franticly flew threw it, trying to find which button to press.

_Wham!_

Alex's head snapped up in time to see the door fall as the motorcycle male walked through. "Now!" The Doctor yelled. Alex gave up and pressed a promising yellow button. She prayed it was the right one.

A bright light flashed through the room. Alex squinted but was able to see. The Doctor's skeleton could be seen. She looked over at the other male. Nothing, it was just a bright light all the way through. The flashes stopped and everything seemed to go back to normal. The motorcycle male stood there stiff before falling over and hitting the ground.

Both girls were silent for a long moment. Finally Martha spoke, "… What did you do?"

"Increased the radiation by 5000%. Killed him dead," The Doctor said.

"Won't that kill _you_?" Alex pointed out.

"Naaah, only Rontgen radiation. We use to play with Rontgen bricks in the nursery." She looked at him in disbelief through the window. "It's safe for you to come out now. I've absorbed it all." Alex walked out, and smiled when she remember this part. The taller brunette shook and shuddered. It looked like a little twitching dance. "All I need to do is expel it, say, if I concentrate and shift the radiation out of my body and into one spot –say, my left shoe."

His picked up said foot and started to shake it. "Here we go, here we go, easy does it. Out, out, out, out, out. Out, out, ah, ah, ah, itches, itches, itches. Oh, oooh." The Doctor took his left shoe – sock and all – and threw it into the yellow waste bin. "Done."

"You're completely mad." Martha said.

And his response to that: "You're right. I look daft with one shoe." And took off his second shoe – again, sock and all – and threw it into the same bin. "Barefoot on the moon." Alex threw her hand up to stop the laughing. But giggles seeped through her lips.

"You're a complete genius!" Alex laughed. The Doctor grinned. Martha just gave both of them a look.

"So what is that thing, where's he from, planet Zovirax?" Martha walked over to him. Both the Doctor and Alex walked over as well.

"Just a Slab, they're called Slabs. Basic slave drones, see…?" He reached out and grabbed the arm. "Solid leather all the way through." Alex reached out and squeezed the arm. Blinking in surprise when he was right, it felt really weird. "Someone's got one hell of a fetish." Alex giggled again.

"But it was that woman, Miss. Finnegan, it was working for her. Just like a servant." Alex blinked. Wasn't that the same woman that asked them if they knew where Mr. Stoker was a couple hours before? The Doctor pulled out the sonic screwdriver. He looked horrified when he saw that part of it was fried.

"My sonic screwdriver…"

"She was one of the patients, but…" Martha continued.

"No, no, my sonic screwdriver." The Doctor said.

"She had this straw like some sort of vampire." Martha tried again.

"I love my sonic screwdriver!"

"Doctor!" Martha called.

The Doctor turned, and threw the screwdriver over his shoulder. "Sorry," He got sidetracked again and smiled. "You called me Doctor."

"Anyways…" Alex said. "Miss. Finnegan seems to be the alien."

"She was drinking Mr. Stoker's blood." Martha said.

"Funny time to take a snack, you'd think she'd be hiding… Unless," The Doctor seemed to realize something. "No. Yes. That's it, wait a minute… Yes!" Both girls jumped again. "Shape-changer, _internal_ shape-changer. She wasn't drinking blood, she was _assimilating _it." The Doctor started to talk more quickly. "If she can assimilate Mr. Stoker's blood, she can mimic the biology."

"Wait…" The Doctor looked over. "If she mimics the biology, won't that mean that to the Judoon, she'll be a human?"

"Brilliant!" He called to her. "Brilliant, Allie, just brilliant." There was a pause.

"Did you just call me - ?"

"Oh," The Doctor thought about it. "I like that. Allie. I do. Sounds nice."

"Okay, then, you can keep it." Alex shrugged, she agreed with the Doctor. Coming from his lips, 'Allie' sounded lovely.

"Anyways," The Doctor continued. "We've got to find her, and show the Judoon. Come on!" When they went outside the already broken door Alex heard the door opened. She hid behind the door with the Doctor and Martha next to her.

There was a pause. Then another Slab walked by. Alex tensed as it walked by. "That's the thing about Slabs, they always travel in pairs." The Doctor's breath was right next to her ear. She could feel the warmth traveling down her neck. It gave her shivers. She always had a sensitive neck; she could never get a neck massage or anything because her neck was too ticklish.

"What about you?" Martha asked. Alex leaned over slightly to watch the Slab.

"What about me what?" The Doctor responded. And – damn him – he leaned next to Alex again. So – again – his breath brushed her neck. She could feel her hair standing up. She ignored the tempting urge to rub her neck where his breath was sliding down. It was hard, chills were running down her spine because of his breath.

"Haven't you got back-up? You must have a partner or something…" Alex mentally locked her lips. She knew what happened. And was not about to bring it up. She knew either one of two things would happen or possibly both: That would make the Doctor incredibly sad. Or she would have to face his wrath. And she _really _didn't want to deal with either.

The Doctor scoffed as he looked at Martha in disbelief. "Human! We're stuck on the moon, running out of air, with Judoon, and a blood-sucking criminal, and you're asking personal questions? Come on." Alex mouth dropped slightly. She reached out and smacked the Time Lord's back.

He looked back at her in surprise. "I'm not the one asking personal questions." She pursued her lips. "Don't you lump all humans together." The Doctor continued on, but he threw her surprised, but calculating, looks every now and then.

"Oh, I like that, 'humans'. Still not convinced that you're an alien." They turn only to come to face three Judoons. One lifted the mini-flashlight and flashed it against the Doctor's forehead. He leaned back slightly. The Judoon spoke.

"Non-human."

"Oh my God, you really are."

The Time Lord turned to them. "And again." He reached and took their hands. Then they ran down the hallway. Just in time, the Judoon took out their guns and fired only to barely miss them and hit the wall behind them. The trio ran up, and up, and up. They were desperate to get away from the Judoon. They reach the sixth floor and charge into it.

They finally ran through another door. And, since the sonic screwdriver was lost, the Doctor locked the door the old fashion way. They came out another door, and Alex looked around. All around her people were on the ground, clinging to oxygen bottles. Some couples would switch and share. "They've done this floor, come one." The Doctor said. "The Judoon are logical, and just a little bit thick. They won't go back to check a floor they've already checked. If we're lucky."

Alex didn't hear him as she knelt next to Julia. The woman had been holding an oxygen mask to a young woman. "How much oxygen is there?" Alex asked.

"Not enough for all these people. We're going to run out." Alex reached out and touched the woman's hand. She opened her eyes slightly. Alex smiled comfortingly to her. The brunette girl didn't notice the look the Doctor sent her.

"How're you two feel? Are you alright?" the Doctor asked.

"Running on adrenalin." Alex nodded in agreement.

"Welcome to my world." The Doctor responded. Alex stood up and looked at the Doctor.

"What about the Judoon?" Martha asked.

"Great big lung reserves won't slow them down." The Doctor looked at Alex for a slight second. She saw some emotion playing in his eyes, but he looked away too quickly for her to figure out what it was. "Where's Mr. Stoker's office?"

Martha got up. "This way." They go only a little way before going into the small hallway to Mr. Stoker's office. The Doctor put his hand out slightly so both would stop. He went in with Alex and Martha following close behind.

When they finally got into the room no one was there, "she's gone. She was here." The Doctor went over to Mr. Stoker's body and pressed his fingers to the man's neck.

"Drained him dry. Every last drop." Alex shifted uncomfortably. She never liked it when someone dead had their eyes opened. It sent chills down her spine. And especially since… _No, _Alex thought, _don't go there. _"I was right. She's a Plasmavore."

"What's she doing here?" Alex asked. She was trying to distract herself.

"Hiding, on the run, like Ronald Biggs in Rio de Janeiro." That meant nothing to the brunette girl. "But what's she doing now? She's still not safe. The Judoon could execute us all." The Doctor stood up. "Come on."

"Wait a minute." Alex turned to see Martha walk over to Mr. Stoker. She gently closed his eyes. Alex relaxed. Now she was fine.

They walk out the room and the Doctor was looking at the ground, thinking. "Think, think, think… If I was a wanted Plasmavore, surrounded by police, what would I do?" The Doctor looked up to see a MRI sign. "Oh, she's as clever as me." He paused. "Almost."

A loud crash sounded through the hospital. The Judoon stomped through the doors. "Find the non-human!" The captain commanded. "Execute!"

"Martha! Allie!" He turned around to them, sharply. "I need time, stay here, you've got to hold them up."

"How do I do that?" Martha asked in disbelief. _Oh yeah, _Alex remember this part of the episode too.

"Just, forgive me for this. This could save a thousand lives, it means nothing. Honestly, nothing." With that, he takes her face and kisses her. For a solid three seconds too. When he turned to Alex she whacked his hands away.

"Martha is more than enough, space-man!" She took a step back from him. "You don't come anywhere near me!" She said. Don't get her wrong, Alex loved the 10th Doctor, _loved _him. But she did not want to end up like poor Martha. Falling for a man that doesn't love her back. He looked at her, and they had a small staring contest before he smiled at the brunette girl and ran off.

"That was nothing?" Martha asked. Alex could hear the pleased sound underneath.

Alex fixed her shirt and turned and walked confidently to the Judoon. "Be warned, Martha. This is going to be weird." Martha nodded. They stood in the middle of the hall as the Judoon came stomping up to them.

"Now listen," Martha said. "I know who you're looking for, and she's this woman, calls herself Florence." The Judoon captain held his mini-light to Alex's face. She leaned back, away from it, like the Doctor had done.

The Judoon ignored Martha. "Human." He took Alex's hand and drew an 'X' on it. He then turned the mini-light onto Martha. At first, he spoke, "Human." But the scan seemed to give off another beep. "Wait. Partial non-human." Another beep, the Judoon lifted their guns to Martha. One Judoon pulled Alex out of the way.

The brunette girl struggled to make him let go. "Oi!" She hissed. "Let me go!" The Judoon ignored her.

"Non human element confirmed. Authorize full scan." The Judoon captain shoved Martha into a wall. Martha looked over at Alex. And both knew. This was to buy the Doctor time. "What are you? _What are you_?"

After a full scan, the Judoon drew an 'X' on the back of Martha's hand. "Confirm: Human. Traces of facial contact with non-human." To the other Judoons, he spoke. "Continue the search!" He then gave Martha a sheet of paper. "You will need this."

"What's that for?" Martha took the piece of paper though.

"Compensation." Both Martha and Alex looked in disbelief at the paper. Alex gently tugged Martha's arm and they followed the Judoon into the MRI room.

The Judoon slammed the door opened. They walked in as Ms. Finnegan let the Doctor drop. He hit the ground, eyes closed. "Now, see what you've done? This poor man just died of fright."

"Scan him!" A Judoon held his scanner to the Doctor. Martha and Alex rush in. A Judoon held them back, but they were still able to see. Alex felt her heart lurch in her chest. He wasn't supposed to die! There was so much he still had to do. "Confirmation: deceased."

"No, but he can't be – let me through, let me see him," Alex said nothing but struggled to get through to the fallen Time Lord. But the Judoon stop them from getting closer.

"Case closed." _Wait a minute, _Alex thought for a second before looking at the Plasmavore. Alex's heart rate quickened. _What if she… Could it be that he…?_ Her thoughts were running a hundred miles per hour.

"But it was her!" Martha called, desperate. Alex continued to look at Ms. Finnegan. "She killed him, she did it, she murdered him."

"Judoon have no authority over human crime." The captain said.

"But she's not human!" Martha protested.

"Oh but I am. I've been catalogued." Ms. Finnegan lifted her hand.

"Not unless you drank the Doctor's blood." Alex said, already reaching for one of the Judoon's scanners. She pressed the button and held it to Ms. Finnegan's face.

"I don't mind. Scan all you like." A beep alerted the Judoon.

"Non-human." The captain called.

"What?" Ms. Finnegan asked.

Alex grinned. She gave the Judoon his scanner back. "Confirm Analysis!" All of the Judoon lift up their mini-flashlights and scanned Ms. Finnegan.

"But – that's a mistake, it's got to be. I'm human; I'm as human as they come." She was panicking.

"He gave his life so they would find you." Alex sighed. Thinking about it, that was _so _like him.

"Confirm: Plasmavore! Charged with the crime of murdering the child princess of Padrivole Regency Nine."

"And she deserved it." Ms. Finnegan hissed. "Those pink cheeks, and those blonde curls, and that simpering voice! Oh, she was begging for the bite of a Plasmavore!"

"Then you confess?" The captain asked.

"Confess? I'm proud of it! Slab! Stop them!" She ran past him and into the other room. The Slab started to walk over to them. The captain lifted his gun and shot out to Slab. Both Martha and Alex took a step back to get out of the way.

"Verdict: Guilty. Sentence: Execution." All the Judoon took out their guns. This time Martha and Alex ducked to stay out of fire.

Ms. Finnegan plugged up two wires before turning to the Judoon. "Enjoy your victory, Judoon. 'Cause you're going to burn with me! Burn in hell!" With that, the Judoon fired at her. She let out a yell before she turned to ash.

"Case closed." The Captain said. Martha and Alex finally stood up.

Alex flinched as another arc of lighting shot through the room. "What did she mean burn with me? The scanner shouldn't be doing that, she's done something." The Captain strode forward and whipped out his scanner. Alex ran over to the Doctor and put her hand gently on the top of his head. In any other situation, she would have noticed how nice and soft his hair was. But that wasn't the time for it. She gently ran her hand down his hair.

"Scans detect lethal acceleration of mono-magnetic pulse."

"What are you standing there for then?" Alex snapped. "Do something! Stop it!"

He turned back to her. "Our jurisdiction has ended. Judoon will evacuate." Alex looked at him in disbelief.

"What?" Martha called. "But you can't just leave it! What's it gonna do?"

He ignored Martha. Into the comm., he commanded. "All units withdraw."

They lined up into a military line and walked out of the door. Alex refused to leave the Doctor but looked at them in disbelief. Martha followed them out standing near the door. "You can't just go!" Martha yelled. "That thing's gonna explode and it's your fault!"

"Martha!" Alex yelled. "Leave them! We need to help the Doctor. He's the only one that can help us now!" Thankfully, Martha listened to her and she ran back into the room. Alex blinked as her vision started to become slightly blurry. It was becoming harder and harder to breath. Alex shook her head to clear her vision. Now wasn't the time, she need to help the Doctor.

Both took turns. Alex took the Doctor's mouth, and with a slight blush, held his nose before breathing into his mouth. Martha pumped his chest. Alex breathed back into his mouth. Martha pumped his chest again. Then, Alex remembered. "Two hearts!"

"What?" Martha asked.

"The Doctor has two hearts." She pointed, "Second one here, got it?" Martha nodded. With that, Martha pumped his chest twice. Alex breathed into the Doctor's mouth. Martha pumps his chest. Alex breathed again into his mouth. Both were getting exhausted and flushed. But nothing was going to stop these two from bringing this man back to life. _Come on, Doctor, _Alex called mentally. _You're the only one that can save us! _

Alex's vision blurred this time heavily. Alex panted deeply. She lifted her head, and with one last deep breath, she blew into the Doctor's mouth. Martha fell onto the ground, her eyes already closed. The Doctor took a deep breath before he coughed roughly. He obviously was in pain, dazed. Alex's oxygen-starved brain noticed something. This wasn't at all like the movies. The tension she could feel when trying to bring him back to life. The pain he must be feeling, it was all real.

Alex slowly fell to the ground. The Doctor used all of his strength to lift his head to Alex. "The scanner," She felt so dizzy. _So, this is what it feels like to suffocate_. Such a dark thought that was. "She's done something to the scanner." Alex's words became softer and softer as her brain slowly shut down. "Please," Alex forced out. "Please help Doctor." With that, her eyes closed as she fell unconscious.

The Doctor looked at Alex for a moment. He then lifted his eyes and looked at the scanner. The MRI was now screaming with electricity. Still in pain, he lifted himself up and got over to the control room. He reached into his pocket only to realize. "Oh, the sonic!" The Doctor's head was swimming. He looked over at Martha and Alex. Both were unconscious. He looked at the circuitry. He grabbed a handful of wires.

The Doctor took one last look at the scanner. He then looked back at two identical wires, one red and one blue. He lifted up the blue one, "No." He dropped that one and took the red one. He then rips the red wire apart. The room returned to normal as the lighting died down.

The Doctor breathed roughly. He was still recovering. But none the less, he was relieved. The Doctor lifted Martha Jones up first and took her to the male ward where they first met. Then he ran – or as much as he could in his condition – and lifted up the small, tiny Alex. He had to admit. She weighed close to nothing in his arms. He could see she was barely breathing. His breathing was hard, and his face was pale, but he carried the small girl back to the ward.

He moved to the window, next to the bed where Martha Jones sat. He watched the Judoon ships start up and take off. "Come on, come on, come on, come on, please, please. Come Judoon, reverse it." He could only hope. He looked down at Alex, and saw that she was close to not breathing at all. Then, there was a flash of lighting and rain appeared sliding down the windows. The Doctor smiled. "It's raining, Allie. It's raining on the moon." With that a bright light shot through the room and into the whole hospital.

-x-

Martha and Alex sat in the back of an ambulance. Alex was still breathing deeply into an oxygen mask. Finally, she took it off and sighed in relief. She was never, _ever _going to take oxygen for granted again.

When the paramedic gave them the okay, they got off and walked away. They passed Morgenstern as he talked to a police about what he did. Alex heard Martha's and her name being called and turned to see Tish, Martha's sister. Martha smiled while Alex looked around. She grinned as she saw the Doctor a ways away. He caught her eye and he waved at Alex. Alex smiled even bigger when she saw his TARDIS. Oh, she probably loved the TARDIS just as much as she did the Doctor.

Alex turned as Tish spoke at an amazing speed about what was going on down on Earth. Alex turned back around, and couldn't see the Doctor or the TARDIS anymore. It must have meant that the Doctor took off. Honestly, without the Doctor there, Alex felt out of place in the middle of all these people.

-x-

Alex sighed, as she fixed her outfit. Apparently she had been invited to Leo's twenty first. She was now wearing a white short-sleeve button up shirt. Over it she had a small black best. She wore hoop earrings that matched her hoop necklace. Alex had dark wash jeans, and some black and white, converse-type heels and some subtle makeup.

With her hair, she didn't do much, just put most of it to the side in a swooping fashion. Alex paused and looked out the window. Morgenstern's voice spoke in the background from her radio. She smiled. She knew that Martha Jones traveled with the Doctor. Maybe… Maybe she could come with them. Alex giggled and twirled like a little girl. She stopped and ran a hand past her face. "And scene." She always did that when she did something out of character. She wasn't that girly actually.

"Alex!" Said brunette grabbed a black trench coat that reached the back of her knees and ran down the stairs.

-x-

All was quiet in the street. A banister hung on the pub saying 'Happy Birthday Leo'. The wonderful silence was broken as a blonde woman with a lovely golden dress came stomping out of the pub. Following her was a tall African American male, looking nervous. Follow _him_, was another African American female, looking frustrated. "I am not staying in there to be insulted!" Annalise said.

"She didn't mean it sweetheart; she was just saying you look healthy." Clive tried to fix.

However, the third woman wasn't going to stand for it. "No I did not. I said orange!" Francine interrupted.

"Clive, that woman is disrespecting me! She never liked me!" Annalise threw a nasty glance at Francine.

"Oh, I can't think why, after you stole my husband!" Poor Clive was right in the middle of it.

"I was seduced. I'm entirely innocent, tell her about it, babes!"

Francine wasn't done though. "And then, she has to go at Martha and Alex, practically accused them of making the whole thing up." At this time, Leo, Tish, Alex, and Martha came out. Alex had to admit. She never wanted to get on the bad side of Francine. She could be scary when she was angry.

"Really, Mrs. Jones," Alex called, trying to calm the older adults down so they could get back to Leo's birthday. "We don't mind. It's okay, you can leave it."

"Oh, 'I've been to the moon!', as if – they were drugged, it said so in the news!" Annalise snapped. _Ugh, _Alex sighed. Why couldn't they just drop the whole thing and actually _act _like adults?

"Since when did you watch the news?" Francine yelled. "You can't handle Quiz mania!"

"Make her apologize!" Annalise demanded to Clive.

"Annalise started it, she did, I heard her." Tish said. _And how is that going to help?_

"I can't make her do anything!" Clive responded.

"Tish don't make it worse." Leo said exhausted.

"You make me suffer; you're an expert in that!" Francine said.

"Come off it Leo, what did she buy you? Soap! A 75 pence soap!" Tish responded.

Splitting up now, Clive, Leo, and Annalise went one way. While Francine and Tish walked off the other way.

"Oh I'm never talking to your family again!" Annalise called.

Clive called back to her. "Annalise, don't you dare! I'm putting my foot down! This is me putting my foot down!" Even though he said that he went after her.

"Let her go, Dad, we don't need her, come back inside, come on…" Leo said.

"Have a nice party, Clive." Francine called to her ex-husband. "Go on, cavort with your little piece, make a fool of yourself. God knows you've been doing it for twenty five years, why stop now?"

Tish ran after her. "Oh mum, don't, I asked the DJ and he's playing that song later, he's playing Popcorn, like we did when we were little. Don't go…"

Martha and Alex were left there. Alex sighed, resisting the urge to bang her head on something. She looked over tired when something caught her eyes. She paused only to grin at what she saw. She nudged Martha and nodded over to him. Martha looked over to see the Doctor smiling at them. He then walked back into the alley out of their sight.

Both Martha and Alex made up their minds without even looking at each other. They took off after the Doctor. They walked down an alley way speeding up their walks to catch up with him. They turned and sped walked down another alley way before stopping to look at the Doctor, leaning against his TARDIS.

There was a slight pause. Alex walked slowly over to the Doctor and the TARDIS. Her eyes trained on the blue box. She looked at the Doctor, and grinned. He returned the gesture, knowing she knew what was behind him.

"We went to the moon today." Martha finally said. Alex finally got close enough to the blue box and reached her hand to it. She ran her fingers down the wood.

The Doctor watched her as he spoke. "A bit more peaceful than down here."

"You never told us – me," She corrected remembering who Alex really was. "Who you really are."

"The Doctor." The Time Lord answered.

"But what sort of species? It's not every day I get to ask that." Martha pointed out.

"I'm a Time Lord."

"Right." Martha said. "Not pompous at all, then…" He grinned.

"I just thought… Since, you've two saved my life. And I have a brand new sonic screwdriver," He pulled out said device. "Which needs road-testing… You might fancy a trip?"

"Yes." Alex stated almost right away. Both looked over. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" Alex grinned at the Doctor. "You shouldn't even have to ask me." The Doctor chuckled at the girl. He had to admit, she was the strangest, most unique human he ever met.

"What? Into space?" Martha asked.

"Well…" The Doctor said.

"But… _We _can't." Martha made sure to stress that, and Alex threw a pout in her direction. "We've got exams, we've got things to do, I've got to go into town this week and pay the rent. And I've got my family going mad…"

"If it helps, I can travel in time, as well." The Doctor said. Alex grinned. He comes the time in this episode to explain why they met up with him this morning.

"Get out of here." Martha said.

"I can." The Doctor said.

"Seriously," Alex laughed. "He can travel through space _and _time."

"Come on. That is going too far."

"I'll prove it." With that he got into the TARDIS. The engines started up. The familiar 'whirling' sound echoed into the night. Alex stood back and watched as the TARDIS disappeared. The wind whipped around her. Martha walked forward, and reached a hand out into the space where the TARDIS just was. A couple of seconds later, the same whirling sound started up again. Martha backed up into some bins. The TARDIS slowly appeared to them, and the Doctor opened the door.

Holding in his hand, was his tie. "Told ya." He said.

"No, but… That was this morning. But… Did you? Oh my God, You can travel through time… But hold on, if you could see me this morning, why didn't you tell me not to go into work?"

"Because," Alex spoke up. "Crossing into established events is strictly forbidden… Well," Alex grinned, "except for cheap tricks."

Alex looked over and rolled her eyes. She walked in front of the Doctor. He looked startled by her sudden closeness but she ignored it. "Seriously, Doctor," she scolded playfully. "You need to work on your fixing-ties ability." She reached over and gently fixed his tie so it was perfect. She then took his white shirt and fixed it so it was under his brown suit. "There." She said happily. "Much better."

The Doctor smiled at her. Martha looked at the small blue box. She tried to ignore the sinking feeling in her stomach. "And that's your spaceship?" Martha asked. She walked over to it and ran her fingers against it.

"It's called the TARDIS."

"Time and Relative… Dimension in Space." Alex said. She looked over to the Doctor in approval. Which he gave her a nod.

"You're spaceship is made of wood. But there's not much room, we'd be a bit intimate."

Alex leaned against the heels of her feet. She could feel the excitement curling in her stomach. However, she waited as patiently as she could for the Doctor to let them take a look. "Take a look." With that he opened the door. Alex squealed and ran into the ship. She got up to the control panel and looked around in pleasant disbelief. The inside of the TARDIS was just another site that was one thing to see on the T.V. but a whole new thing to see in real life. It was _huge_. 'Bigger on the inside' did not do it justice.

The TARDIS was _massive_ on the inside. You could fit the Empire State Building in here… _twice_! Alex did a full spin before looked back at the Doctor. He smiled at her when he saw her excitement. "Wow…" She said. "I love this place!" Alex jumped up and down a bit before standing straight. She flashed her hand down her face. "And scene." She muttered before turning to the Doctor.

To answer his raised eyebrow she said, "Sometimes I go out of character and I do that as a fun way to get back into character." The Doctor kept his eyebrow raised but chuckled.

"You have to be the strangest human I've ever met."

Alex grinned at him. "I take that as a compliment Doctor." Outside Martha was speculating about the inside size of the TARDIS. "I like being one of a kind."

He chuckled. "Well, trust me; you certainly are one of a kind." Alex laughed. Martha came and squeezed between the two.

"It's bigger on the inside." The Doctor mouthed the words, probably so use to them by now.

"Is it? I hadn't notice." The Doctor closed the doors before throwing his jacket onto a column and walked over to the control panel. Alex took her jacket off, and laid it gently over the Doctor's much longer trench coat. "Let's get going then." Alex leaned against the TARDIS controls looking over all the buttons with amazement. How did he remember what was what?

"But… Is there a crew? Like, a navigator and stuff, where is everyone?" Martha asked.

"Just me." The Doctor said.

"All on your own?" Martha asked. Alex stayed quiet. The Doctor moved so he was standing right next to her. Brown met blue as they stared at each other. Something passed threw them. Alex wasn't sure what it was. It might have been a mutual understanding of each other.

"Well," He broke eye contact with the unique girl. He saw empathy in her eyes. But the amount was overflowing. It shocked him greatly. He had never met someone with so much empathy as her. "Sometimes I have… guests. I mean, some friends, travelling along side. I had, it was recently, friend of mine. Rose, her name was Rose, and… We were together… Anyways." The Doctor said.

Alex reached out a hand to the Doctor. She gently took it back though. She didn't know that the Doctor had seen her hand. She turned around to stand next to Martha. The Doctor watched her. "Where is she now?" Martha asked.

"With her family. Happy! She's fine… She's… Not that you're replacing her!" He pointed at both of them. "Not that either of you are replacing her."

"Never said we were." Alex responded. There was no harshness in her words. She couldn't, knowing what happened to Rose.

"Just one trip. To say thanks, you get one trip, then back home." The Doctor said. "I'd rather be on my own." Alex threw him a disbelieving look. She knew way better than that. The Doctor saw the look. He looked at her. She came over so she was standing next to him. The TARDIS controls were blocking Alex from Martha's eyes.

Alex mouthed. "You and I both know that's not true." The Doctor frowned.

"Well, you're the one that kissed me." The Doctor turns his eyes onto Martha.

"_That _was genetic transfer."

Alex laughed. "That's maybe what you call it, Doctor. But we humans call it a 'kiss'." Alex grinned. It was fun picking on the Doctor. The Doctor threw her a look. It didn't affect her at all.

"And if you will wear a tight suit."

"Now, don't." The Doctor scolded.

"And then, you travel across the whole universe just to ask her on a date."

"Stop it." He told the both of them.

"For the record, I'm not remotely interested. I only go for humans." The Doctor smiled.

"Good." He looked at Alex. He wanted to scold her, but in his hearts he knew she could change his world. "Allie?"

Alex snorted. "I _could _say that." Alex blinked innocently. "But if I did, I would be lying." The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "What? I like you." Alex threw her hands up. "I mean seriously, how can I not?" She smiled innocently. "And since we shouldn't lie to each other, I shouldn't say it."

The Doctor sighed, knowing he couldn't get her to say it. But he could feel his lips smiling. "Close down the Gravitic Anomalyser. Fire up the Helmic Regulator. And finally… the handbrake!" He then put his hand another lever. To both of them, he asked. "Ready?"

"No." Martha said.

Alex grinned. "Oh yes." She said.

"Off we go!" He pulled it. The TARDIS gave a huge lurch as it took off. Alex laughed and grabbed the TARDIS controls. The brunette girl was reminded of a roller coaster.

"Blimey! It's a bit bumpy!" Martha called out.

The brunette Time Lord reached across to Martha. "Welcome aboard, Miss. Jones."

Martha took his hand. "It's my pleasure, Mr. Smith."

The Doctor turned to the small brunette girl. He smiled as he reached the same hand over. "And you, Miss. Harper."

Alex laughed. She took the Doctor's hand. "No other place I'd rather be, Doctor!"

And with that, they took off into space.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The Doctor turned a wheeled control as Martha and Alex held onto the TARDIS to keep steady. "But how do you travel in time? What makes it go?" Alex could barely hear Martha over the sound of the TARDIS. She flicked her head to get her hair out of her face.

"Oh let's take the fun and the mystery out of everything. Martha, you don't want to know. It just does. Hold on tight!" The Doctor practically climbed onto the TARDIS. Alex held onto as tightly as she could. The ship gave one final lurch. Martha was thrown to the ground. The Doctor was thrown off the console, but he somehow kept his footing. Alex was thrown off as well, but thankfully, she landed onto the chair.

Standing up, Martha said. "Blimey! Do you have to pass a test to fly this thing?"

The Doctor was running around her to get his coat. "Yes. And I failed it." He grabbed Alex's coat and tossed it to her. She grabbed it and fixed her shirt before putting it on. "Now, make the most of it." He then gave Martha her jacket. "I promised you one trip and one trip only." He ran over to the door and turned to them. Alex stood next to Martha. She couldn't stop a smile from forming on her lips. "Outside this door, brave new world."

"Where are we?" Martha asked.

The Doctor watched her. "Take a look. After you." Martha ran down the ramp. Alex was almost right behind her. She smiled at the Doctor as she passed him. Alex stepped out and her smile widened. There, right there before her eyes, was England of long ago. Alex looked around slowly, taking in as much as she could.

"Oh, you're kidding me." Martha said next to her. "You are _so _kidding me. Oh my God! We did it. We travelled in time." The Doctor came to stand between the two women. "Where are we?" Martha asked the Doctor. "No, sorry. I got to get use to this whole new language. _When _are we?"

The Doctor looked up and pushed both girls back as a man dumped the contents of a bucket out the window. "Mind the loo!" He called down to the trio.

"Somewhere before the invention of the toilet. Sorry 'bout that." The Doctor said.

"I've seen worse. I've worked the late night shift at A&E." Martha stated.

"I had two dogs and two cats at home." Alex shrugged. "That's not the worse I've seen either." The Doctor started to move around it and Alex came up next to him. She made sure to not touch the 'loo'.

"But are we safe? I mean, can we move around and stuff?" Martha asked.

"Course we can," The Doctor said. "Why do you ask?"

Martha gave him a 'duh' look. "Back in the films. You step on a butterfly you change the future of the human race."

"Tell you what then, Martha…" Alex smiled, teasingly. "Don't step on any butterflies."

"What have butterflies ever done to you?" The Doctor asked. They turn and continued walking. Martha jogged to keep up.

"What if, I dunno, I kill my grandfather?" The Doctor turned around to walk backwards.

"Are you planning to?" The Doctor teased.

"No."

"Well, then."

"This is London, right?" Alex asked.

"Think so. Right about 1599." Alex looked over at him, how could he tell what year it was?

"Oh, but hold on. Am I alright? I'm not going to get carted off as a slave, am I?" Martha asked concerned.

"Why would they do that?" The Doctor asked, perplexed.

"Not exactly white, in case you haven't noticed."

"I'm not even human." The Doctor pointed out.

"And I probably have strange colored streaks in my hair _and _a lip piercing which I doubt they had back then." The Doctor nodded.

"Just walk about like you own the place. Works for me." The Doctor continued. "Besides, you'd be surprised. Elizabethan England, not so different from you're time." The Doctor pointed to their right. "Look over there." Alex looked to see a man shoveling manure. "They've got recycling. Water cooler, moment." They passed two men talking at a water barrel.

A man passes them, talking about the end of the world. "…And the earth will be consumed by flame!"

"Global warming." The Doctor said. The man paused hearing this.

"I've always wondered about Global warming." Alex muttered.

"What do you mean?" The Doctor turned to her.

"Well… I mean, you hear back home all those people saying that it's our entire fault. And granted; I doubt we're _helping _the situation. But could it just be that the Earth is going through a warming cycle? I mean, we know for a fact that the Earth went through a cooling cycle. That was the Ice Age." Alex looked at the Doctor only to see him looking over her. "What?"

He was smiling. "You're brilliant. Brilliant." He took her shoulders telling her this. She giggled.

"I don't think so, but okay." He rolled his eyes.

The Time Lord looked around, "Oh, yes, and… entertainment! Popular entertainment for the masses. If I'm right, we're just down the river from Southwark right next to…" The Doctor took both Alex's and Martha's hand and ran around a corner. "Ah, yes, the Globe Theater! Brand new. Just opened. Though, strictly speaking, it's not a globe, it's a tetradecagon – 14 sides – containing the man himself."

"No way." Alex said.

"Whoa, you don't mean…?" Martha asked. "Is Shakespeare in there?"

"Oh yes." The Doctor held his arm out for Martha to take. "Miss. Jones, will you accompany me to the theatre?"

"Mr. Smith I will." Martha took the arm.

He turned to Alex and lifted his arm. She grabbed it before he could ask. "You don't even need to ask, Doctor." Both grinned at each other before they walked to the theatre.

"When you get home, you can tell everyone you've seen Shakespeare."

"Then we can get sectioned!" Martha said sarcastically.

-x-

Cheers filled the theatre as the actors on the stage took their bows. "That's amazing! Just amazing. It's worth putting up the smell." Martha cried, happy.

"Those are men dressed as woman, aren't they?" Alex asked the Doctor smiling.

The Doctor sighed. "London never changes."

"Where's Shakespeare? I wanna see Shakespeare." Martha lifted her hand up in a fist. "Author! Author!" Both the Doctor and Alex looked over at her. Well, more like Alex had to lean around the Doctor. Curse her small height, and his tall height. She stopped. "Do people shout that? Do people shout 'author'?" A man next to Martha started to call for the author.

Soon, everyone in the whole place was calling for the author. "They do now." Alex laughed. Shakespeare came out, and after an exaggerated bow, he blew kisses to the crowd. They went crazy and applauded even more.

"He's a bit different to his portraits." Martha pointed out.

"Genius!" The Doctor told the two human girls. "He's a genius. _The _genius. The most human human that's ever been. Now we're gonna hear him speak." The Doctor said, happy. "Always, he chooses the best words. New, beautiful, brilliant words."

"Shut your big fat mouths!" The audience laughed. The Doctor looked something close to horrified. Alex gave him a sympathetic look. She patted his shoulder gently.

"Oh well." He sighed, disappointed.

"You should never meet your heroes." 

"Not true." Alex spoke up. "Saying that, is saying that I should never have met the Doctor." He looked over.

"Are you just saying that to make me feel better?"

"No." She stuck her tongue out at him. "I really do mean it."

He sighed, but she saw a smile tugging on his lips. "You've got excellent taste! I'll give you that." Shakespeare spoke up again. "Oh, that's a wig." He pointed to a man in the audience. The audience laughed. "I know what you're all saying. 'Loves Labor's lost' that's a funny ending, isn't it? It just stops! Will the boys get the girls? Well, don't get your hose in a tangle, you'll find out soon." The audience picked up, groaning. "Yeah, yeah. All in good time. You don't rush a genius." He bowed. Alex blinked though when she saw him suddenly jerk upright. He answered to the crowd's question of 'when'. "When? Tomorrow night." The audience cheered as the cast looked completely surprised.

"The premiere of my brand new play. A sequel, no less, and I call it, 'Loves Labor's Won'!" Martha clapped happily. While the Doctor and Alex stayed silent. Something was bothering her about how he just jerked like that. And then, to say that the play is airing tomorrow night? It looked like the original plan wasn't to have it tomorrow night. But, why change his mind so suddenly? Something in her gut told her something was up.

-x-

The Doctor, Martha, and Alex walked with the crowd to get outside of the theatre. Alex focused on Martha's words as she spoke. "I'm not an expert, but I've never heard of 'Loves Labor's Won'."

"Exactly – the lost play. It doesn't exist, only in rumors. It's mention in lists of his plays, but never ever turns up. No one knows why."

"Have you got a mini disk or something? We could tape it. We can flog it. Sell it when we get back home and make a mint." Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head while the Doctor just looked at her.

"No." The Doctor said.

"That would be bad?"

"Yeah, yeah." The Doctor shook his head. Martha giggled.

"So, I mean, what made it vanish in the first place?" Alex asked.

"Well… I was going to give you a quick trip in the TARDIS but…" Both looked over at him. "I suppose we could stay a bit longer." Martha grinned. Alex mentally pumped her fist.

-x-

They got into the inn and the Doctor took off up the stairs. Alex laughed softly while going after him. It was obvious that he was excited to talk to Shakespeare. "Hello!" The Doctor knocked on the open door. "Excuse me! I'm not interrupting, am I? Mr. Shakespeare, isn't it?" Both Alex and Martha were able to finally catch up to the fast-paced Time Lord.

"Oh no, no, no, no. Who let you in?" Shakespeare held a hand to his face. "No autographs. No, you can't have yourself sketched with me. And please don't ask me where I get my ideas from. Now, be a good boy and shove…" He trailed off as Martha and Alex came into view next to the Doctor.

Alex, ignoring the three men in front of her, turned to the Doctor. "My God." She told him. "You run fast." He looked over. "Curse those longs legs."

"Excuse me?"

"Look at me, Doctor." It wasn't necessary. He was already staring at her. "I don't come anywhere close to your height. And that's not even counting your awesome hair." The Doctor smiled but raised an eyebrow. "You're like a head taller than I am!"

"Oh, fiery, you are." Alex turned, finally noticing the three men in front of her. She smiled hesitantly. "Sit down right next to me." Shakespeare spoke to the other two men. "You two get sewing on the costumes. Off you go."

The inn keeper spoke up. "Come on, lads. I think our William's found his new muses." Alex looked at her back almost offended. She wasn't anyone's muse!

"Sweet ladies." Shakespeare spoke to both of them. All three of them sat down. Alex seemed to always end up in the middle of them. She leaned back, part of her just trying to get away from him. He might be an absolutely genius. And he might have made some of the best plays in history. But that did not mean she still found it slightly creepy that he was flirting with them. "Such unusual clothes. So… fitted."

"Um, verily, forsooth, egads." Alex turned her face to look at Martha. And in a very Doctor moment, raised an eyebrow at her. Martha gave her a 'what' look.

"No, no, don't do that. Don't." Doctor told her. Alex folded her arms across her chest. The Time Lord held up the physic paper. "I'm Sir Doctor of TARDIS and these are my companions, Miss Martha Jones and Miss Alex Harper."

"Interesting, that bit of paper. It's blank." Shakespeare pointed out. Alex blinked. Whoa… Well, that proves it. He really is a _genius_.

"Oh, that's… very clever." The Doctor was impressed as well. "That proves it, absolute genius." The Doctor puts his hand down, with the physic paper hanging sideways.

Martha peers at it only to see what the Doctor had said was on there. "No, it says so right there. Sir Doctor, Martha Jones, and Alex Harper. It says so."

"And I say it's blank." Alex finally peered at the paper as well. For a second she could see the words. But they disappeared a moment later. Alex took the paper from the Doctor's hands. She held it closer. The same thing happened. She would see the words for only a couple of seconds before they would disappear. Alex blinked. She had no idea what that could mean…

"Allie…" The Doctor held a hand out to have the physic paper. He wasn't sure what caused her to take it so suddenly.

"Sorry," She put the paper obediently into his hand.

"Physic paper." The brunette Time Lord told Martha. "Um, long story. Oh I hate starting from scratch."

"Physic. Never heard that before and words are my trade. Who are you exactly? More to the point, who are your delicious blackamoor lady and your deliciously beautiful dark lady?" Alex looked horrified.

"What did you say?" Martha asked shocked.

"Oops. Isn't that a word we use now-a-days? An Ethiop girl? A swarth? A queen of Afric… A beauty? A goddess?" Alex was feeling more and more sick the more he kept it up.

"It's political madness gone wrong." The Doctor pointed out. He took Alex's hand the more horrified she looked. "Um, Martha and Allie are from a far-off land. Freedonia." If it wasn't for the Doctor's hand, Alex probably would have socked the writer and ran back to the TARDIS.

"Excuse me!" A man walked into the room. Alex turned, happy to get a distraction. "Hold hard a moment. A new play with no warning? I demand to see a script, Mr. Shakespeare." The man ordered. "As Master of the Revels, every new script must be registered at my office and examined by me before it can be preformed."

"Tomorrow morning," The author answered. "First thing, I'll send it 'round."

"I don't work to your schedule. You work to mine. The script, now!"

"I can't." Shakespeare spoke.

"Then tomorrow's performance is cancelled." The man said, with finality.

"It's all go, 'round here, isn't it?" Martha said.

"I'm returning to my office for a banning order." The man continued. "If it's the last thing I do, 'Loves Labor's Won' will never be played." With that he leaves. Alex pouted. She wanted more than that. She wanted some big huge alien thing to happen like it always does with the Doctor. But instead, she just got a man who has some sort of stupid grudge against Shakespeare.

"Well then, mystery solved." Martha sighed. She seemed just as disappointed as Alex. "That's 'Loves Labors Won' over and done with. Thought it might be something more, ya know… mystery."

A scream came from outside the inn. All of them rush out to see that Lynley man coming up, spitting out water. "Isn't he that Lynley guy?" Alex paused. "Bloke, guy, whatever." Alex rolled her eyes. How could the same thing have different names just because you live in a different country?

"What's wrong with him? Leave it to me, I'm a Doctor." The Doctor ran over to him.

"So are we – near enough." Martha and Alex ran over with him. Suddenly though Mr. Lynley fell to the ground. The Doctor stood to look down the street. "Gotta get the heart going. Mr. Lynley." Martha calls to him. "C'mon, can you hear me? You're gonna be alright." However, when Martha opened his mouth to do CPR, water gushed out of his mouth.

Alex scooted slightly away. What the…? Where did that water come from? "What the hell is that?" Alex asked as she felt the Doctor come back to her side.

"I've never seen a death like it. His lungs are full of water – he drowned and then… I dunno, like a blow to the heart, an invisible blow." The Doctor stood and addressed the inn keeper. "Good mistress, this poor fellow has died from a sudden imbalance of the humours. A natural, if unfortunate, demise. Call a constable and have him taken away."

"Yes, sir." The inn keeper answered. Another smaller woman came.

"I'll do it, ma'am."

The Doctor crouched back down to the man. "Why did you tell them that?" Alex asked. It obviously wasn't natural. He drowned and then suffered an invisible blow. That was far from natural.

"This lot still have got one foot in the Dark Ages. If I tell them the truth, they'll panic and think its witchcraft."

"What was it then?" Alex asked.

He looked her straight in the eye. "Witchcraft."

-x-

"I've got you a room, Sir Doctor. You, Miss Jones, and Miss Harper are just across the landing." She leaves to care for other things.

"Poor Lynley. So many strange events. Not least of all, this land of Freedonia where a woman can be a doctor?" _Oh yeah, _Alex forgot that in these times, women didn't have a lot of jobs they do in their time.

"Where a woman can be what she likes." Martha replied.

"And you, Sir Doctor. How can a man so young have eyes so _old_?" Alex had to admit, Shakespeare was sharp.

"I do a lot of reading."

"A trite reply. Yeah, that's what'd I do." The Doctor smiled at this. "And you, you look at him like you're surprised he exists. He's as much of a puzzle to you as he is to me?" The Doctor looked at Martha and Martha looked away.

"I think we should say goodnight." Martha walked quickly out of the room.

"And you Miss. Harper." She looked over. "I must say I'm impressed."

"'Bout what?" She asked confused.

"You're eyes. They show maturity, as well as an overflowing amount of empty." Alex blinked. She didn't know. "I wouldn't lose that. However, I see walls." Alex's eyes snapped over to meet Shakespeare's. "You hold something in the depth of those eyes. Some secret you're terrified that of someone finding out. I can imagine that there's more emotion there that you're not letting on. You seem to be hiding something. And you hide it well."

Alex looked away. Suddenly, the Doctor's gaze felt like it weighed a ton. "I'm going to go to bed." The brunette girl said quietly before walking swiftly out of the room. The Doctor watched her leave. He had seen the same thing. And honestly he wanted to help. He wanted to mend.

Alex walked into the room, to see Martha looking around. She walked into the bathroom and closed the door gently. She then turned and slide to the floor. Her eyes were swimming with tears. Memories of horrible things flashed threw her mind. She lifted her hands and held the side of her head.

-x-

"It's not exactly five stars, is it?" Martha pointed out when the Doctor entered. Alex waited. She couldn't see him right now. She knew he would see right through her. And at the moment, she hated him for it. Alex was now sitting on the ground. Her knees were pushed up to her chest. Her arms were wrapped around them. Her head buried in her arms.

"Oh, it'll do. I've seen worse." The Doctor answered.

"I haven't even got a toothbrush."

"Oh." He patted his pockets before pulling out a toothbrush. "Contains Venusians spearmint."

They had a slightly longer conversation before she heard Martha blow out the lamp. Alex sat there a moment longer before slowly getting up. She fixed herself up in the mirror before opening the door. "Was wondering when you were going to come out." The Doctor said quietly.

Alex didn't answer and slowly walked over to the other side of the bed. "Move over, please." She said. He shuffled as much as he could. With two people, it would have been nice and roomy. But since there was three of them, it was slightly cramp. Alex plopped down with her back to the Doctor.

A long moment passed before she sighed. "Doctor…?" She needed to know something.

"Hmmm?"

"Do you ever have nightmares?"

There was a pause. "Sometimes. Why?" Though, the Doctor had a feeling he knew where this was going.

"How do you stop them?" Alex kept her back to him. She heard him shift though.

"Do you have nightmares, Allie?" He asked. She could feel his stare burning a whole into her back.

"… Yes."

"Of what?"

Alex sighed, almost reluctant to tell him. But finally she let up. She turned so she and he were facing each other. She told him about her mother and father. She told him about how they saw a movie one night. She told him about how a drunken driver came and they got into a car crash. She told him about how she had to wait with their dead bodies, in their destroyed car for at least half an hour to wait for an ambulance. She told him how ever since she had nightmares about them.

"Honestly, I don't hate the drunken driver." Alex told him. "I feel bad for him instead. He already had 4 D.U.I.s already. I feel bad that he wasted the rest of his life for some drinks."

The Doctor had remained quiet throughout her story. "That's respectable." He said gently.

She smiled slightly. "You think?"

"I know." The Doctor told her. So that was the secret she was hiding from the world. He thought about it. He was surprised at how much the two of them could relate to each other. He looked back into her eyes. They were having a similar moment that he had with Martha. Their faces were inches apart, and they're eyes were locked. There was only one thing different, the Doctor didn't want to break it. He wasn't the only one that was aware of their close proximity. Alex felt her cheeks flush a light pink. The Doctor didn't notice.

"Doctor," She said.

"Yeah?" He asked softly.

"Promise that you'll think about it." Alex asked. "You don't have to give me an answer straight away. But I still want you to think about it."

The Doctor was confused, but complied none-the-less. "I promise."

"Can I come with you?" The question took him completely off guard.

"What?"

"Can I become your companion? Can I travel with you?" The Doctor frowned. "I don't really have a family to go back to, Doctor." His face twisted in pain. Oh, how much he wanted to say yes. But at the same time he knew. He knew that she would only end up getting hurt. "I want to travel everywhere with you. I want to help."

"Help with what?" He asked gently. He could see she was slowly drifting to sleep.

"I want to help fix your hearts." She said softly. The Doctor's hearts soared. No one had said anything like that to him before. She sighed. "You don't have to give me an answer yet." The Doctor sighed. "Just please, think about it… please?"

The Doctor found it impossible to say no to her. "Alright, I'll think about it." He said gently. And with that, he saw her drift off into a peaceful sleep.

-x-

Thoughts were running through his head a mile a minute. He continued to watch Alex as she slept. She had started to cry in her sleep. She shook heavily. He could imagine what she was dreaming about. He took her gently, and talked to her. It calmed her down quickly, and since then she's been sleeping peacefully.

'_Can I become your companion? Can I travel with you?'_

'_I want to help fix your hearts.'_

'_I want to travel everywhere with you.'_

Her words continued to run through his head. He wanted to say 'yes'. He wanted to take her into the TARDIS and show her everywhere. Even in just the little time they meet, he already liked her. She was brilliant, sweet, gentle, understanding, and emphatic. Oh, the endless empathy she had.

But could he do it? Could he really let her travel with him? Rose ended up in a parallel world where the walls were closed. He could never get to Rose again. He doubted he could handle that again. The Doctor took another look at the sleeping girl.

'_I don't really have a family to go back to.'_

She could understand him. Though, thinking of her empathy, she could probably understand him even if she didn't lose her parents. But, she knew what that pain was like. She knew what it was like to lose everything. And like him, she had to watch it.

His brain continued to contradict itself. Let her come with him. Don't let her come with him. He sighed. But…

'_You don't have to give me an answer straight away. But I still want you to think about it.'_

She understood that as well. She knew it was going to be hard to give her an answer. So she's giving him time. She'll wait. She won't pressure him. She'll respectfully wait. The Doctor looked up at the ceiling, thinking deeply.

-x-

"AAAH!"

Alex shot up just in time to see the Doctor jump over her. She naturally took off after the Doctor before her brain could fully understand what was going on. The Doctor slammed into the open door of Shakespeare's room.

"Wha…?" Shakespeare's head shot up from his desk. "What was that?"

Alex slid into the Time Lord. Thankfully, it looked like she wasn't heavy enough to cause any pain. The Doctor came over and looked over Dolly's body. Martha and Alex ran over to the open window and Alex just looked out at the scene in shock. There, flying away on a broom, cackling away, was a witch. "Her heart gave out." The blue eyed girl heard the Doctor say. "She died of fright."

"Doctor." Alex called. She noticed her tone was flat.

He joined them at the window. "What did you see?"

"A witch." Martha stated. The Doctor looked at the both of them, before looking back at the window.

-x-

Morning came as the trio sat in Shakespeare's room. "Oh, sweet Dolly Bailey. She sat out three bouts of the plague in this place. We all ran like rats. But what could have scared her so? She had such enormous spirit."

"'Rage, rage against the dying of the light'." The Doctor muttered.

"I might you use that." Shakespeare said.

"You can't." The Doctor responded. "It's someone else's." Alex smiled with a roll of her eyes. So all of Shakespeare's famous lines you hear about in school he got from the Doctor. How silly.

"But the thing is," Martha voiced. "Lynley drowned on dry land, Dolly died of fright and they were both connected to you."

"Are you accusing me?" The author asked.

"No, but I saw a witch, big as you like, cackling away, and you've written about witches," until this Doctor Who episode, Alex actually had no idea.

"I have? When was that?" _Oh, _Alex blinked. Martha might have mentioned that too early.

The Doctor answered her assumption. He told Martha in a low voice, "Not, not quite yet." He looked back at the desk. Alex felt butterflies in her stomach. She always like his 'thinking' face, as she named it. One of many faces she loved.

"Peter Streete spoke of witches." The brunette author stated.

"Who's Peter Streete?" Alex asked.

"Our builder. He sketched the plans to the Globe."

"The architect. Hold on." Alex turned to the Doctor. She could almost see a light bulb go off right above his head. "The architect! The architect!" He slammed his hand onto the desk. "The Globe! Come on!" He ran out the door. The three humans chased after him.

-x-

The Doctor walked around the pit, concentrating. Martha and Shakespeare stood up on stage. Alex was sitting with her legs hanging off the front. "The columns there, right? 14 sides. I've always wondered but never asked… Tell me, Will, why 14 sides?"

"It was the shape Peter Streete thought best, that's all. Said it carried the sound well." The man replied.

"Why does that ring a bell?" The Doctor muttered. "14…"

"There are 14 lines in a sonnet." Martha offered.

"So there is. Good point. Words and shapes following the same designed." The Doctor started to pace. "14 lines, 14 sides, 14 facets… Oh, my head." The Doctor groaned. "Tetradecagon… Think, think, think! Words, letters, numbers, lines!" The Doctor hit his head for every word.

"This is just a theatre." Shakespeare said.

"Oh, but a theatre's magic, isn't it?" The Doctor countered. "You should know. Stand on this stage, say the right words with the right emphasis at the right time…" The Doctor came to stand in front of the stage. He stood right next to Alex as he thought. "Oh, you can make men weep, or cry with joy, change them. You can change people's minds just with words in this place. And if you exaggerate that…"

He walked away from the stage back into the pit. "So, it's like your TARDIS." Alex joked. "Small wooden box, with that that _power _inside." She giggled.

"Oh," The Doctor turned to Alex. "Oh, Allie, I like you." The girl grinned and pointed behind her to Martha. "And you too, Martha." He looked at Alex though, and she gave a good nod, to show he said the right thing. "Tell you what, though. Peter Streete would know. Can I talk to him?"

"You won't get an answer." Shakespeare replied. "A month after finishing this place… Lost his mind." Alex's eyebrows knitted together.

"Why? What happened?" Martha asked.

"Started raving about witches, hearing voices, babbling. His mind was addled."

"Where is he now?" Alex asked.

"Bedlam." Alex blinked.

Martha voiced her brunette friend's unspoken bewilderment. "What's Bedlam?"

"Bethlem Hospital. The madhouse." Shakespeare explained.

"We're gonna go there. Right now. Come on." The Doctor spoke walking quickly out of the theatre. Alex jumped down the stage and ran off after him.

"Wait! I'm coming with you. I want to witness this first hand!" Two young actors entered the theatre. "Ralph, the last scene as promised. Copy it, hand it 'round. Learn it. Speak it. Back before curtain. Remember, kid, project. Eyes and teeth. You never know, the Queen might turn up." He walked away, but muttered under his breath. "As if. She never does."

Alex was trying to catch up to the Doctor. And it seemed like she was doing a good job. Though, she was getting more a workout than he was. It was hard catching up to someone who was _way _taller than you were. And to top it off, she was wearing wedged heels. The Doctor turned around only to stop. Alex grunted as she hit his back. "What? Why are you stopping?" He weaved around her to go back to Martha and Shakespeare.

"Come on. We can all have a good flirt later." The Doctor told them.

"Is that a promise, Doctor?" Shakespeare asked.

"Oh, 57 academics just punched the air. Now move!" The brunette Time Lord moved back around and started to walk.

"Doctor," Alex called, he looked over to her. "So does this mean that 'witch' we saw was an alien?"

"Most likely." The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Why do you ask?"

"'Cause." Alex stated simply. "I'm excited now. I had been hoping it was more the whole 'Loves Labor's Won' being lost was more than just some guy who seemed to have a grudge against Shakespeare. I mean, don't get me wrong. It's terrible that Mr. Lynley and Miss. Dolly Bailey died. But now things are getting more like they are when you travel with a Time Lord."

The Doctor rolled his eyes playfully. "You are…"

"The strangest human you've ever met." Alex stuck out her tongue. "Oh yes, I know that bit."

-x-

Alex held onto the Doctor's arm tightly as they entered the so called 'hospital'. It seemed the Doctor understood her fear, and he held one of her clutching hands tightly. Screams and moans rang in her ears and she was having a hard time keeping her lunch down.

"Does my lord, Doctor, wish some entertainment while he waits? I'd whip these madmen. They'll put on a good show for ya. Bandog and Bedlam." Alex knew her face was probably paper white.

"No I don't." The Doctor said bitterly. He wrapped his arm around Alex's tiny waist as her face turned whiter than it should have. So, she was emphatic and sensitive to things like these. She seemed to surprise him more and more.

"Wait here, my lords, while I make him decent for the ladies." He walked away. Alex just kept her face in the Doctor's chest as he held her.

"Sorry." She muttered to him. He raised an eyebrow. His look told her he saw no reason for her to say sorry. He understood. Alex always was sensitive to this.

"So, this is what you call a hospital, yeah?" Martha was more mad than upset. "Where the patients are whipped to entertain the gentry?" Alex shuddered at the thought. The Doctor squeezed gently. "And you put your friend in here?"

"Oh, it's all so different in Freedonia." Shakespeare muttered.

"But you're clever! Do you honestly think this place is good?" Martha countered.

"I've been mad." Shakespeare told. "I've lost my mind. Fear of this place set me right again. It serves its purpose."

"Mad in what way?" Martha was skeptical.

"You lost your son." The Doctor answered softly.

"My only boy." Shakespeare explained. "The Black Death took him. And I wasn't even there."

"I didn't know. I'm sorry." Martha apologized.

"It made me question everything." Shakespeare continued. "The futility of the fleeting existence. To be or not to be…" The brunette author thought about that. "Oh, that's quite good."

"You should write that down." The Doctor said.

"Hmmm, maybe not. A bit pretentious?" The Doctor shrugged.

"This way, milord." The gentry called. The Doctor walked Alex gently to Peter Streete's cell. He opened the cell when they got there. Alex slowly removed herself from the Doctor's side and walked off to the side. She wrapped her arms around herself though. The Doctor watched her carefully. She was looking better. But her face was still a little more paler than it should have been. "They can be dangerous, milord. Don't know their own strength."

"It would help if you don't whip them." The Doctor snapped. "Now get out." The man left with a disbelieving look. The Doctor slowly approached the sick man. "Peter? Peter Streete?"

"He's the same as he was. You'll get nothing out of him." Shakespeare said.

"If anyone can get him to talk, it's the Doctor." Alex stated.

The Doctor laid a hand on Peter's shoulder. "Peter?" His head shot up to look at the Doctor. His eyes were wide. They held a wide and glassy look to them. It looked like he wanted to speak.

The Time Lord placed his fingers along Peter's face. For a long moment he closed his eyes. He opened them again. "Peter, I'm the Doctor. Go into the past, one year ago. Let your mind go back, back to when everything was fine and shining. Everything that happened in this year since happened to somebody else. It was just a story. A winter's tale. Let go. Listen. That's it, just let go." The Doctor laid Peter out on the cot. "Tell me the story, Peter. Tell me about the witches."

"Witches spoke to Peter. In the night, they whispered." Everyone listened carefully. This story was important. "Got Peter to build the Globe to their design. _Their _design! The 14 walls – always 14. When the work was done," Peter let out a laugh. "They snapped poor Peter's wits."

"Where did Peter see the witches?" The Doctor asked. "Where in the city?" He crouched in front of Peter. "Peter, tell me. You've got to tell me where are they?"

"All Hallows Street." Peter answered.

"Too many words." _What the_? Alex jumped when she heard the new voice.

"What the hell?" Martha cried out. The Doctor stood up and went near Alex.

"Just one touch of the heart." The 'witch' replied. She laid her hand on Peter's chest, right on the heart.

"No!" The Doctor called.

Peter screamed before his eyes went blank. "Witch!" Shakespeare yelled. "I've seen a witch!"

"Who will be next, hmm?" The old woman was playing with them. "Just one touch. Oh, oh," She said. "I'll stop your frantic little hearts. Poor fragile mortals."

Martha grabbed the cell door and shook it. She cried out. "Let us out! Let us out!"

"That's not going to work, Martha." Alex called. "The whole building's shouting the same thing."

"Who will die first, hmm?" The 'witch' taunted.

"Well, if you're looking for volunteers." The Doctor took a step towards her.

"No, don't!" Martha cried.

"Doctor!" Alex warned.

"Doctor, can you stop her?" Shakespeare asked.

"No mortal has power over me." The 'witch' stated. _Ah, but the Doctor isn't mortal. _

"Oh, but there's a power in words." The Doctor contradicted. "If I can find the right one – if I can just know you…"

"None on Earth has knowledge of us." She said this, but it looked like she was starting to get worried.

"Then it's a good thing I'm here." The Doctor said. "Now, think, think, think…" He muttered to himself. "Humanoid female, uses shapes and words to channel energy… ah, 14! That's it! 14! The 14 stars of the Rexel planetary configuration! Creature, I name you Carrionite!" The Carrionite screamed before disappearing. Alex relaxed.

"What did you do?" Martha asked, confused.

"I named her. The power of a name. That's old magic." The Doctor responded.

"Ah," Alex let out a small laugh. "And you know all about that, don't you, _Doctor_?" He turned too looked at her. She smiled at him. She knew that 'Doctor' wasn't his real name. However, even she didn't know his _real _name. It's never said in the show.

"But…" Martha spoke. Didn't he tell her there was no such thing? "There's no such thing as magic."

"Well," The Doctor explained. "It's just a different sort of science. You lot, you chose mathematics. Given the right string of numbers, the right equation, you can split the atom."

"So it's the same thing, but Carrionites use words instead?" Alex confirmed.

"Exactly!" The Doctor said. He was starting to become proud of her. She caught onto his explanations quickly.

Shakespeare had another good question though. "Use them for what?"

He became sober at the question. "The end of the world." The Doctor stated quietly.

-x-

"The Carrionites way back at the dawn of the universe. Nobody was sure if they were real or legend." The Doctor explained, as he paced back and for in Shakespeare's room.

"Well, I'm going for real." Shakespeare said. He wiped his face with a towel.

"I second that." Alex muttered.

"But what do they want?" Martha asked.

"A new empire on Earth." The Doctor leaned against the chair next to Alex. "A world of bones and blood and witchcraft."

"Oh, what a joyful thought." Alex said sarcastically.

"But how?" Martha continued.

"I'm looking at the man with the words." Alex turned to Shakespeare.

"Me? But I've done nothing." Shakespeare said.

"Wait a minute," Alex blinked. "What _were _you doing when that Carrionite came into your room? When the Doctor, Martha and I came in, it looked like you were sleeping."

"Finishing the play." Shakespeare stated. The Doctor looked up. It seemed like he realized something.

"What happens on the last page?" He asked.

"The boys get the girls. They have a bit of a dance. It's all funny and thought provoking as usual – except those last few lines. Funny things is… I don't actually remember writing them." Alex's head snapped up. Suddenly, she remembered what the Carrionites were going to do.

"That's it. They used you." The Doctor explained. "They gave you the final words. Like a spell, like a code! 'Loves Labor's Won' – it's a weapon! The right combination of words, spoken at the right place with the shape of the Globe as an energy converter! The play's the thing!" The Doctor paused. "And yes," He grinned. "You can have that."

-x-

They had taken out a map to find All Hallows Street. "All Hallows Street." The Doctor pointed. "There it is. Martha, Allie, we'll track them down." The Doctor addressed Shakespeare. "Will, you get to the Globe. Whatever you do, stop the play!"

"I'll do it." Shakespeare took the Doctor's hand and shook it. "All these years I've been the cleverest man around. Next to you, I know nothing."

"Oh, don't complain." Martha said smiling.

"I'm not. It's marvelous. Good luck, Doctor."

"Good luck to you too, Shakespeare." Alex said.

"Once more unto the breach!" The Doctor said.

"I like that! Wait a minute… That's one of mine." The writer pointed out.

The Doctor poked his head around the door. "Oh just shift." He said.

-x-

The trio ran down to the street. "All Hallows Street, but which house?" The Doctor asked himself.

"The thing is, though… Are we missing something?" Martha spoke up. Alex had a feeling she knew where this was going. And, honestly, she felt confused about it too. "The world didn't end if 1599. It just didn't. Look at us – we're living proof."

"Oh, how to explain mechanics of the infinite temporal flux?" The Doctor breathed. "I know! 'Back to the Future'! It's like 'Back to the Future'!"

"The film?" Alex had never seen the movie or the book so she was still out of the loop.

"No the novelization." The Doctor answered sarcastically. "Yes the film." Martha gave him a look. "Marty McFly goes back and changes history."

"And he starts to fade…" Alex realized what was going to happen.

"What? We're going to fade?" Alex said. Aw, that was just unfair!

He turned to her. "Not you." She blinked. "You'll just end up going back to your own world, while Alex Harper fades."

"Oh, isn't that pleasant?" Alex muttered sarcastically. "Either fade away, or end up going back to my boring old life. Either way, I'm gone."

"You and the entire future of the human race. It ends right now in 1599, if we don't stop it. But which house?" A door to the house in front of them creped opened.

"That's just spooky." Alex said.

"Ah, make that _witch _house." The Doctor walked over to the door. Both Martha and Alex looked at each other before Alex shrugged and walked with the Doctor. Martha soon followed.

-x-

The three brunettes walked inside to see another Carrionite standing there. "I take it we're expected." The Doctor pointed out.

"Right then, it's my turn." Martha stood forward. Alex raised an eyebrow, what was she going to do? "I know how to do this." She pointed at the Carrionite. "I name thee, Carrionite!" The Carrionite pretended to look hurt but then straitened. Martha turned to the Doctor. "What did I do wrong? What is the finger?"

"The power of a name only works once. Observe," She pointed to Martha. "I gaze upon this bag of bones and now I name thee Martha Jones." Martha's eyes rolled into the back of her head. Alex jumped forward as both her the Doctor caught her. They let her down gently.

"What have you done?" The Doctor cried.

"Martha! Martha!" Alex shook her to try and wake her up. But the African American woman wouldn't wake up.

"Only sleeping, alas. Curious, the name has less impact." The Doctor turned to look at her. "She's somehow out of her time." She turned to Alex. The girl tensed. "Now for you, Alex!" The Carrionite paused as she looked into Alex's eyes. "Where is your name?"

"What?" Alex muttered.

"The name you have is fake. Where is your real name?" Alex looked over at the Doctor.

"Remember, Alex isn't your real name. You told us." Alex remembered. She kept her mind clear of remembering what he real name was. For all she knew, the Carrionite could read Alex's mind. The Carrionite looked frustrated for a long moment.

She then turned to the Doctor. "As for you, Sir Doctor!" The woman paused again. "Fascinating. There is no name. Why would a man hide his title in such disappear? First the girl and now you... Oh, but look." The Carrionite smiled. "There's still one word with the power of the day." Alex thought about it. What word would…? Alex made a mental 'oh'. Rose. Rose Tyler. That was the one name that came to mind.

"The naming won't work on me." The Doctor said.

"But your heart grows cold. The north wind blows and carries down the distant…" She paused and grinned. "Rose." Ah, so Alex was right.

"Oh, big mistake." The Time Lord stood up suddenly and walked over to the Carrionite. "'Cause that name keeps me fighting! The Carrionites vanished! Where did you go?"

The small alien turned and walked over to a caldron. "The Eternals found the right word to banish us into deep darkness."

"How did you escape then?" Alex asked. She stood up as well, and moved next to the Doctor. He put his hand slightly in front of her to keep her safely behind him, if necessary.

"New words. New and glittering from a mind like no other." _Shakespeare_? Alex thought.

"Shakespeare." The Doctor confirmed.

"His son perished. The grief of a genius. Grief without measure. Madness enough to allow us entrance." The woman further explained.

"How many of you?" The Doctor demanded.

"Just the three of us." Alex learned that a lot of bad guys liked to talk of their plans. It was all some big ego thing where they thought the heroes didn't have what it took to stop them. "But the play tonight shall restore the rest. Then the human race will be purged as pestilence. And from this world we will lead the universe back to the old ways of blood and magic."

"Hmm…" The Doctor rubbed his head. He gently tugged on Alex's arm, silently telling her to stay there. She pouted slightly, but knew he was only doing it for her safety so she took a small step back to show she wasn't going anywhere. "Busy schedule," The Doctor walked boldly to the Carrionite. "But first, you gotta get past me."

"Oh," She ran her hand down the side of his face. Alex's stomach twisted. She wasn't sure if it was how she was speaking to the Time Lord that bothered her. Or how the Carrionite had a look in her eyes, "that should be a pleasure considering my enemy has such a handsome shape." _Yes, _Alex agreed mentally, _The Doctor does have a lovely face. _

"Now," The Doctor spoke. He was completely unaffected. "That's one form of magic that's defiantly not gonna work on me."

"Oh, we'll see." She yanked something from his head.

The Doctor lifted his fingers to his hair. "What did you do?"

"Souvenir." The Carrionite lifted a piece of hair that she took from the Time Lord.

"Well give it back." The Doctor made a move towards her. The Carrionite lifted her hands. The window shot open. And she flew out the window, levitating just beyond reach. Alex took a couple steps forward.

"Well, that's just cheating." The Doctor stated.

"Behold, Doctor. Men to Carrionites are nothing but…" She pulled out a little doll. "Puppets!" The woman wrapped her newly found hair around the puppet.

"Now, you might call that magic… I'd call that a DNA replication module." The Doctor pointed out.

"What use is you're science now?" The alien female stabbed the doll. The Doctor cried out in pain before falling to the ground. The Carrionite laughed evilly before flying away.

"Doctor!" Alex cried, running over to him. She landed gently next to his side. And did the same thing, she did when he died in the hospital. She ran her hand gently through his hair. Martha ran over.

"Oh my God! Doctor!" Something occurred to Alex.

She took her hand away from his head, only to smack it. "Oi!" Alex called, ticked. "Two hearts, mister!"

"You're making a habit of this." He stood up only to collapse. "Ah… I've only got one heart working." Alex and Martha took hold of him. He let out a painful gasp. "How do you people cope?"

"How do you cope with two hearts?" Alex asked. The thought sounded funny to her.

"I've got to get the other one started." The Doctor continued like Alex never spoke. "Hit me! Hit me in the chest!" Martha hit him, just like he said. "Aaah!" He groaned. "Other side!" His voice went up an octave or two. Alex hit his chest this time. He got onto his hands and knees. "On the back! On the back!"

Martha hit him with both hands in one big fist. "Left a bit." Alex rolled her eyes and did it this time. "Ah!" He got onto his knees. "Lovely. There we go! Ba-da-boom!" Both girls watched him with smiles on their faces. The Doctor could be so silly sometimes. "Well, what are you two standing there for? Come on! The Globe!"

-x-

Outside the Doctor ran down another street. _Wait a minute, _"Doctor, we're going the wrong way!" Alex called stopping.

"No we're not." Alex didn't budge. A couple of minutes later the Doctor came running towards her. "We're going the wrong way!" When he reached her she turned and ran with him.

"I told you!" She called.

"Not now, Allie." He said that, however, his lips were smiling.

They ran down the streets. Alex picked up the sound of screaming. They turned a corner to see a red light swirling around the Globe. The preacher, the one that they had meet in the beginning, was yelling. "I told thee so! I told thee!"

"Stage door!" The brunette Time Lord yelled to the girls over the screaming.

-x-

The trio ran backstage to see Shakespeare rubbing his head. "Yeah, stop the play! Think that was it! Yeah, I said, 'stop the play'!"

"I hit my head." Shakespeare sounded like he had just woken up from it too.

"Yeah, don't rub it you'll go bald." The Doctor looked to the door when more screams were heard.

"Think that's your cue, Doctor!" Alex said. She took the Doctor's hand and they went out to the front stage. Martha grabbed Shakespeare's hand and led him to the front too.

"The Doctor!" Alex looked up to see the Carrionites noticing his entrance. "He lives! Then watch this world become blasted heath! They come! They come!" The rest of the Carrionites flew out of the crystal ball. They flew around the Globe.

The Doctor reached over and grabbed Shakespeare. "Come on, Will! History needs you!"

"But what can I do?" Shakespeare knew he was no match for these creatures.

"Reverse it!" The Doctor yelled.

"How am I supposed to do that?" The wordsmith asked.

"The shape of the Globe gives words power, but you're the wordsmith, the one true genius. The only man clever enough to do it!"

"But what words? I have none ready!" Shakespeare responded.

"You're William Shakespeare!" The Doctor yelled.

"But these Carrionite phrases, they need such precision!"

Alex walked over. "Trust yourself, Will!" Alex cried over the sounds of the storm. "When you lock yourself into your room, the words come, right? It's like magic. Words with the right shape, the right sound, the right rhythm – words that will last forever!" Alex saw her words were affecting him. "That's what you do, William Shakespeare! You chose the perfect words! Now come on, you can do it! Improvise!" The Doctor and Alex stood back to let him work.

"Brilliant!" He whispered in her ear. She looked over to see him grinning at her. "You're absolutely brilliant." Alex laughed.

"…Close up this den of hateful, dire decay! Decomposition of your witches' plot! You thieve my brains, consider me your toy. My doting Doctor tells me I am not!" Alex grinned. He was doing it.

"No! Words of power!" The youngest female Carrionite cried in fear.

"Foul Carrionite specters, cease your show! Between the points…" He looked the Doctor for help.

"7-6-1-3-9-0!"

"7-6-1-3-9-0!" Shakespeare called out. "And banished like a tinker's cuss, I say to thee…" He looked to the Doctor who was just as lost. Alex looked at Martha.

"Expelliarmus!" Martha yelled out.

"Expelliarmus!" Both the Doctor and Alex called to the wordsmith in unison.

"Expelliarmus!" Shakespeare yelled. Another actor echoed it.

"Good old JK!" The Doctor cried, smiling.

The Carrionites screamed. "The deep darkness! They are consumed! Aaah!" Alex watched as in a Tornado like fashion the Carrionites were taken. Suddenly, the door backstage was thrown open. Papers flew out and went up with the tornado.

"The play!" Alex called. It was 'Loves Labor's Won'. "There it goes!" Alex put her hands beside her face to be able to see it all.

The clouds disappear and the crowd was relived. They started to applaud. Alex smiled. She felt the Doctor leave right before they started to clap. So like him, doesn't want any sort of appreciation. "They think it was all special effects?" Martha asked.

"Your effect is special indeed." Shakespeare flirted.

Alex shrugged. "Not your best line."

Martha and Shakespeare – along with the other casts – took their bows. Martha took Alex's hand. Alex shrugged, and smiled and took another actor's hand. And all of them took their bow.

-x-

Alex giggled as she came back out the backstage. It was now the next morning. And she and the Doctor were just looking through the props backstage. She turned to see Martha and Shakespeare there, and couldn't resist. She let out a wolf whistle.

Martha gave her a look. "What? Couldn't resist." Alex shrugged. The Doctor came up behind her, with a ruff collar and an animal skull.

"Good props back there!" He said cheerfully. "I'm not sure about this though, reminds me of a Sycorax." Alex chuckled. She remembered that episode. That was the first episode of season two. The first episode the 10th Doctor aired in.

"Sycorax. Nice word." The writer commented. "I'll have that off you as well."

"I should be on 10%." The Doctor responded.

"How's your head?" Alex asked kindly.

"Still aching." He responded.

"Here, I got you this." The Doctor took off the ruff collar around his neck and put it on Shakespeare. "Neck brace. Wear that a few days 'till it's better, although you might want to keep it. It suits you."

"What about the play?" Martha asked.

"We looked everywhere." Alex responded. "It's nowhere. 'Loves Labor's Won' must have left with that weird tornado."

"My lost masterpiece." Shakespeare said.

"You could write it up again." Martha tried to make him feel better.

"Yeah, better not, Will." The Doctor corrected. "There's still power in those words. Maybe it should best stay forgotten."

"Oh, but I've got new ideas." Shakespeare said. "Perhaps it's time I wrote about fathers and sons." Alex smiled, that was a great idea. "In memory of my boy – my precious Hamnet." Alex smile fell. She looked over to the Doctor was a flat look of disbelief. He smiled, cheerfully.

"Hamnet?" The same thoughts must have been going through Martha's mind.

"That's him."

"Ham-_net_?" Martha pressed.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Oh," Alex said sarcastically. "There's nothing wrong with that."

"Anyways," The Doctor called. "Time we were off. I've got a nice attic in the TARDIS where this lot," He held the crystal with the screaming Carrionites. "Can scream for all eternity and I've got to take Martha and Allie back to Freedonia."

"You mean travel on through space and time?" Shakespeare asked. All three of them looked at him, shocked.

"You what?" The Doctor asked.

"You're from another world like the Carrionites. And Martha and Alex are from the future." They looked even more shocked. "It's not that hard to figure out."

"That's… Incredible. You are incredible." The Doctor said impressed.

"We are alike in many ways, Doctor." The master wordsmith replied. "Now Allie, Martha –"

"Oh, I know where this is going." Alex sighed. She lifted herself up. "As much as I respect you, Mr. Shakespeare. I am not going to have you flirt with me. You can tell Martha your sonnet. Just, please, leave me out of it." She walked over to the Doctor. He raised an eyebrow at her. And she stuck her tongue out at him.

Shakespeare paused. But he continued like Alex suggested. "Alright then, Martha, let me say a goodbye to you in a new verse. A sonnet for my dark lady. Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate -" Shakespeare was cut off when two actors came running in. They looked excited as could be.

"Will! Will! You'll never believe it!" The dirty blonde yelled. "She's here! She's turned up!"

"We're the talk of the town." The other man, this time a brunette, explained. "She heard about last night! She wants us to perform it again."

"Who?" Martha asked.

"Her majesty! She's here!" He stressed. He made it sound as if it should be obvious.

"Queen Elizabeth I!" The Doctor said, excited. Alex remembered this part for a different reason. She grinned.

"Doctor! Alex!" The Queen said.

"What?" The Doctor asked.

"Huh?" Alex was just as shocked. The Queen shouldn't know _her _name.

"My sworn enemies!" The Queen continued.

"What?" Now, the Doctor was just confused.

"Wait a minute…" Alex tried.

"Off with their heads!" The Queen commanded.

"What?" The Doctor cried.

"Never mind 'what', just run! See you, Will! And thanks!"

Alex was trying to fix her open mouth. "Um… Bye Will!" She called. "Thanks for everything even if you tried to flirt with me!"

Alex could hear Shakespeare laughing as they ran. A soldier cried out. "Stop in the name of the Queen!"

"What have you two done to upset her?" Martha asked.

"How should we know?" Alex asked. "I've just started traveling with the Doctor."

"Must mean we haven't met her yet." The Doctor explained. "That's time travel for you! Still can't wait to find out."

"I suppose." Alex said. The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS. "I mean, it probably going to be fun." She made sure she sounded happy. She couldn't tell him that he's the 11th regeneration when he meets her. Alex really didn't like that thought.

"Oh yeah." The Doctor agreed, and let Alex in first. "That's something to look forward too. Oh!" The Doctor closed the doors just in time as arrows shot the closed door.

The TARDIS disappeared and they were off on yet another adventure.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

It was quiet in the TARDIS. Martha sat demurely while Alex just let her mind wander. She was still having trouble accepting that she's really in the TARDIS, with the Doctor, going on another crazy, exciting adventure. The Doctor looked over at Alex as she leaned against the console. He bumped her gently.

The brunette girl snapped out of her thoughts. She turned to the Doctor and threw him a playful pout. She then retaliated by bumping into him. This started a contest. Until, finally, Alex let out a soft laugh. The Doctor felt himself smile. She was doing what she wanted without even knowing it. She wanted to help him. And she was. She could light up the whole room with just one smile.

"One trip." He said. Both girls looked over. "S'what I said. One trip, in the TARDIS, and then back home. Although," Alex smiled. No matter how much he tried to deny it, he always liked company. He never wanted to be alone. "I suppose we could – stretch the definition. Try one trip to the past, one trip to the future. How do you fancy that?"

"No complaints from me!" Martha said happiness coming back into her.

"Yay!" Alex cheered softly. "Onto another crazy adventure!" The Doctor smiled at them.

"How about a different planet?" Alex clapped her hands together, happy to go anywhere.

"Can we go to yours?" Martha said, excited. Immediately, Alex's and the Doctor's own excitement evaporated.

"Aaah, there are plenty of other places!" The Doctor wouldn't look at Martha.

"Come on, though!" Martha moaned. "I mean, Planet of the Time Lords, that's got to be worth a look! What's it like?"

"Is it beautiful?" Alex asked softly. She had troubling putting into present tense. The Doctor watched her through his eyelashes. He caught the sad undertone. There was that empathy shinning through.

"Well, it's beautiful, yeah." He answered.

"Is it like outer space cities, all spires and stuff?" Martha had her back to them. She was too lost in her imagination to notice the Doctor's tone and Alex's suddenly quiet nature.

"Suppose it is."

"Are there great cathedrals and temples?" Alex smiled a sad smile. The Doctor mimicked her smile.

"Yeah." The Doctor was obviously avoiding the topic. Alex mentally zipped her lips. Her heart sank. The city of the Time Lords, Alex smiled sadly. What a place that must have been. She closed her eyes, trying to imagine it. Oh… It had to be absolutely gorgeous. Alex opened her eyes. If she could go there… she would in a heartbeat. But she couldn't. And neither could the Doctor. And that thought broke her heart. She turned just in time to wipe the tears away. Alex felt a hand on hers. She turned around to see the Doctor looking at her with those gorgeous, sad, deep brown eyes. She smiled, hiding her real emotions. She failed. The Doctor was too clever to be fooled.

"Lots of planets in the sky?" Martha asked.

The Doctor lifted his head. His eyes became far off as he imagined his planet. "The sky was burnt orange, with the Citadel enclosed in a mighty glass dome, shinning under the twin suns. Beyond that, the mountains go on forever – slopes of red grass, caped with snow." Alex's heart melted. The place must have been the most beautiful place in the galaxy.

"Can we go there?" Martha asked. There was a moment of silence. Both the Doctor and Alex used it to get their act together.

The Doctor looked over at Martha. "Naaah. Where's the fun for me? I don't want to go home!" The Doctor bounced around the consoles. He tweaked random ones as he went. The TARDIS jerked to life.

"Instead…" The TARDIS stopped and the Doctor ran to his jacket. "This is much better. Year five billion and fifty three, planet New Earth," Ah yes, Alex remember this planet. She remembered it from the time he went with Rose.

"Second hope for mankind!" The Doctor continued. "Fifty thousand light years away from your old world and we're slap bang in the middle of New New York. Although, technically it's the fifteenth New York from the original, so it's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York." Alex stood next Martha, smiling. She was always amazed he could say that so quickly and not slip up just once. "One of the most dazzling cities ever built."

Martha and Alex came out of the TARDIS only to get pelted by the rain. Alex didn't mind though. She loved rain. And it never hurt anyone. Anyways, this was the nice rain. Not to muggy, not to cold. It was just right. Alex did nothing to cover up. She just let the rain soak her. The Doctor came out. He didn't seem to mind either.

Martha was far from pleased. "Oh, that's nice!" She grumbled as she zipped her coat up. "Time Lord's version of dazzling."

"Oh come on, Martha!" Alex said cheerfully. "A bit of rain never hurt anyone. Anyways! It feels nice!"

"You actually like this?" Martha asked. Alex only winked.

"Come one," The Doctor called. He was just as cheerful as Alex. "Let's get undercover!"

They walked down the junk filled street. "Well, it looks like the same Earth to me." Martha continued to mumble. Alex slicked her wet hair behind her face, "on a Wednesday afternoon."

Alex tugged on the Doctor's jacket. She jogged underneath the clearing with Martha and the Doctor right behind her. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it to the screen. "Hold on, hold on. Let's have a look."

The Doctor banged on the screen a couple of times before a cheerful looking blonde came onto the screen. "… And the driving should be clear and easy, with fifteen extra lanes open for the New New Jersey expressway." The scene changed to what looked like New New York above them. It was a gorgeous spired city on the coast of a river, with sleek flying vehicles zooming in the air.

Alex's mouth was in a small 'o' while her eyes were wide and sparkling. "Oh!" She squealed tugging on the Doctor's coat like a small child would a parent. "I want to drive one!" She said. "I want to drive one of those hover vehicles."

"Allie…" The Doctor said in a scolding tone. It would have worked if his face hadn't burst into a grin. He wasn't really that surprised of her reaction.

"Please," Alex whined. "_Please_!" The Doctor laughed, and gave up, nodding. "Yay!" She hugged him tightly. "I get to ride one!"

"Anyways, that's more like it!" The scene on the screen was still showing the outer city of New New York. "That's the view we had last time. This must be the lower levels. Down in the base of the tower, some sort of under-city."

Martha sounded irritated. But she had a smile on her face. "You brought us to the slums?"

"Much more interesting!" The Doctor said, happy. "She's happy." Alex was a little ways swinging back and forth.

"Of course I'm happy, I get to drive one of those hover vehicles." The brunette girl giggled, throwing her hands up into the air.

"It's cocktails and glitter up there. This is the real city." Alex walked back with a bounce in her step.

"Then what are we waiting for?" She tugged on the Doctor's arm. He chuckled. "Let's go see it!" She wanted to see if the grass really smelled like apples. But she felt a flutter in her heart. Ah, darn it, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help but fall for the Doctor. One of the traits she loved? That he could enjoy anything.

Martha felt the same way. "You'd enjoy anything."

"That's me." Alex tugged slightly hard. But she couldn't budge him. She pouted but continued to tug. She was doing it now for fun more than to move him. "Ah, the rain's stopping! Better and better!" The Doctor finally allowed Alex to move him. She tugged him gently before wrapping her arms around his.

"New New York! Here we come!" Alex said happily. The Doctor grinned.

"When you say 'last time', was that you and Rose?" Martha asked. Alex winced. Never, ever tell one girl that you're taking them to the same places as an 'ex' – so to speak.

Doctor, oblivious to this logic, answered. "Um – yeah. Yeah, it was, yeah." Alex winced again.

"You're taking me to the same planets you took her?" Alex held her hand in hand. She knew his answer. 945 year old Time Lord or not, the Doctor was still a guy. And that meant he would remain oblivious until you – verbally, of course – hit him with a frying pan. He could live for an eternity and still not understand women.

"What's wrong with that?" The Doctor asked. _Ah, _Alex felt like pulling her hair out. He really needed to work on how he dealt with girls.

_Everything._ "Nothing." It was obvious – or to Alex at least – that that statement really got to her. "Just – ever heard of the word, 'rebound'?"

He looked confused. "How dense can you be?" Alex asked.

"Oi!" He said.

"Oh, you don't have a right to get angry. It's true!" Alex rolled her eyes. "Never, _ever _tell another girl that you're talking her to the same places you took a previous girl." She wasn't about to refer to Rose as an 'ex' in front of the Doctor.

Alex jumped when a man opened the top of a large green box to reveal a street vendor's cart. His shouts caused two more people to do the same behind them. Alex looked around confused as many shouts were thrown at them. "Oh!" The male called out first. "You should have said so. How long have you been there? Happy! You want happy!"

The African American pharmacist yelled. "Customers! We've got customers!"

The last woman yelled to the back. "We're in business! Mother, open up the Mellow, and the Read!"

The first pharmacist spoke up again. "Happy, happy, lovely happy happy!"

"Anger!" The black woman said. "Buy some anger!"

"Get some mellow," The third pharmacist said. "Makes you feel all bendy and soft all day long!"

"Younger, them. They'll rip you off. Do you want some happy?" It looked like he was talking directly to the Doctor.

When Alex looked at him, she saw he was frowning. "No, thanks."

"Are they selling drugs?" Martha asked.

"I think they're selling moods." The Doctor responded.

Alex looked at him flatly. "I wasn't aware that there was a difference." She pointed out sarcastically. And she was right, different drugs gave you different emotions so it was really the same thing.

One woman walked up to the three booths. She was wearing all black and seemed to be poorer than the three time travelers. "Over here, sweetheart!" The blonde woman called. "That's it, come on, I'll get you first!"

"Oi! Oi, you!" The man called to her. "Over here! Over here! Buy some happy!" Alex watched the woman walk to the blonde.

"Come over here, yeah. And what can I get for you, my love?" Alex titled her head. 'Love' she did believe was an affectionate term. Alex's mind flew away with that, and it imagined the Doctor called her that. Alex flushed pink and smacked her hands over her face. She could feel the Doctor staring at her. She ignored him for now.

"I want to buy forget." The woman muttered.

"I've got forget, my darling. What strength? How much you want forgetting?"

"It's my mother and father. They went on the motorway." Alex lifted her head up with her eyebrows knitted together. The statement caught the Doctor's attention too.

"Oh, that's so swain." The woman reached behind the stall and pulled out a small circular token. She held it out for the young woman. "Try this. Forget forty-three. That's two credits."

Before she could do anything with it, Alex stopped her. "I'm sorry. But I couldn't help but overhear." The young woman looked over. "What happened to your parents?"

"They drove off."

"They could always come back." Alex tried.

"Everyone goes the motorway in the end. I've lost them." The woman replied. Well, wasn't she a ray of sunshine?

"But they can't have gone far. You could always fine them." The Doctor entered the conversation.

The young woman just looked at them, and then looked down with a sigh. She put the token to her neck.

"No, no – no, don't!" It was too late. Once the token was applied, her expression changed. It turned serene and docile. But she also looked a little out of it. She was blithely unaware of her surroundings.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Her tone matched her face.

"Your parents. Your mother and father, they went on the motorway." The Doctor tried to explain.

"Are they? That's nice." Alex looked confused and looked to the Doctor for help. He didn't look surprised, just disgusted. Alex looked back at the woman. "I'm sorry. I won't keep you."

They watched her go with frowns on their faces. "So that's the human race, five billion years into the future. Off their heads on chemicals." Alex turned around to Martha, a little peeved.

"Don't start, Martha." Martha looked over surprised at the sudden spiteful undertone in Alex's normal kind voice. "She was depressed." Alex explained, doing nothing to change her tone. "When you're depressed you don't think straight. It's the same as it was in our time. You don't know what it's like to be depressed, so you can't say anything. I know what it's like. And it's not fun, Martha. It's not. It's horrible. And ya know what? I can understand why that girl wanted to forget. It's obvious she wouldn't do that unless she really felt it was hopeless. And when you're depressed, you want nothing more than to forget. You want nothing more than to erase those memories."

"Allie…" The Doctor said softly. Alex reached up and rubbed her eyes, frustrated with herself. The Doctor lifted an arm to her. His eyes were full of understanding and sadness. She went over and snuggled into his warm – yet wet – embrace. The Doctor rubbed her back as she shook. It looked like it was taking all of her strength not to cry.

Martha looked upset. She didn't know it was going to upset Alex, or she would have never said anything. "Sorry, Martha," she heard Alex said. "I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just a touchy subject or me. I'm still raw from it." The Doctor squeezed his arm.

"No I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything. I didn't know you would get upset." Alex cut her off.

"That's why _I _shouldn't have gotten upset."

"Allie." Alex knew what the Doctor was going to ask.

"Yes." She said softly. "Please, please don't judge me." She whispered. Out of everyone she didn't want the Doctor to judge her for something like that. "I… I wasn't thinking… It just… It hurt." She choked out. "I just wanted it to stop. So I took some painkillers. I wasn't thinking straight so I didn't realize that it was only for _physical _pain. At the time, it sure did feel like it was physical. I just took more and more until I fell unconscious." The Doctor ran his hand up and down her back. He could never judge her. He could never think badly of her. He knew the exact feeling. He leaned down and kissed her head.

Martha watched the scene feeling slightly bitter. She didn't know how Alex did it… But somehow, she brought the affection out of the Doctor. As she thought about this, two figures sprang out behind her. Martha screamed as the male wrapped his arm around her neck and dragged her off. The woman put herself between them and Alex and the Doctor.

Both brunettes snapped their heads at Martha's scream. Alex's eyes widened. "Martha!" She cried, horrified.

"I'm sorry, I'm really, really sorry. We just need three, that's all." The man said.

"No let her go! I'm warning you, let her go!" The Doctor became more desperate.

"We can help!" Alex said. "Whatever it is you want, we can help, but you have to let her go!"

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." They got to a door, and slammed it shut. Just before the girl shut it, she gave one more, 'sorry'. It sounded almost like she was crying. The Doctor bared his teeth in frustration as Alex ran forward and grabbed the door. She yanked at it. She was trying desperately to open it.

"Come on!" She growled. "_Open_!" She yanked at it more. The Doctor whipped out the sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the door. With a clicked, Alex threw the door opened and ran down the hall towards Martha.

Alex threw the fire exit door open just time to see a black hover car fly off. "Martha!" The Doctor cried. Alex put her hand in her hair. She looked franticly at where the kidnappers had just flown off. "Allie! Come on!" Alex turned around and ran after the Doctor.

They got back to the street where the kidnappers appeared and the Doctor walked up to the closest door and pounded on it. Alex got around him, to see his face. He was mad as hell. Alex looked away. She twisted her fingers constantly. She did that when she was nervous.

The Doctor – even in his livid state – noticed her state and opened his arms to her again. She hugged him tightly. "We'll get her back, Allie." He muttered in reassurance. She didn't need it though. His anger was more than enough to ensure that Martha _will _be coming back with them.

The door finally slid open. The blonde woman smiled. "Thought you'd come back. You want some happy happy?" The woman asked.

The Doctor went straight to the point. "Those people – who were they? Where did they take her?"

The man emerged from his stall. "They've taken her to the motorway."

"Looked like carjackers to me." The blonde said.

The black woman spoke this time. "I'd give up now, darling. You won't see her again."

"Used to be thriving in this place. You couldn't move. But they all go to the motorway in the end." The brunette male explained.

The Doctor kept a tight hold on Alex. Part of her felt like he was worried someone would come out of the smoke and steal her away too. She realized something. "They kept saying they needed three. What did they mean?"

"It's the car-sharing policy, to save fuel. You get special access if you're caring three adults." The blonde pharmacist clarified.

"This motorway – how do we get there?" The Doctor asked.

"Straight down the alley, keeping going to the end. You can't miss it." The Doctor quickly took Alex's hand and strode off in the direction she pointed out. "Tell you what – how 'bout some happy happy? Then you'll be smiling, my love!" Alex rolled her eyes. That was probably one of the worst things to say to the Doctor when he's livid.

"Word of advice," The Doctor snapped. "All of you. Cash up. Close down. And pack your bags."

The blonde looked at him skeptically. "Why's that, then?"

"Because as soon as I've found her, alive and well – and I _will _find her, alive and well – then I'm coming back. And this street is closing. Tonight!" The Doctor took Alex's hand again and back into the direction of the motorway.

While walking there, Alex remained silent. Though, honestly, she was itching to say something just to get the Doctor to calm down. Without thinking, she asked softly. "Do you think they'll have the steering wheels on the right side of the car?" The Doctor looked over in question. "Those hover vehicles. I mean, in America, they have the steering wheels on the left. But I've watched this show and other British shows. And it looks like you have the wheel on the right, instead. And I've never driven a vehicle with a steering wheel on the right before."

Alex was thankful when she saw his shoulders slowly relax. The Doctor gave a small smile. "I'm sure we can find one with a left-hand steering wheel."

"Cool." Alex grinned. "Oh, and maybe I can drive, Martha, you and me back to the TARDIS." Alex grinned. "That would be awesome!" The Doctor seemed to go back to his old self and Alex took his arm gently. "Doctor," They looked at each other straight in the eye. Surprisingly the Doctor was quite close to her face. But she needed to ignore it for now. "I have faith in you." She smiled softly. "We _are _going to find Martha Jones alive and well." The Doctor returned the gentle smile.

In a dilapidated corridor, near a sign in just as bad condition saying, "MOTORWAY ACCESS", the sonic screwdriver buzzed in the dim light. The door opened with a loud 'clang' and both of them step through. Alex's throat constricted as her eyes water. She coughed horribly as she looked around. It was impossible. The hugest traffic jam in the galaxy was right in front of their eyes. Alex noticed her eyes were quickly becoming black around the edges.

"Hey!" A man opened the door to the hover vehicle in front of them. He wore protective gear over his face. "You daft little street struts! What are you doing, standing there? Either get out or get in! Come on!"

The Doctor or Alex had no second thoughts. They jumped into the car still coughing up a lung. A dark haired brunette reached up to them from her seat. "Here you go!" She gave both of them oxygen masks.

"Did you ever see the like?" The man asked. Alex still coughed slightly into the oxygen mask. But thankfully, the darkness had retreated from her vision. "Just standing there, breathing it in." He pulled over his scarf and goggles, and Alex paused. He was a cat. A walking, talking, cat. Alex looked over at the Doctor. He gave her a look not to say anything, it would be rude. Alex raised an eyebrow. He had no right to give her that look. He could be just as rude. In some cases even more than she was.

"There's this story says back in the old days, on Junction Forty-Seven." The cat didn't seem to notice Alex's previous staring. "This woman stood in the exhaust fumes for a solid twenty minutes. By the time they had found her, her head had swollen to fifty feet!" Alex felt her lips twitch.

"Oh, you're making it up." The brunette woman said. She smiled, in spite of herself.

"A fifty-foot head! Just think of it. Imagine picking that nose." The cat moved into the driver's seat.

"Stop it. That's disgusting." She responded.

"What? Did you never pick your nose?" He retorted.

All joking was suddenly forgotten. The woman straightened up and tapped the cat's arm. "Brann, we're moving."

"Right. I'm there. I'm on it." He pulled a level, which looked like a parking break. He pulled it. They moved, but not by much. Alex heard honking all around them. "Twenty yards. We're having a good day." Both then turn to look at the Doctor and Alex. The two time travelers were already taking off their oxygen masks. "And who might you two be?" The cat asked. "Very well dressed for two hitchhikers."

"Thanks. Sorry, I'm the Doctor. And this is Alex Harper." Alex smiled politely.

"Nice to meet you both." She said with just as much politeness.

"Medical man! Ha-ha! My name's Thomas Kincade Brannigan and this is the bane of my life, Valarie." Brannigan introduced.

Valarie smiled at the two newcomers. "It's nice to meet you too."

"And that's the rest of the family behind you." Brannigan gestured to the back of the car. Alex blinked. She turned and moved aside a curtain. Alex melted.

"Aw." There, in front of her eyes, were maybe five or six mewling kittens. "Aw, they're adorable." Slowly, and with much care, she picked up the black one and held it to her. The Doctor smiled and scratched the head gently.

"Awww, that's nice. Hello." The kitten snuggled into her and started to purr.

"Oh." Alex grinned. "Listen to you, little fellow."

"How old are they?" The Doctor asked. He smiled at Alex as she cuddled with the kitten. Alex was an animal lover. But even someone who wasn't wouldn't be able to resist the cuteness these kittens had.

Valarie reached up and rubbed her son's head. "Just two months."

"Poor little souls." Valarie and Alex shared a smile, as Alex continued to pet the small cat. "They've never known the ground beneath their paws." He continued in answer to Alex's and the Doctor's questioning gaze. "Children of the Motorway."

Alex looked around. "You mean they were born in here?" She found that hard to imagine. The place was so small.

"We couldn't stop." Valarie answered. "We heard jobs were going, out in the laundries on Fire Island. Thought we'd take a chance."

"What? You've been driving for two months?" The Doctor asked as Alex continued to look around. That was just as impossible to imagine.

"Do I look like a teenager?" Brannigan laughed. Alex was confused even more. "We've been driving for twelve years."

Alex's eye's almost popped out of their socket. "Wait, what?" Alex asked. How long had they been traveling again?

"Yeah!" Brannigan was unfazed by the information. "Started out as newlyweds! Feels like yesterday." He told his wife.

"Feels like twelve years to me." Valarie answered.

"Ah, sweetheart, but you're still lovely." He reached over and tickled her. She giggled.

"Twelve years?" The Doctor asked incredulously. "How far did you come? Where did you start?"

"Battery Park." Brannigan answered. _They had to been far away if they drove for twelve years_. "Five miles back."

"What?" Alex cried. "You traveled _five miles _in _twelve years_?" That's just insane!

"I think they're a bit slow." The old cat told his wife.

"Where are you two from?" Alex put the small kitten back with his brothers and sisters. He mewled at her. Alex smiled and gave it one last good petting before turning back around.

"Never mind that, we've got to get out." The Doctor answered. "Our friend's in one of these cars. She was taken hostage. We should get back to the TARDIS."

The Doctor opened the door. Alex covered her mouth. They were met with nothing but a thick wall of exhaust fumes. "You're too late for that." When the Doctor started to cough, Alex grabbed his coat and pulled him back in. "We've passed the last lay-by. You're passengers now, Sonny Jim!"

The Doctor turned around, urgent. "When's the next lay-by?"

"Oh…" Brannigan thought about it. "Six months?" Both the Doctor and Alex were not amused.

-x-

The sonic screwdriver buzzed and shined though the screen with an insignia of the New New York Police Department. The Doctor held a transmitter. Behind him, Alex had her chin on his shoulder. She had her arms wrapped gently around his skinny waist. "I need to speak with the police." The Doctor spoke.

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold." Alex looked at the screen in disbelief. The same message was typed onto the screen.

"But you're the police!" The Doctor was in the same state.

"Thank you for your call. You have been placed on hold."

The Doctor tapped Alex's hands and she moved back to let him turn to the couple in the front. "Is there anyone else? I once met the Duke of Manhattan. Is there is there any way of getting through to him?"

"Oh, now, ain't you lordly?" Brannigan muttered.

"I've actually never met the 'Duke of Manhattan'." Alex responded. "It was only him."

"We've got to find our friend." The Doctor brought them back on topic.

"You can't make outside calls." Valarie explained. "The Motorway is completely enclosed."

"What?" Spurning colored Alex's tone. "Who came up with that stupid idea?"

"What about other cars?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh, we've got contact with them, yeah." Brannigan shifted as the Doctor and Alex came up behind them. "Well, some of them, anyways. They've got to be on your friends list." Brannigan looked at the screen. "Now, let's see – who's nearby? Ahhh! The Cassini sisters." Brannigan took the com. "Still your heart, my handsome girls. It's Brannigan here."

"Get off the line, Brannigan." An elderly voice answered. "You're a pest and a menace."

"Oh, come on, now, sisters. Is that anyway to talk to an old friend?" Brannigan countered.

"You know full well we're not sisters. We're married." The Doctor took Alex's hand. She smiled gently at him. Without thinking, she snuggled into his arm.

"Oooh, Stop that modern talk!" Brannigan laughed. "I'm an old-fashioned cat. Now, I've got two hitchhikers here, calls themselves the Doctor and Alex Harper."

The Doctor took the com. "Hello. Sorry, we're looking for someone called Martha Jones. She's been carjacked. She's inside one of these vehicles, but we don't know which one."

"Wait a minute." Another elderly voice answered. "Could I ask which entrance did they use?"

"Where were we?" Alex asked politely.

"Pharmacy town." Brannigan answered the nice child.

"Pharmacy town." The Doctor repeated. "About twenty minutes ago." 

"Let's have a look." The voice muttered.

The first voice could be heard, muttering. "Just my luck, to marry a car-spotter."

"In the last half an hour, fifty three new cars joined from the Pharmacy Town junction."

Alex almost groaned. "Is there anything else?" She asked desperately. "Anything more specific?"

"All in good time." The voice answered. "Was she car-jacked by two people?"

"Yes, she was, yeah." The Doctor answered. Alex and the Doctor shared a look. Both were getting a good feeling about this.

"There we are." Alex grinned. "Just one of those cars was destined for the fast lane. That means they had three one board. And the car number is Four Six Five Diamond Six." Alex grinned. Perfect!

"That's it!" The Doctor squeezed Alex's hand gently. "So how do we find them?"

"Ah. Now, there I'm afraid I can't help you." The voice replied. Alex's smiled slowly vanished. What did she mean?

"Call them on this thing." The Doctor told Brannigan. "We've got their number. Diamond six."

"Not if they're designated fast lane." Brannigan answered. "It's a different class." Again? Alex mentally rolled her eyes. Seriously, who comes up with these stupid rules?

The voice responded. "You could try the police."

"They put us on hold." Alex muttered.

"You've got to keep trying." The first elderly voice replied. "There's no one else."

"Thank you." The Doctor gave the com back to Brannigan. So they hit another dead end. They knew what car Martha was in, but it was impossible to get to her.

-x-

"We've got to go down to the fast lane." The Doctor finally said. Alex looked up. She was off to the side with the kittens somehow all in her lap. It seemed they really liked her.

"Not in a million years." Brannigan said quickly.

"You've got _four _passengers!" The Doctor said.

"I'm still not going." Brannigan wasn't going to budge.

"She's alone, and she's lost." The Doctor looked the cat straight in the eyes. "She's doesn't belong on this planet, and it's all my fault. I'm asking you, Brannigan – take us down."

Valarie spoke up. "That's a no. And that's final." Valarie seemed worried about something to do with the fast lane. "I'm no risking the children down there."

"Why not?" Alex asked. "What goes on down in the fast lane?"

"We're not discussing it!" Valarie snapped. "The conversation is closed."

"So we keep driving?" Alex asked.

"Yes, we do."

"For how long?" The Doctor snapped.

"'Till the journey's end." Brannigan answered evenly.

The Doctor wasn't satisfied. He reached over and snatched the transmitter. "Mrs. Cassini this is the Doctor." He told them. "Tell me, how long have you been driving on the motorway?" He asked.

"Oh, we were amongst the first." One of them replied. "It's been twenty-three years now." Alex's mouth dropped. How do you drive for twenty-three years?

"And in all that time, have you ever seen a police car?" Alex watched the Doctor curiously. What was he doing? Both Brannigan and Valarie were disquieted.

The one that gave us Martha's car spoke up. "I'm not sure." It was obvious they were feeling uncomfortable as well.

"Look at your notes." The Doctor answered. "Any police?"

"Not as such." Slowly the pieces came together in Alex's mind. But, it couldn't be. There was a whole city above them… Unless… Alex's thoughts were going a hundred miles per minute.

"Or an ambulance? Rescue service? Anything official? _Ever_?"

"I can't keep note of everything." She responded.

"What if there's no one out there?" These words angered Brannigan. He snatched the com and put it back into the place.

"Stop it. The Cassinis were doing you a favor."

"Someone's got to ask." The Doctor answered. Alex put the kittens back into their basket and stood next to the Doctor. "'Cause you might not talk about it, but it's there. In your eyes." The Doctor was right. "What if the traffic jam never stops?"

"There's a whole city above us." Brannigan answered, uneasy. "They might city-state of New New York. They wouldn't just leave us." That would be true. But Alex had a feeling something happened up in New New York. And it's something that the Motorway passengers didn't know about.

"In that case, where are they?" The Doctor brutally continued. "Hmmm? What if no help's coming, not ever? What if there's nothing? Just the motorway, with the cars going 'round and 'round and 'round, never stopping? Forever?" Alex couldn't imagine that thought. That horrible thought that that this was the only thing.

"Shut up!" Valarie snapped. "Just shut up!"

The screen blared to life. And the news woman that Alex had seen in the beginning came on. "This is Sally Calypso, and it's that time again. The sun is blazing high in the sky over the New Atlantic, the perfect setting for the daily contemplation."

"You think you know us so well, Doctor." Brannigan said. "But we're not abandoned. Not while we have each other." Valarie smiled and relaxed into her chair.

Sally Calypso continued. "This is for all of you on the roads. We're so sorry. Drive safe." Brannigan and Valarie started to sing. The Doctor watched them, Alex thought about it. They were all singing. It was a beautiful hymn.

'_On__ a hill, far away_

_Stood an old, rugged cross_

_The emblem of suffering and shame_

_And I love that old cross_

_Where the dearest and best_

_For a world of lost sinners was slain_

_So I'll cherish the old, rugged cross, rugged cross_

_Till my trophies at last I lay down, I lay down_

_I will cling to the old, rugged cross, rugged cross_

_And exchange it someday for a crown.'_

Alex felt tears slowly slip down her cheeks. The Doctor looked over to see this. He put his arm around her and she snuggled into it. Alex breathed the Doctor's scent. It was slowly becoming a familiar scent to her. It was a relaxing and calming scent.

There was a small pause before the Doctor broke it. "If you won't take us down, then I'll go down on my own." The Doctor went to the back of the car.

"Excuse me?" Alex snapped. "You're not going anywhere without me."

"Allie…" He warned.

She reached over and covered his mouth. "The more time you unsuccessfully try to convince me to stay, the more time we lose off finding Martha."

They had a staring contest. The Doctor gave in when he saw the endless amount of stubbornness in her eyes. He pulled out his sonic screwdriver and inspected the floor.

"What do you think you're doing?" Brannigan asked, shocked.

"Finding my own way. I usually do." The Doctor responded.

The capsule opened, and the married couple starred in horror as it revealed the hundreds of cars below them. One car pulled up underneath and the Doctor became prepared to jump first. "Here we go." He told Alex. She grinned.

"This is exactly what I'm talking about, Doctor. I'm always going to have an exciting adventure when I'm with you." The Doctor shook his head, smiling.

He took off his trench coat. He threw it towards Brannigan and Valarie. The brunette woman caught it. "Look after this." The Lord of Time looked down only to look back up at his beloved jacket. "I love that coat. Janis Joplin gave me that coat."

"But you two can't jump!" Valarie cried.

"If it's any consolation, Valarie, right now, _I'm _having kittens." The Doctor responded.

"This Martha – she must mean an awful lot to you."

"She's my best friend." Alex answered right away. "Won't leave her down there if it meant my life."

"Hardly know her." The Doctor explained. "I was too busying showing off."

"That," Alex added. "And you lied to her."

"Couldn't help it," The Doctor defended. "Just lied." He looked up at the couple. "Bye then!" With that, he jumped down onto the car. The Doctor coughed as the fumes hit his lungs. He quickly opened the capsule and slid in.

"Thanks for everything!" Alex called behind her as she jumped too. She landed on top of the car, and then jumped inside.

"Who the hell are you two?" A man who was _way _too pale asked.

"Sorry," The Doctor apologized. "Motorway foot patrol. We're doing a survey."

"How are you enjoying your lovely motorway?" Alex asked. She was smiling. She figured it was so much more fun to go along with the Doctor.

The Doctor turned to the floor and opened the capsule. "Well, not very much." The pale man answered. "Junction Five's been closed for three years!"

The Doctor looked up. "Thank you. Your comments have been notified." He jumped through the door.

"Have a nice day!" Alex jumped down after the Time Lord. Alex felt her throat constrict again. These fumes were vicious.

Alex jumped in and looked upon two shocked Asian girls. She smiled at them and waved. "Nice place." Alex commented. It was spunky, just her type of style.

The Doctor opened up the bottom door, calling out. "Thank you for your cooperation. You comments have been noted." The Doctor took a purple handkerchief. "Mind if we borrow these? Not my color, but thank you very much." Alex took a blue one. Both looked at their handkerchiefs and then each other.

Without a word they switched. The Doctor jumped down and quickly opened the next door. Alex jumped after him. Alex looked up and turned around almost immediately. Two _very _naked drivers looked at them in shock.

"Oh, don't mind us." Alex gave them a quick smile. She whacked the Doctor in the back to make him hurry up. He opened the door up and jumped down. Alex jumped down without even waiting for the Doctor. Both went down into another car. This one was lit up a bright red. A large man gave them the same shocked look. The Doctor only saluted him. Alex gave him a wave.

Alex and the Doctor open what seemed like the last layer. Both jumped in quickly. Alex blinked and coughed harshly. Her brain felt like it could explode inside of her skull. Alex didn't think she was getting any oxygen to her brain. She looked at the Doctor. She blinked rapidly when his figure started to blur.

"'Scuse me, is that legal?" A business man asked.

"Sorry." Alex wheezed. "Motorway Foot patrol." She went into another coughing fit. "Yeah, whatever. Do you have any water?"

"Certainly. Never let it be said I've lost my manners." He reached at the water cooler and gave both of them clear, cone shaped, plastic cups. Both the Doctor and Alex drain it almost right away.

"Is this the last layer?" The Doctor asked.

"Ah, we're right at the bottom. Nothing below us but the fast lane."

"Can we drive down?"

"Well that depends." He turned to Alex. "How old are you?"

"18." The small brunette answered.

"Then no. We can't." Alex blinked.

"What's the age?"

"21." The businessman answered. _Ah, it's the same as the drinking age_. Made sense, California had the same rule.

"Couldn't we just cheat?" The Doctor asked.

"I'd love to." He turned to the Doctor. "But now that she's admitted she not the right age, the wheel would lock up."

The Doctor turned. "If you'll excuse us then." He opened the door with the sonic screwdriver. Alex squatted down next to him.

"You can't jump. It's a thousand feet down."

"No, I just want to look." Alex squinted her eyes.

"What is that?" There were faint lights moving in the thick smog. Faintly, a screeching roar could be heard. "What's that noise?"

"I... try not to think about it." Alex shrugged. That would make sense.

"What are those lights? What's down there?" Smog started to come through and the Doctor coughed waving his hand around to get it away. Alex covered her mouth and nose and leaned away. "I just need to _see_." The Doctor ran up to the screen in the front of the car. He became frantic as his mind filled with ideas. "There must be some sort of ventilation. If I could transmit a pulse through this thing, maybe I could trip the system, give us a breeze."

-x-

The Doctor had been playing with some wires and with a snap, he was done. "That's it!" Alex looked down, trying to figure out what those shapes are. "Might shift the fumes a bit, give us a good look."

The fumes slowly moved and Alex blinked. "No way." She said. The Doctor ran back over to where she was. "You're kidding."

"They're alive." The Doctor pointed out.

"What the hell are they?"

The four of them keep looking down at the shapes and slowly the image became clear. Down in the fast lane were hundreds – if not thousands – of giant, aggressive, crabs.

The Doctor with deadly recognition replied. "Macra."

"They're crabs." Alex said. "Giant, aggressive, crabs." She shook her head.

"Allie." The Doctor warned.

"Sorry." She automatically said. "Just sayin' what I'm thinkin'."

"The Macra used to be the scourge of the galaxy. Gas, they feed on gas, the filthier the better. They built up a small empire using humans as slaves and mining gas for food."

"They don't exactly look like empire-builders to me." The business man replied. Alex had to agree.

"Time must have devolved them into just angry crab-beasts." Alex replied. "And Martha' down there, in the heart of those angry, hungry beasts."

There was a loud clank on the top of the roof. "Oh, it's like New Time Square in here, for goodness's sake!"

Alex watched as a pair of feet dangled. It looked like the person was wearing a blue nun's outfit. The woman dropped into the car, and Alex blinked. Yet again, another cat came to her view. "We've invented a sport, Allie!" The Doctor said.

"Doctor, you're a hard man to find." The cat smiled. Alex looked over at the Doctor, confused. He looked just as confused.

The business man pointed at that gun in the cat's hands. "No guns! I'm not having guns!"

"I only brought this in case of pirates!" She replied. "Doctor, you've got to come with me."

"Do I know you?" The Time Lord asked.

"You haven't aged at all." She looked away, demurely. "Time has been less kind to me."

"Novice Hame!" The Doctor clutched her and hugged her. Alex made a small 'o' with her mouth. She remembered Novice Hame. Out of all the cats in the 'New Earth' episode, Alex loved Novice Hame the best. "No, hold on, get off." The Doctor broke the hug suddenly. "Last time we met, you were breeding humans for experimentations."

"I've sought forgiveness, Doctor, so many years ago, under his guidance." Novice Hame replied. "And if you come with me, I might finally be able to redeem myself."

"We're not going anywhere." The Doctor replied. "You've got Macra living under the city. Macra! And if my friend's still alive, she's stuck down there!" The Doctor wasn't going anywhere withoutAlex _and _Martha.

"You've got to come with me right now!" Novice Hame demanded.

"No, no, no, you're coming with me. We've got three passengers now!" The Doctor replied.

Novice Hame wasn't pleased. "I'm sorry, Doctor. But the situation is worse than you can imagine." She took The Doctor's hand. When Alex saw that she was going to press a button, she grabbed onto the Doctor's arm. "Transport."

"Don't you dare!" The Time Lord yelled. "Don't you dare!"

-x- 

Alex silent cried as it felt like she was squeezed through a small opening and then twisted in multiple painful directions. She gritted her teeth as her body screamed. The brunette decided to just lay there for a moment. "Oh!" The Doctor slowly rose. "Rough transport. Ow." His head snapped up to Novice Hame. "But you can go straight back down and teleport people out, starting with Martha." He looked over at Alex and ran to her. "Allie?"

"Yeah." She answered, hoarsely. "My body hurts." She explained.

The Doctor ran his fingers through her soft hair. "Let's get you up." He slowly and gingerly helped her up. As she got up, she heard her joints pop. When she was finally up, she straightened her previously messy shirt.

"I only had the power for one trip." Novice Hame explained. Alex leaned against the Doctor's body. He held her waist to keep her from falling back down. It was always the worst when you experience a rough transport the first time. Not that any other time after it is better.

"Then get some more." The Doctor snapped. "Where are we?"

"High above, in the over-city." Alex looked around. Why was it so dark? Not everyone had to be on the motorway. Some people had to be in the over-city.

"Good!" The Doctor replied. "'Cause you can tell the Senate of New New York I'd like to have a word. They've got thousands of people trapped on the Motorway! Millions!" Alex slipped out of the Doctor's arms. Slowly Alex walked a little further ahead.

"But you're inside the Senate, right now." Alex felt her stomach sink. "May the Goddess Santori bless them." The nun pressed another button and the lights went on. Alex blinked and looked around. They were in a vast chamber with long rows of seats. Every row contains multiple skeletons. "They died, Doctor. The city died." Alex looked down and saw a skeleton right in front of her feet. She put her hand up to her face in horror. She walked back over to the Doctor.

"How long's it been like this?" He asked in disbelief. There was a shocking amount of skeletons everywhere.

"Twenty-four years." Novice Hame answered sadly. The Doctor walked towards the same skeleton and kneeled down. His anger was forgotten. He was now just profoundly disturbed.

"Is everyone like this?" Alex asked. "What happened to cause such a thing?"

"A new chemical. A new mood. They called it bliss." Novice Hame picked up a similar token to the one the time travelers saw the vendors had. This one had "BLISS" written on it. "Everyone tried it. They couldn't stop. A virus mutated inside the compound and became airborne. Everything perished – even the virus, in the end. It killed the world in seven minutes flat. There was just enough time to close down the walkways and the flyovers, sealing off the under-city. Those people on the motorway aren't lost, Doctor. They were saved."

The Doctor stood. He felt Alex's small arms wrap around him. She had her face buried into his back. The Doctor took one of her hands. He rubbed the back with his thumb to calm her down. He didn't want her to cry. He couldn't bare it. "So the whole thing down there is running on automatic?"

"There's not enough power to get them out." Novice Hame replied. "We did all we could to stop the system from chocking."

"You say 'we', who's that then?" Alex asked when she got herself to calm down. "And how did you survive this, Novice Hame?"

"He protected me." She answered. Whoever it was, Alex noticed that the cat spoke with such respect for him. "And he's waited for you, these long years."

"Doctor." Alex looked around at the low, deep voice. Something about the voice seemed familiar to the small girl.

The Doctor took off and Alex ran after him. She stopped when she saw the Face of Bo in another smaller room. "The Face of Bo!" The Doctor cried. "Allie meet –

"

Alex cut him off. "The Face of Bo." At the Doctor's surprised face she smiled. "I remember him. I like the Face of Bo."

"And I like you two, Alex." Alex looked over.

"You know me?" She knew the answer. She might not remember most of the Doctor Who series. But like she pointed out before, she remembered her favorite parts. She also remembered some important parts. One of them was that they found out at the end of series three that the Face of Bo is Captain Jack Harkness.

"We've met before." He chuckled. Alex grinned. "I knew both of you would come."

"Back in the old days, I was made his nurse, as penance for my sins." Alex put her hand onto the glass.

"Old friend," The Doctor did the same. "What happened to you?"

"Failing." The Face of Bo responded.

"He protected me from the virus by shrouding me in his smoke." Novice Hame explained. "But with no one to maintain it, the City's power died. The under-city would have fallen into the sea."

"So he saved them." The Doctor said. The strength and courage it must have taken to do what the Face of Bo did.

"The Face of Bo wired himself into the mainframe. He's giving his life source just to keep things running." Alex rubbed the glass. Her eyes became sober.

"What about the other planets?" Alex turned to Novice Hame. "Couldn't you have called out for help?"

"The last act of the Senate was to declare New Earth unsafe. The automatic quarantine lasts for one hundred years." The Doctor turned back to the Face of Bo concerned. Alex got up and hugged Novice Hame. She tensed but then relaxed.

"It's a brave thing what you're doing." Alex whispered. "All those people on the motorway are in your debt, Novice Hame." The cat hugged her back.

"So the two of you stayed here – all on your own, for all these years." Alex broke the hug and smiled comforting Novice Hame.

"We had no choice." Novice Hame responded.

"You did though." Ale countered. "You did have a choice."

"Save them, Doctor, Alex. Save them." The Face of Bo pleaded.

-x-

The Doctor store at the screen, the dorky – but absolutely adorable – glasses now on. "Car Four Six Five Diamond Six – it still registers!" Alex ran over, cheering.

"Martha, you are brilliant!" Alex cried.

"Novice Hame, hold that in place!" When the cat had it, the Doctor ran along the length of the wire. He jumped over a box of lights and buttons.

"Think, think, think." The Doctor muttered to himself. "Take the residual energy, invert it, feed it through the electrical beds.

"There isn't enough power." Novice Hame countered.

"Ah, you've got power!" The Doctor retorted. "You've got me! I'm brilliant with computers, just you watch!" He turned to Alex. She could see he was getting more and more excited. "Allie! Every switch on the bank, up to maximum!" Alex saluted – forgetting he didn't like them and ran over to Novice Hame. Grinning like a small child, she did what every person likes to do. Click every button there was.

The Doctor rotated a knob in a console on the floor. Alex was obediently shinning the sonic screwdriver on it as well. "I can't power up the city, but all the city needs is people." He banged the console before jumping up.

"So what are you going to do, then?" Alex asked, curious.

"This!" The Doctor flipped a two-meter long switch to the floor. But instead, all the lights on the screens went black. "No no no no no no!" The Doctor cried, horrified. The Doctor kneeled onto the floor again. He waved his sonic screwdriver around at another set of controls. "Transformers are blocked." He muttered. "The signal can't get through."

"Doctor…" The Face of Bo called.

"Yeah, hold on," The Doctor said, impatiently. "Not now."

"I give you my last…" The Face of Bo gave a raspy breath and suddenly the screens lit up. Alex's head snapped up. Everything is working. Everything is powered up.

"Hame, look after him!" The Doctor commanded. Hame went over and turned a nozzle.

"Come on," Alex ran up to the glass. "You don't want to miss this!"

"The open road. Ha!" The Doctor grinned. Alex returned the gesture.

-x-

The Doctor spoke into the monitor. He was calling all cars back up. "Sorry, no Sally Calypso, she was just a hologram. My name's the Doctor." Alex grinned and started laughing happily. "And this is an order. Everyone drive up. Right now." The Doctor turned to see Alex dancing happily. She was cheering. The Doctor grinned at the sight of her. "I've opened the roof of the motorway. Come on. Throttle those engines. Drive up. All of you, the whole under-city. Drive up, drive up, drive up! Fast!"

"Come on, people!" Alex ran over to the window. "Drive up!"

"We've got to clear that fast lane. Drive up and get out of the way." The Doctor called out to Martha's car. "Oi! Car Four Six Five Diamond Six! Martha! Drive up!" He commanded.

Alex ran over and called to Martha. "Come on, Martha. The road is opened! Drive up!"

Brannigan's voice came through the transmitter. "Did I tell you, Doctor? You two aren't bad at all, sir. You're not bad at all!" He laughed. "Oh, yee-hah!"

The Doctor laughed. "You keep driving, Brannigan, all the way up! 'Cause it's here, just waiting for you." The Doctor danced over to the window. Alex grinned. It was a beautiful view of New New York. "The city of New New York. And it's yours."

"Don't forget," Alex took the transmitter. "We need the Doctor's coat back!"

"I reckon that's a fair bargain, ma'am." Alex laughed.

"And Car Four Six Five Diamond Six, I've sent a flight path." The Doctor and Alex were grinning at each other. Both had their faces close to each other. Alex felt slightly light headed because of it. "Come to the Senate."

"On my way!" Martha replied.

"It's been a while since we've seen you, Miss. Martha Jones." Alex teased.

"Doctor!" Alex turned around. Her smile fell when she saw the glass for the Face of Bow began to crack.

-x-

"Doctor? Alex?" Alex turned her head to the sound. Her eyes never moved from the site before her.

"Over here, Martha." Alex called.

"Alex!" Martha ran into the room smiling. "What happened out there?" She stopped when she saw the Face of Bo. He was now on the ground, the glass had shattered. "What's that?"

"It's the Face of Bo. It's alright. Come say 'hello'. And this is Hame. She's a cat. Don't worry." The Doctor explained. Martha slowly walked over to them, she kneeled next to Hame. Martha was reverent. The Doctor and Alex were kneeling across from them, next to each other.

"He's the one that saved you, Martha. It wasn't us." Alex felt a lump in her throat.

"My Lord gave his life to save the city." Novice Hame looked about ready to cry. Alex couldn't blame her. "And now he's dying."

"No," The Doctor countered. "He's not dying. Not old Bo. Plenty of life left."

"It's good to breathe the air once more." Bo said.

"Who is he?" Martha asked.

"I don't even know." He looked at Alex.

"I know who he is." Alex shrugged. "I can't tell you though, you'll find out later, I swear. But I can't tell you now, it'll be spoilers."

"Legend says the Face of Bo has lived for billions of years, isn't that right?" The Doctor turned his attention back to Bo. "And you're not about to give up now."

"Everything has it's time." Bo answered. "You know that, old friend, better than most." Oh, how true that statement was.

"The legend says more." Novice Hame pointed out.

"Don't. There's no need for that." The Doctor cut in.

Novice Hame continued anyway. "It says that the Face of Bo will speak his final secret to a traveler."

"Yeah, but not yet." The Doctor cut in again. "Who needs secrets, eh?"

"I've seen so much. Perhaps too much. I am the last of my kind – as you are the last of yours, Doctor." Alex bit her lip. She looked at the Doctor. He seemed desperate. This was hitting him so much harder than the death of the entire planet. Alex didn't think twice about it. She reached over and took the Doctor's hand. He looked over. She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"That's why we have to survive." The Doctor responded. "Both of us. Don't go."

"I must." And here, Bo will speak his final words. "But know this, Time Lord. You are not alone." Alex bit her lip hard, so much it felt like the skin would break at any moment. But in his last breaths, Alex heard a voice in her head. It was clear as a bell. "Alex Harper." She looked over at the Face of Bo. Their eyes locked. "Take good care of him." The damn broke and tears slid down her eyes. She nodded. And with that, the Face of Bo left them.

Martha looked on with respect. Novice Hame sobbed. Alex held tightly to the Doctor's hand and cried silently. The Doctor looked astounded. He stared at the Face of Bo, uncomprehending. Martha stood up. Alex got up, tears still coming through her eyes. Martha smiled sadly at Alex. Alex smiled back. The Doctor stood up and walked between the two girls. He wrapped his arms around both of them.

-x-

They were walking down the street where they first met the pharmacists. All of the booths were closed, just like the Doctor had suggested. "All closed." The Doctor said. He inspected one of the empty booths.

"Happy?" Alex smiled.

"Happy happy." Both girls giggled.

"New New York can start again. And they've got Novice Hame. Just what every city needs – cats in charge."

"Oi!" Alex laughed. "I like Novice Hame thank you. She's a nice cat." The Doctor smiled at her.

"Come on. Time we're off." Alex jogged up to the Doctor and link arms with him.

"Onto the TARDIS!" She raised a fist into the air.

Martha didn't move. "But what did he mean, the Face of Bo?" The Doctor and Alex turned around.

"I don't know." Alex suddenly shuddered almost violently. He looked over.

"Sorry," She smiled. "Thinkin' about a future episode. It's good." Alex thought about it. "'Cept, then again, they're all good. David Tennant plays you beautiful."

"Who?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh, yeah." Alex laughed. "David Tennant is your actor. He's good." Alex nodded. "And Scottish. He wanted you to be Scottish. But _no_," Alex muttered. She playfully mocked what the writers told him. "_The Doctor's British._" Alex pouted. "I would have _loved _a Scottish Doctor!" The Doctor smiled. "'Cept…" Alex looked over the Doctor, grinning. "With your looks I couldn't care." The Doctor rolled his eyes.

"You've got us." Martha said. Alex and Doctor looked over. "Is that what he meant?"

The Doctor shook his head. His lips were twitching. He was fighting smile. "I don't think so, sorry." Alex looked at him beyond offended. That was beyond rude.

"I beg to differ…" Both looked over. "The Face of Bo asked me to take care of you." She pointed at him. "And I said _yes_."

"What?"

Alex pursed her lips. "Right before he died. He told me to take good care of you."

There was a pause. "And you said 'yes'?" The Doctor asked.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Well, _duh_." Alex ginned.

Martha frowned. She was still peeved at the Doctor's comment. "Then what was he talking about?"

"Doesn't matter." The Doctor turned to leave. Martha and Alex didn't move. "Back to the TARDIS, off we go." Martha picked up a chair and sat down in it. Alex walked over close to her. She stood next to anther chair. The Doctor turned when he noticed both girls weren't coming. "All right, you staying?"

"'Till you talk to me properly, yes. He said, 'last of your kind'. What did he mean?" The Doctor tried his best to appear flippant. He was trying so hard.

"It really doesn't matter." Alex gave him a disbelieving look. She knew that wasn't true.

"You don't talk." Martha was getting frustrated. "You never say! Why not?"

"Doctor." Alex spoke up, sternly. The Doctor looked over. "It's been brought up. Martha has a right to know, now. You can't keep lying to her!" Alex locked eyes with him. "If you don't tell her, then so help me, _I will_. And that's not what she wants, Doctor. She wants _you _to tell her." There was a pause as music rose up to meet their ears. It was the citizens of New New York. Both Martha and Alex became enchanted.

"It's the city." Martha said. "They're singing." Alex slowly brought her eyes to the Doctor.

She walked over to him. Those bright blue eyes were shinning with empathy. "I know it's hard, Doctor." She told him quietly. "Oh, how I know." She reached up and took his face into her hands. "_But you can't keep lying to her_." The Doctor brought their foreheads together. "It's not fair to her. The only reason I know is because I'm not from here."

The Doctor sighed. He took her hands in his. Her hands were producing such warmth. He loved it. It felt nice. He didn't want to, but he lifted his head to look at Martha. He was oblivious to the slight anger in her eyes from their intimate moment. "I lied to you, 'cause I liked it. I could pretend. Just for a bit, I could imagine they were still alive, underneath a burnt orange sky." Alex felt her heart sink. Martha was shocked, but Alex could see the sadness in the depths of her eyes. "I'm not just a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. The Face of Bo was wrong. There's no one else."

Martha shook her head. "What happened?" Alex walked back over and picked up the chair and sat down. The Doctor waited a slight moment longer before doing the same. The singing continued behind the time travelers.

"There was a war." Alex respectfully listened. It didn't matter if she heard this before. Martha leaned closed and listened just as intently. "A Time War. The last Great Time War. My people fought a race called the Daleks, for the sake of all creation. And they lost… They lost. Everyone lost. They're all gone now. My family, my friends, even that sky. Oh, you should have seen it, that old planet." The Doctor gave a small, sad smile. "The second sun would rise in the south, and the mountains would shine. The leaves on the trees were silver, and when they caught the light every morning, it looked like a forest on fire. When the autumn came, the breeze would blow through the branches like a song…" The Doctor dived into it. He explained everything about the planet.

Alex smiled. She could only imagine it. The _beautiful _planet of the Time Lords. Alex let her eyes wander. Gallifrey.

Alex never thought that she would get closer to Gallifrey than she ever imagined.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Alex bounded out of the TARDIS first. She grinned widely; she didn't care where she was. The TARDIS always picked the best places. Alex took a deep breath of the good, old salty air. "Where are we?" Martha came out next.

The Doctor came out, last. "Ah! Smell that Atlantic breeze. Nice and Cold. Lovely." Alex laughed and threw her arms into the air. She was absolutely smitten – as the British would say. "Martha, Allie, have you met my friend?" The three turned and Alex squealed. In front of them was the Statue of Liberty.

"Ah!" Alex jumped up behind them, and slung her arm around Martha. "Ladies and Gentlemen!" Alex mimicked an announcer. "I introduce you to _my _country." Alex was a proud American.

"Is that –?" Martha laughed and returned the gesture to Alex. "Oh my god. That's the Statue of Liberty!"

"Yep!" Alex responded.

"Gateway to the New World. 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddles masses yearning to break free…'" The Doctor said.

"Oh," Alex realized something and turned to grin at the Doctor. "We're sorta near where I live!" Alex paused. "Well… Sorta, ya know what I mean." She giggled.

He smiled. "Where do you live?"

"Good, ol' Pennsylvania!" Alex said cheerfully. "Love it. Great place."

"This is brilliant." Martha said. "I've always wanted to go to New York." The small brunette girl nodded in agreement. "I mean the real New York, not the new, new, new, new, new…" They turned and walked to the edge of the island. They had a perfect view of the wonderful city.

"Well, there's the genuine article. So good, they named it twice." Alex smiled. She went to Broadway in 'New York, New York'. "Mind you, it was New Amsterdam originally."

"No wonder it didn't catch on." Alex said. "New Amsterdam, New Amsterdam. Hard to say twice." The Doctor nodded in agreement.

"I wonder what year it is." Martha thought aloud. "'Cause look, the Empire State Building's not even finished yet."

"Work in progress." The Doctor said. "Still got a couple of floors to go, and if I know my history, that makes the date somewhere around –"

"November 1st, 1930." Martha interrupted. Alex turned to see Martha with a newspaper.

"You're getting good at this." The Doctor said. He looked over at the newspaper and took it from her.

"Nearly eighty years ago." Alex realized something and grinned.

"Oh!" She shook the Doctor's arm. "We're in history! Like right smack dab in history!" He raised an eyebrow. "The Great Depression." She said simply. Alex was a history freak. She knew a lot more about her history that most girls her age did. The Great Depression started in 1929 and ended in the late 1930s to early 1940s.

"It's funny 'cause you see all those old newsreels in black and white like it's so far away," Martha said. "But here we are. It's real. It's now." Martha laughed. She turned to the Doctor. "Come on, you. Where do we go first?"

"I think our detour just got longer." The Time Lord showed both girls the headline. Written in bold letters, it said, 'Hooverville Mystery Depends'.

Martha repeated the headline. "What's Hooverville?"

-x-

"Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the USA, came to power a year ago. Up 'till then New York was a boom town, the Roaring Twenties, and then…"

"The Wall Street Crash, yeah?" Martha said. "When was that?"

"October 29th, 1929." Alex answered. At their surprised – the Doctor – and shocked – Martha – looks she explained. "Bit of a history freak." She shrugged.

"Yeah, anyways. Whole economy wiped out overnight. Thousands of people unemployed. Suddenly the huddled masses doubled in number with nowhere to go. So they end up in Central Park."

"The name 'Hooverville'," Alex continued. "Came from the president," She gestured to the Doctor who had named him. "Because he _allegedly_ led the nation into the Great Depression." Alex put emphasis on that because; yes it was true that people believed that he led America into the Great Depression. But the causes of the Great Depression came much earlier.

"But wait." Martha held up a hand. "What? They actually live in the park? In the middle of the city?"

The trio arrived in Hooverville. It wasn't anything special. It was a bunch of put together shacks and tents with random fire barrels scattering the area. "Ordinary people lost their jobs. Couldn't pay the rent and they lost everything. There are places like this all over America."

"The only time you came to Hooverville is when you had nowhere else to go." Alex nodded.

Alex looked forward when she heard a fight. Alex jogged over to the sounds. She slipped through a small crowd. It was lucky she was so tiny. She finally got the front and watched as two men fight each other. It sounded like one stole the other's bread. Alex could feel the Doctor and Martha come up behind her. A black man soon came out. He yelled at them to stop as he got up to them and pulled them apart. He asked one of them if he stole the bread. He said that it wasn't true. This caused the other man to fly towards him. The black man ordered them to stop. When they didn't listen and continued to fight, he pushed them apart.

"Now, I'd think real careful before you lie to me." The black man warned.

"I'm starvin', Solomon." So he did take the bread. 'Solomon' held out his hand and the man reluctantly gave him the bread.

"We're all starvin'." He broke the bread in half. "We all got families somewhere." He then gave both men each half. Alex smiled. That's what needed to be done. "No stealin' and no fightin'. You know the rules. Thirteen years ago I fought in a Great War." Alex nodded. She stuck her tongue out slightly as she did the math. 1930 minus 13 would be… 1917. Alex nodded, that would be when World War I was occurring. "A lot of us did. And the only reason we got through was because we stuck together! No matter how bad things got, we still act like human beings. It's all we got."

The men went on their way. "Come on," The Doctor muttered to Martha and Alex. He walked over to 'Solomon'. "I suppose that makes you the boss around here?" The Doctor asked.

"And, uh, who might you be?" He asked, not really answering the Doctor's question.

"He's the Doctor." Alex introduced. "That's Martha Jones, and I'm Alex Harper."

"A doctor?" He scoffed. "Well, we got, uh, stockbrokers, we got a lawyer, but you're the first doctor." He held his hands in front of a fire to warm them up.

"How many people live here?" Martha looked around.

"At any one time, hundreds." Alex knew the Great Depression was bad. But seeing it for real, it showed her just how bad it was. "We are a true equal society, black, white, all the same, all starvin'." 'Solomon' laughed. "So you're welcome. The three of you. But tell me, Doctor, you're a man of learning, right? Explain this to me." He walked away from the fire, and pointed to the Empire State Building. It could easily been seen above the trees. "That there's going to be the tallest building in the world. How come they can do that, and we got people starving in the heart of Manhattan." Alex knew that was a _very _good point. Unfortunately, she didn't have an answer.

-x-

Solomon threw something out of a canister as they approached. "So, men going missing, is it true?" The Doctor held up the newspaper.

Solomon took it. "Yeah, it's true." He frowned and walked into his tent.

The three of them stood outside, looking into the tent through the open flap. "But what does missing mean? Men must come and go here all the time. It's not like anyone's keeping a register."

Solomon sat down. "C'mon in." The trio walked in and got situated. "This is different." Solomon explained.

"What makes you say that?" Alex asked.

"Someone takes them. At night. We hear something. Someone calls out for help. By the time we get there, they're gone. Like they vanish into thin air."

"And you're sure someone's taking them?" The Doctor asked. Alex looked at him. If someone calling out for help _didn't_ defined as someone being taken, then she didn't know what did.

"Doctor, when you got next to nothing, you hold on to the little you got." Solomon brought her attention back to him. "Your knife, blanket, you take it with you. You don't leave bread uneaten, fire still burning."

"Have you been to the police?" Martha asked.

"Yeah, we tried that." Solomon answered. "Another deadbeat goes missing, big deal." It was another unfortunate reason of being a part of the Great Depression.

"So the question is," The Doctor scratched the side of his head. "Who's taking them and what for?"

A young man poked his head into the tent. "Solomon, Mr. Diagoras is here."

Alex was curious. "Who's 'Mr. Diagoras'?"

-x-

The Doctor, Martha, and Alex all stood in the middle of a crowd. Mr. Diagoras was a tall man with black, slicked back hair. He was wearing a pin stripped suit and had spats on. Over it he had a black coat and a black scarf. He had on a black hat. _Need any more black? _Alex asked sarcastically. "I need men. Volunteers." Mr. Diagoras said. "I got a little work for you and you sure look like you could use the money."

"Yeah?" The same young man that told them Mr. Diagoras was here spoke up. "What is the money?"

"A dollar a day." He responded. The men grumbled around Alex.

Solomon spoke up. "What's the work?"

"A little trip down the sewers." Alex scrunched up her nose. "Got a tunnel that collapsed needs clearing and fixing. Any takers?"

"A dollar a day? That's slave wage." Solomon said. "Men don't always come back up, do they?"

"Accidents happen." Mr. Diagoras defended.

"What do you mean?" The Doctor spoke up. "What sort of accidents?"

"You don't need the work? That's fine. Anybody else?" The Doctor raised his hand. "Enough with the questions!"

"Oh, n-n-no." The Doctor disagreed. "I'm volunteering." Alex put her hand up the minute he said this. Always go where the Doctor goes, that's her logic.

Martha raised her hand too. She, however, had something to say to the Doctor. "I'll kill you for this."

"Hmmm…" The Doctor smiled, finding that amusing. Alex giggled, feeling the same way. A young man and Solomon also raised their hands.

-x-

"Turn left. Go about a half a mile." Mr. Diagoras explained when they got down to the sewers. Each of them had a flashlight. Alex looked down the pathway, feeling uneasy. "Follow Tunnel 273, falls right ahead of you. You can't miss it."

"And when do we get our dollar?" Frank asked. She had learned his name coming here.

"When you come back up." Alex's uneasy feeling grew.

"And what happens if we don't come back up?" Alex asked.

"Then I got no one to pay." Mr. Diagoras answered. He didn't seem to care about them.

"We'll be back." Solomon promised.

"Let's hope so." Martha muttered. They all turned to walk down the way Mr. Diagoras instructed. Alex looked back when she realized the Doctor wasn't with them. She watched him and Mr. Diagoras have a staring contest. Finally, the Doctor broke it and turned to walk towards Alex. He smiled at her, and reached a hand out. Alex readily took it. They caught up to the rest of the group.

"We just got to stick together. It's easy to get lost. It's like a huge rabbit warren. You could hide an army down here." Frank said.

"So what about you, Frank?" Martha asked. She had been curious about this. "You're not from around these parts, are you?"

"Oh, you could talk." Frank joked. But he complied. "No, no, I'm from Tennessee, born and bred."

"So how come you're here?" Martha asked.

"Uhhh… My daddy died. Mama… couldn't afford to feed us all. So, I'm the oldest, up to me to feed myself, so I put on my coat, hitched up on the railroads. There's a whole lot of runaways in camps younger than me. From all over; Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas… Solomon keeps a look out for us. So, what about you? You're a long way from home."

"Yeah, I'm a hitcher too." Martha answered.

"You stick with me, you'll be alright." Alex smiled. Frank was a sweet kid.

"So this Diagoras bloke, who is he then?" The Doctor kept a tight hold on Alex's hand. It was surprising how much he was coming to enjoy her presences. Her warmth, her personality, her smiles, he was getting use to them. No, more than that, he was becoming dependent on them. He enjoyed getting up every day just to see her.

"A couple of months ago, he was just another foreman. Now it seems like he's running most of Manhattan." Solomon responded.

"How did he manage that, then?" Alex had a feeling how. Though it was true that most people suffered from the crash, there were still very few people who had seen it coming and actually made a profit off of it. Mr. Diagoras must have been one of them.

"These are strange times. A man can go from being King of the Hill to the lowest of the low overnight. It's just for some folk it works the other way 'round."

Alex looked down. "Dude!" She cried. There on the ground was a glowing green glob. The Doctor looked down. All of them stopped. "That's so freaky!" Instead of looking freaked out, Alex looked excited.

Martha came forward. "Is it radioactive or something?" The Doctor kneeled down. He put his lantern next to him. Martha and Alex leaned down next to him. Martha covered her nose and mouth. "It's gone off, whatever it is." Alex wasn't bothered. When you have pets at home like she did, you learn to breathe through your mouth. The Doctor slipped on his adorable, dorky glasses and carefully picked it up. "And you've got to pick it up." Martha said.

Alex looked at it. Her eyebrows came together. "That looks familiar." The Doctor looked up.

"What do you mean?"

"The top of it." She gesture to it. "Kinda looks like a brain." Alex started to think hard. It bothered her when she had a thought on the edge of her mind. "I _know _I've seen that before." She tossed and turned her head. "It looks so familiar!" She scratched her head rapidly.

The Doctor held it up. "Shine your torch through it." Martha did. "Composite organic matter. Martha? Medical opinion?" He asked.

"It's not human. I know that." She said.

"So do I." Alex wasn't a doctor. She just watched a lot of crime shows. "It still looks familiar."

"No, it's not." The Doctor agreed with both of them. Alex looked around, realizing something else.

"Doctor," He looked back over as they got up. "You'd say we're about half a mile into the tunnel, right?" The Doctor looked at her. He had a feeling he knew where this was going, and nodded. "I don't see a tunnel collapse, do you?"

The Doctor grinned. He had been right. "Brilliant." Alex returned the grin. "I can't tell you enough times."

"The million dollar question is: why would Mr. Diagoras tell us to come down here, if there's nothing wrong?" Alex felt a little giddy. It wasn't every day the Doctor tells you you're brilliant. And, funnily enough, he has been telling her that every day.

"So where are we now? What's above us?"

"Well… We're right underneath Manhattan."

-x-

The group had decided to walk longer to see if there was any sort of collapse. "We're way beyond half a mile. There's no collapse, nothing." Solomon was angry for a good reason.

"That Diagoras bloke, was he lying?" Martha asked.

Alex bit back a sarcastic remark. "Looks like it."

"So why did he want people to come down here?" Frank asked. Alex realized something.

"Shoot!" She muttered.

"What?" The Doctor asked, alarmed.

"I knew it!" Alex rolled her eyes at herself. "I got this really uneasy feeling about going down here. Argh," She growled. "I should have listened! You should _always _listen to your gut!"

The Doctor looked at her amused. "Next time that pops up, mind tell us?" He teased. She whacked him gently, but she broke into a smile.

"Solomon," The Doctor said. "I think it's time you take these three back. I'll be much quicker on my own." Alex gave him a look. "What?"

"How _many _times do I have to _tell you_?" The Doctor wasn't going anywhere without her.

"Allie…" He warned. He was serious. This was dangerous.

"Zip it!" She ordered. "You're not going _anywhere _without me." When the Doctor opened his mouth to respond she cut him off. "Period! End of story."

They suddenly heard squealing in the tunnel. "What the hell was that?" Solomon asked. That hadn't been normal squealing. _It sounded like an animal_. Alex thought.

"Hello?" Frank called out.

"Shhh…" Martha hissed.

"Frank." Solomon warned.

"What if it's one of the folk that's gone missing?" He countered. "You'd be scared, half-mad down here."

"Do you think they're still alive?" The Doctor asked.

"Heck, we ain't seen any bodies down here. Maybe they just got lost." Frank explained.

"I know I never heard nobody make a sound like that." Alex had to agree.

The Doctor walked ahead of them. Alex was right next to him. More squealing echoed through the sewers. "Sounds like there's more than one of 'em." Frank said.

"This way." The Doctor took Alex's hand again and they walked towards the sounds.

Solomon shined his light down another tunnel. "No, that way." His flashlight caught a huddled figure that was on the ground.

"Doctor." Alex and the Doctor came back.

Alex looked at the figure. She couldn't get a good look though. It was too dark. "Are you lost?" Frank asked. "Can you understand me?" He paused for a moment and took a slight step forward. "I've been thinkin' about folk lost…"

When Frank was about to take another step, the Doctor stopped him. "It's alright, Frank. Just stay back. Let me have a look." The Doctor walked carefully to the figure. "He's got a point, though, my mate Frank." Alex watched the figure carefully. "I'd hate to be stuck down here on my own." Alex heard another squeal. She could have sworn it came from the figure the Doctor was talking to. "We know the way out. Daylight. If you want to come with us." He squatted down and shined the light into the man's face.

Alex took in a sharp breath. "It's… A pig that's a man." No, that wasn't right. "A man that's a pig." That was better.

"Oh, but what are you?" The Doctor asked.

"Is, uh, that some sort of carnival mask?" Solomon asked.

"No. It's real." The Doctor turned back to the pig man. "I'm sorry." And just like every time. The Doctor sounded sincere. "I promise I can help you." The Doctor didn't notice the shadows that fell onto the wall. Alex did. She started to get that feeling again.

"Doctor…" She called. He turned to her. "You know how you said that you wanted to know when I got that uneasy feeling in my gut, right?" The Doctor nodded, confused. She squealed softly. "I'm getting it now." The Doctor looked around when he noticed she wasn't looking at him anymore. She was looking behind him. "I really think you should get back here."

He raised himself up when more pig men marched towards him. "Actually… Good point." He slowly walked backwards.

"They're following you." Martha pointed out desperately.

"Yeah, I noticed that, thanks." The Doctor said sarcastically. "Well then, Martha, Frank, Solomon, Allie…"

"What?" Martha asked.

"Well, um, basically… Run!" All of them took off with the pig men taking after them. Alex tripped and grunted as she fell onto the hard pavement. She bit her tongue when her skin slapped and skidded against the pavement. The Doctor stopped and ran back to her. The Doctor helped her up and both ran again. Alex held her left arm to her chest as pain ripped through it.

Martha stopped in confusion at a crossway. "Where are we going?" She asked franticly.

"This way!" The Doctor held tightly to Alex's right arm. He could see the bone of her wrist sticking out. He hoped that it wasn't broken.

The Doctor was running by. Alex stopped and turned back to a hall. "Allie!" The Doctor cried.

"Ladder!" Alex gave as her only answer. She ran towards it. The Doctor came back and ran towards it. The Doctor reached it first and climbed urgently. He used the sonic screwdriver and threw it open. He reached back around and helped Alex get up. Martha came up next.

Frank took a metal rod and started to fend them off. Solomon hesitated at that, but he came up next. Once Frank saw that all of them were safe, he came up. "C'mon, Frank! C'mon!" Solomon called to the young man.

"I've got ya! C'mon!" The Doctor and Solomon struggled to pull Frank up into the gap of the manhole. But soon, the pig man pulled him back down into the sewers.

"Frank!" Solomon cried.

"No!" The Doctor yelled. He still had his hand out. Solomon pushed the Doctor out of the way. He closed the lid before the pig men could climb up.

"We can't go after him." Solomon said.

"We gotta go back down!" The Doctor argued. "We can't just leave him." Alex held her arm more tightly. She could feel the blood. It wasn't too much, but she still needed to clean it off before it got infected.

"No, I'm not losing anybody else! Those creatures were from hell! From hell itself!" Solomon said. "If we go after them, they'll take us all! There's nothing we can do. I'm sorry." He looked upset about it. Martha held her hands over her face. Alex and the Doctor shared a similar look with each other.

"Alright then. Put 'em up." A blonde woman came up from behind the corner. She held a gun to them. Martha put her hands up immediately. Alex groaned. She couldn't exactly hold her hands up. Alex turned to show the woman why she couldn't put her hands up.

The woman cocked the gun when Solomon and the Doctor didn't. "Hands in the air and no funny business." Both the Doctor and Solomon put their hands into the air. "Now tell me, you schumucks, what've you done with Lazlo?"

"Who's Lazlo?" Martha asked.

-x-

"Lazlo's my boyfriend, or was my boyfriend until two weeks ago. No letters, no good-bye, no nothin'." Alex held the handkerchief to her arm. She swore the Doctor has _everything _in his coat. He gave it to her to help stop the bleeding until he could properly take a look at it. "And I'm not stupid." The Doctor held up his hand as she waved the gun around. "I know some guys are just pigs but not my Lazlo. I mean what kind of guy asks you to meet his mom before he vamooses?"

"It might, might just help if you put that down." The Time Lord didn't want someone to get shot on accident.

"Huh?" She realized that she had a gun in her hands. "Oh, sure." She tossed it onto a chair. Everyone jumped. "Oh, c'mon. It's not real. It's just a prop. It was either that or a spear." Alex had to admit. That was one good prop. It looked exactly like a real gun.

"What do you think happened to Lazlo?" Martha asked.

"I wish I knew." The woman replied. "One minute he's there, the next, zip – vanished."

"Listen, ah – what was your name?" The Doctor asked.

"Tallulah." She responded.

"Tallulah." She cut him off.

"3 Ls and an H."

"Right." The Doctor said. "Um, we can try to find Lazlo, but he's not the only one. There are other people disappearing every night."

"And then there are those creatures." Solomon muttered. "Such creatures."

"Whaddaya mean creatures?" Tallulah asked, skeptical.

"Look." The Doctor turned the attention back onto him. "Listen, just trust me. Everyone is in danger. I need to find out exactly what this is…" He pulled out the blob from his coat pocket. Tallulah leaned away from it. "Because then I'll know exactly what we're fighting."

"Yech." Tallulah said.

-x-

"Ow." Alex whined. The Doctor and Alex were in the bathroom. He had asked Tallulah where it was. When Alex pointed out Martha could do it, he disagreed, and said he wanted to look at it himself. Instead, while he looked at her wound, he sent Martha off.

Alex could have sworn Martha threw her a look before she left. She didn't actually think that… Alex peeked at the Doctor as he worked on her arm. He cleaned it gingerly. He concentrated deeply on the task.

The smaller brunette felt her cheeks flush. Martha couldn't think something was going on with the Doctor and her. The Doctor was in love in Rose. And even so, The Doctor wouldn't ever notice Alex in that way. She winced again as the Time Lord rubbed alcohol over it to clean it. She whined. He had already popped the bone back into place. Thankfully, it wasn't broken. It still hurt like hell when he put the joint back into place, though.

"Sorry," The Doctor muttered. "But it's got to get clean. That sewer water is far from it." When he was done, he reached over and got the bandages. As he did, Alex got another whiff of his scent. She had grown to love that scent.

The Doctor wrapped up her arm. He looked up and noticed the faraway look in her eyes. "You alright?"

His words snapped her out of her trance. "Huh?" She rubbed her head. "Yeah, I'm fine." She shifted on the seat. "Just thinking." She said softly.

"Of what?" The Doctor asked.

She flushed pink. The Doctor caught it before her hair obstructed his view. "Nothing."

He cut off the bandages and made sure they were held together. "We'll need to make sure this stays clean. We'll have to change the bandages every day." He instructed.

Alex smiled. "You really are a doctor, aren't you?" It wasn't just a name. He smiled down at her. She got up, only to slip again. This time the Doctor caught her. "Sorry!" Her head snapped up. Both froze. Their lips were inches apart. Their eyes locked.

Alex felt dizzy staring into those gorgeous brown eyes. Butterflies erupted into her stomach as her smaller body was pressed against his taller and skinny one. The Doctor's scent overloaded her senses. The Doctor breathed deeply. He could feel the same thing. They leaned closer to each other. Slowly, oh so slowly, they moved closer. When their lips were just _barely_ brushing against each other, when they were so _close _to kissing, Alex snapped out of it.

She threw herself away from the Doctor. The Doctor's eyes snapped open and they looked at each other, awkwardly. "Um… I have to…" She couldn't even finish the sentence as she bolted out of the bathroom. When she was around the corner she stopped. She leaned against the wall.

Alex's heart was pounding in her chest. Alex took deep breaths. They had almost kissed. That would have been her first kiss. She flushed a bright red. _She had almost kissed the Doctor_. Her mind was racing. It was so hard to believe. She slid down onto her butt. Alex reached up and touched her lips. They tingled. "Oh my God." Alex muttered, in pure disbelief.

-x-

Alex finally had the courage to find the Doctor. Her mind was still racing. She finally found him on the balcony. He was inspecting the weird blob. Alex never could deny it. She loved him. She loved the Doctor. Even if she didn't want to, she ended up in the same position as Martha.

But then again, Martha never got close to kissing the Doctor like that. He kissed her in 'Smith and Jones' sure, but the Doctor did that in order to buy himself some time. She swallowed the lump in her throat and called to the Doctor.

His head snapped up and spun around quickly to the small girl. His hearts pounded seeing her there. The Doctor still wasn't sure what came over him in the bathroom. But, she had been so close. Those shinning blue eyes had been inches away. "Allie?"

She smiled. She didn't want anything to get awkward with them. Part of her also didn't want to talk about it. Alex didn't want her heart to get broken again. She walked over and kneeled next to him. "Find anything?" She gestured to the blob.

So she wasn't going to talk about it. The Doctor felt the same way, he wanted them to continue the way they were. He didn't want anything to come between them. He loved it too much. He sighed, "Not much. Waiting for it to warm up." When it did, Alex was slightly off to the side, just watching the Doctor. He continued to mutter to himself. "This is artificial. Genetically engineered. Whoever you are, oh, you're clever."

The lights dimmed and Alex stood up and looked over the balcony and smiled. Tallulah came onto the stage with the other showgirls. She turned back around and sat back down. She lifted her hands to her arms, hugging herself. November in New York with a short sleeved shirt is a killer. Alex had forgotten her jacket back in the TARDIS. "You cold?" Alex jumped out of her skin when she felt something warm cover her. She turned around to see the Doctor giving her his coat. He smiled at her gently before going back to the blob.

Alex looked down at the coat. It was unnaturally warm. Alex snuggled into it. She smiled when she realized the coat was _way _too big on her. Alex leaned down slightly and took a small sniff of his coat. She smiled. His scent was all over it. Alex, now completely smitten, slowly fell to sleep.

-x-

"Allie! Allie!" She felt someone shake her. She groaned. She opened her eyes none the less and saw the Doctor franticly shaking her.

"What?" She croaked. He took her hand and dragged her off. Alex became more and more awake with every step. "Doctor? What's wrong?"

"Skaro." He answered. Alex shifted her brain for a moment before realizing what he was talking about.

"Oh!" She yelled. The Doctor looked back alarmed. "Darnit! Daleks! That's what it was!" She groaned. "That's why it was so familiar. It was the Daleks."

The Doctor ran backstage and they found Tallulah and the showgirls huddled around. It sounded like something had scarred them. "Where is she? Where's Martha?" The Doctor asked. He took Tallulah's shoulders.

"I don't know. She ran off the stage." Tallulah said.

They heard a scream. Alex ran after it. "Martha!" She cried. Alex stopped when she got into the prop room. The Doctor passed her and she followed him.

"Martha!" The Doctor cried.

"Doctor." He turned to see Alex leaning over a sewer lid. It was the same one they had come out of. It was opened. Alex took off the Doctor's coat and gave it back to him. "Come on, let's go."

"Oh, where are you goin'?" Tallulah asked.

"They've taken her." That was the only explanation the Doctor gave.

"Who's taken her? What're y' doin'?" Tallulah called to them. They didn't listen. Alex jumped down on the last step into the sewer. Surprisingly, it wasn't cold down there. "I said, what the hell are ya doing?" Alex heard Tallulah mutter something. She turned when she heard her start to come down.

"No, no, no, no, no way. You're not coming." Alex coming was bad enough. The Time Lord was _not_ having Tallulah come as well.

"Tell me what's going on." Tallulah demanded.

"There's nothing you can do. Go back." The Doctor ordered.

"Look, whoever's taken Martha, could've taken Lazlo, couldn't they?" Tallulah was coming with them.

"Tallulah, you're not safe down here." The Doctor told her.

"Then that's my problem." She said. "Come on. Which way?" She took down a tunnel to the right.

Alex watched her. "Tallulah." She called to her. "It's this way." The Doctor and Alex walked down the path, Tallulah following them soon after.

-x-

They were walking down a tunnel and Tallulah continued to throw Alex knowing glances. Finally, Alex couldn't take it anymore. "Is there something you need, Tallulah?" She asked.

The showgirl bumped the brunette gently. "You're lucky." Alex was confused.

"Huh? How am I lucky?"

"'Cause you have him!" Tallulah said as if it were obvious. Alex looked at the Doctor for a split second. He didn't seem to notice their conversation before looking back to Tallulah.

"What?" She asked, still in the dark.

Tallulah giggled. "You and him. You're a cute couple." Instantly, Alex's cheeks flushed red. Now, she knew what the girl was talking about.

"Oh," this was way too embarrassing to Alex. "We're… We're not together. Never. Never ever." Alex told her quickly.

"Sure ya are!" Tallulah giggled at Alex's colored cheeks. "I've seen the way you two look at each other."

Alex was about to responded when she took note to something. "Wait… What? Are you saying he gives me looks?" The brunette girl watched the Doctor's back. She found that hard to believe.

"Oh yeah." The showgirl linked arms with Alex. "It's obvious he likes you."

She looked back at Tallulah. Something was bothering the smaller girl. "Where is this coming from?"

"Martha told me." Alex groaned softly.

"So, she does think there's something going on?" Alex was going to have to confront Martha about this. Why in the world did she think that?

"She told me everything. It seems you two have intimate moments all the time!" Alex pursued her lips.

"Tallulah." The girl listened. "Nothing is going on between us." Alex turned to the Doctor and smirked. "I mean, don't get me wrong. The Doctor is _beyond _good-looking." Tallulah giggled. "And," she leaned over to her as if to whisper. "He's got one fine ass." Both girls giggled at one another. The Doctor finally turned around to see what was so funny. Alex smiled at him. He raised an eyebrow, but turned back around. Both girls looked at each other and grinned.

"Do you think…?" Alex turned to Tallulah. "Do you think something _could _happen?"

Alex paused at this. She never really thought about that. She spoke honestly. "I never thought about it." Another pause, "I mean, sure I would love to have something happened. But, honestly, I have no idea." The thought of the Doctor looking at her the same way she does put her in a position where she didn't know.

-x-

They had been walking longer when Tallulah spoke up again. "When you say 'they've taken her', who's they?" She asked. "And who are you, anyways? I never asked."

"Shhh…" Alex stopped when she saw a shadow on the wall. Alex's heart started to race. The shadow wasn't from any human.

"Okay. Okay."

"Shhh, shhh, shhh." The Doctor hissed.

Tallulah didn't understand. "I mean you're handsome and all –"

The Doctor grabbed both Tallulah and Alex mouth. He dragged them back until they were in a recess. He had both of his hands over their mouths. Alex struggled. She froze when she saw a Dalek slowly pass them. Her body tense up. Her heart stopped. Her breath quickened. The brunette girl wasn't stupid. She knew that in the Doctor Who universe, Daleks were dangerous. Alex didn't relax until she could barely hear it. The Doctor let go of their mouths and slowly moved to the opening.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no." The Doctor muttered. "They survived. They always survive while I lose everything." Alex and Tallulah slowly came next to him.

"That metal thing?" Tallulah asked. Alex put a hand to heart. It was still fluttering rapidly in her chest. "What was it?"

"It's called a Dalek. And it's not just metal, it's alive." The Doctor was starting to look livid.

She laughed. "You're kidding me."

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" When the Doctor turned his wrath on Tallulah, Alex felt herself snap back into personality.

"Oi!" She whacked his arm. He turned those angry eyes onto her. Her heart rate increased again. When the Doctor turned his anger onto her, she felt the urge to shrink back. But, she wasn't. She was going to speak her mind, just like she always did with him. "Don't you start." She snapped. "I know, Doctor. I know you're angry at the Daleks. But you are _wrong _if you think that that gives you _some right _to take it out on us. Look at us!" Alex gestured to them. "Do we look like Daleks? We've done nothing wrong, Doctor. So back off."

Alex watched the Doctor calm down. He knew she was right. And she knew that he knew. The Doctor ran a hand through his hair. He explained to Tallulah. "Inside that shell is a creature born to hate, whose only thought is to destroy everything and everyone that isn't a Dalek too. It won't stop until it's killed every human being alive." Alex shuttered. That wasn't a nice thought, at all.

"But, if it's not a human being, that kinda implies it's from outer space." The Doctor said nothing, but gave her another look. "Yet again, that's a 'no' with the kidding. Oi… Well, what's it doing here, in New York?" Alex turned to where the Dalek had left. She had a good point. They had to have time travel equipment just like the Doctor. So, why did they choose the time of the Great Depression? Out of all the time periods in the world, why here?

The Doctor turned and took Tallulah's arm. "Every second you're down here, you're in danger." Alex jogged to keep up with him. "I'm taking you back up." Alex mentally smirked. It seemed the Doctor had given up the fight completely on trying to get her to leave his side.

They turned a corner to see a pig man. Tallulah screamed. The pig man tried to hide from them. The Doctor strode forward and pointed his flashlight at him. "Where's Martha?" He demanded. "What have you done with her? What have you done with Martha?"

"I didn't take her!" The pig man responded. Alex looked at the man curiously. He seemed to be more man than pig. Alex slowly walked towards the Doctor.

"Can you remember your name?" The Doctor was thinking the same.

"Don't look at me." He had his face turned to the wall. Because of that, Alex couldn't get a perfect view of his face.

Tallulah made a move forward. "Do you know where she is?"

The man yelled at her. "Stay back! Don't look at me!" Tallulah froze.

"What happened to you?" The Doctor asked. Alex peered at the pig man curiously when she got a good look at his face. Her suspicions were confirmed. He even looked more man than pig.

"They made me a monster." The male replied.

"Who did?" Alex asked. "Who turned you into this?"

"The masters." Alex was confused. Who was 'the masters'?

"The Daleks." The Doctor answered to Alex's expression. It cleared. "Why?"

"They needed slaves." He replied. "They needed slaves to steal more people so they created us. Part animal, part human. I escaped before they got my mind, but it was too late."

"Tell us," The pig man looked over at Alex. "Do you have any idea what they did with Martha?"

"They took her." He answered. "It's my fault. She was following me." Alex sighed. Martha needed to know that you don't follow unless you have the Doctor.

Tallulah spoke up. "Were you in the theatre?" She asked.

"Yes." Alex blinked. He must have been the 'something' that scared all of the showgirls.

"Why?" Tallulah asked. "Why were you there?"

"I never wanted you to see my like this." Alex and the Doctor looked at each other. The smaller brunette thought about it.

"Why me? What do I gotta do with this? Were you following me? Is that why you were there?" Slowly, Alex's face cleared. She got a feeling she knew who this pig man was.

"Yes." The man answered Tallulah.

"Who are you?" Tallulah asked. Alex looked over at the Doctor. They shared a look. The Doctor nodded.

"I was lonely."

She started to stress the question. "Who are you?"

"I needed to see you."

"_Who are you_?"

"I'm sorry." He turned away from her.

"No, wait." Tallulah grabbed his arm. "Let me look at you." She pulled him under the light. "Lazlo?" Alex's feeling was confirmed. So it really was Lazlo. He nodded. "My Lazlo?" Tallulah's voice cracked. "Oh, what have they done to you?"

"I'm sorry. So sorry." Lazlo told her.

"Lazlo," The Doctor returned into the conversation. "Can you show me where they are?"

"They'll kill you." Lazlo answered.

"If anyone can stop them," Alex returned. "It's the Doctor."

"Then follow me." Lazlo turned and they followed him down a tunnel.

-x-

Lazlo led them through a tunnel. All of them leaned over slightly to see a group of people huddled around. The pig men were standing around them. Alex noticed they started to squeal nervously. "Hold on." Alex jumped into the hall.

"Allie!" The Doctor hissed. But it was too late. The pig men saw Alex and grabbed her arm. Instead of resisting, she let them heard her to the group.

"Alex!" Martha cried. Martha hugged Alex.

Alex grinned. "Heya Martha." She turned to Frank. "Hey Frank." She winked at them. The small brunette had arrived just in time. A Dalek slowly entered the tunnel. Alex took a deep breath to calm down.

"Silence. Silence." The Dalek commanded.

"What the hell is that?" Martha asked. Alex bit her lip. Alex shook slightly and stood tall. Even if she was shaking to pieces on the inside, it didn't mean she would show it to the Daleks.

"You will form a line. Move." The Dalek commanded.

The pig slaves started to push the people in the line. When others started to resist, Alex spoke. She used her 'motherly tone'. "Just do what they say." Alex commanded. "Alright? Just obey them." People took her advice and obeyed.

"The female is wise." The Dalek said. "Obey."

Another Dalek arrived. "Report." It said.

The first one responded. "These are strong specimens. They will help the Dalek cause." Alex felt her stomach sink.

"Dalek?" Martha said softly. Alex looked at her out of the corner of her eye. So, she remembered the Doctor talking about them.

The Daleks didn't notice Martha's astonishment. "What is the status of the Final Experiment?" The first one asked.

"The Dalekanium is in place." Alex raised an eyebrow. "The energy conductor is complete." _What would they need an energy conductor for_?

"Then I will extract prisoners for selection." The first Dalek went up to a black man. The Dalek's arm – the one that honestly looked like a plunger – went up to his face. "Intelligence scan, initiate. Reading brain waves. Low intelligence." The Dalek concluded.

"You callin' me stupid?" The man replied.

"Silence!" The Dalek commanded. "This one will become a pig slave." Two pigs came next to him and took his arms.

"No, let me go!" He struggled. "I'm not becoming one of them!"

The Dalek ignored the man and continued the scan. The Dalek got to Frank. Alex tensed up. He completed the scan on Frank. "Superior Intelligence." He moved to Martha. He came to the same conclusion.

"You can't just experiment on people!" She yelled at it. "It's insane! It's inhuman!" _Oh Martha_, Alex sighed. The Daleks were nothing like humans. It's how they were able to do all of this without any sort of remorse. They didn't have any.

"We are not human." The Dalek responded, voicing Alex's thoughts. He turned to Alex. She felt her heart speed up to a point where she was sure it would burst. The Dalek put the arm in front of her. Just liked she previously, Alex stood tall. She looked directly at the Dalek as the scan began. "Superior Intelligence." The Dalek paused though. Both of them had a staring contest. Finally, the Dalek broke it. Alex let her breath go. "Prisoners of high intelligence will be taken to the transgenic laboratory."

The pig slaves herded the humans to this laboratory. The Doctor slipped next to Allie. He shot her a nasty look. "What?" She whispered. She saw Lazlo slip next to him, acting like another guard.

"Just keep walking." The Doctor ordered when Martha looked back.

"I'm so glad to see you." Martha said.

His anger was temporally forgotten. "Yeah, well, you can kiss me later. You too, Frank, if you want." Martha and Frank smiled. Alex waited for his anger to explode at her. There was a slight paused before it started. "What the hell were you thinking?" He hissed at her. She winced. She knew she had angered the Doctor. Even so, it was hard to take it.

"I didn't get hurt." She defended weakly.

"What was that staring contest, hmmm?" He brutally continued.

"I don't know." She said softly. "I wasn't going to give the Daleks the satisfaction of seeing me scared. But when he stopped scanning my brain, he just… looked at me." Alex refused to look at the Doctor. It was hard enough taking his beating with his tone. It would be even harder looking in his eyes.

The Doctor watched her whole demeanor change. She turned into a small, cowering, terrified girl. The Doctor calmed down. He sighed and rubbed his eyes. He didn't mean to make her upset. He was terrified. The Daleks could have seen that she was with him in her mind. The thought of what they would do horrified him. The Time Lord put an arm around the small girl and hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry." He muttered in her hair. "I was terrified." Alex snuggled into his wonderful warmth. She shuddered violently.

"That was scary." She finally admitted. Her pervious fear was now causing her body to shake violently. Alex had to shallow roughly. She could taste a tiny bit of her food coming back up her throat.

The Doctor's eyes softened. He had to admit, she was good at hiding her fear. It seemed, though, that once she let it loose, she'll shake herself to pieces. He kept a tight arm around her body. He kissed her head. "I'm not going to let them hurt you." He promised. It was a promise to both her and him.

The Doctor was never going to let _anything _hurt Alex.

-x-

The prisoners were taken into a lab. One of the Daleks spoke up. "Report."

The Dalek that was there already replied. "Dalek Sec is in the final stage of evolution."

"Scan him." Alex found it impossible to tell them apart. "Prepare for birth."

"Evolution?" The Doctor wondered.

"What's wrong with old Charlie boy over there?" Martha was talking about Dalek Sec. Smoke was pouring around of him. He was shaking. It looked like he would explode at any moment.

"Ask them." The Doctor commanded.

"What? Don't be daft." Martha said.

"I don't exactly want to get noticed. Ask them what's going on." Alex rolled her eyes.

She strode forward, confidently. "Daleks!" They turned to her. "I demand to be told what this 'final experiment' is." A Dalek came towards her. When it didn't respond, she said. "Report!"

"You will bear witness." It finally answered.

Alex blinked. "…What do you mean?"

"We are the only four Daleks so the species must evolve outside the shell." The Dalek answered. "The Children of Skaro must walk again."

Dalek Sec's shell powered down. Alex watched in amazement as the case opened. It revealed a human-Dalek hybrid. The clothes were no doubt Mr. Diagoras. The head, however, was more like a Dalek's. It had the tentacles, and the one eye. His hands were claw-like.

"What the hell?" Alex asked.

Slowly the Dalek Sec spoke. "I am a human Dalek. I am your future."

_To Be Continued…_


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

"These… humans will become like me." Dalek Sec said. The Doctor slipped behind some machinery, unnoticed. Alex slowly backed up and stood next to Martha. "Prepare them for hybridization."

The pig slaves started to close in on the prisoners. Everyone froze as 'Happy Days are Here Again' started to play. Alex smiled. She knew where that was coming from. To her, it was obvious.

"What is that sound?" Dalek Sec asked. The Doctor stepped out with the radio in his hands.

"That would be me." He set the device down. "Hello. Surprise. Boo. Et cetera."

"Doctor." The hybrid said.

A Dalek spoke up. "The enemies of the Daleks."

"Exterminate." Another said.

"Wait." Dalek Sec commanded. Alex blinked. Didn't all Daleks want to destroy the Doctor?

"Well, then." The Doctor muttered. "A new form of Dalek." He came forward. "Fascinating and very clever."

"The Cult of Skaro escaped your slaughter." Dalek Sec explained.

"How did you end up in 1930?" The Doctor asked.

"Emergency Temporal Shift." The hybrid replied.

The Doctor scoffed. "Oh, that must have roasted up your power cells, eh?" He walked about, examining everything. "Time was, four Daleks could have conquered the world but instead your skulking away, hidden in the dark, experimenting." The Lord of Time took a deep breath. "All of which results in you."

"I am a Dalek in Human form." _Well, duh_, Alex rolled her eyes.

"What does it feel like?" The Doctor asked. "You can talk to me, Dalek Sec. It is Dalek Sec, isn't it? That's your name? You've got a name and a mind of your own. Tell me what you're thinking right now."

"I… Feel… Humanity." Dalek Sec said.

"Good. That's good." The Doctor told him.

"I… Feel… Everything we wanted from mankind, which is ambition, hatred, aggression and war." Alex's eyebrows knitted together. That wasn't what 'humanity' was. "Such… A genius for war."

"No," The Doctor contradicted. "That's not what humanity means."

"I think it does." Dalek Sec argued. "At heart, this species is so very… Dalek." Alex shook her head softly. No, that wasn't what humans were.

"All right," The Doctor said. "So what have you achieved then? With this Final Experiment, eh? Nothing! 'Cause I'll show you what you're missing with this thing." The Doctor patted the radio. "Simple little radio."

"What is the purpose of that device?" A Dalek asked.

"Well, exactly. It plays music. What's the point of that?" The Doctor explained it. "Oh, with music, you can dance to it, sing with it, fall in love to it. Unless you're a Dalek of course. Then it's all just noise." The Doctor whipped out the sonic screwdriver. He aimed it at the radio and a loud, high-pitched wail echoed into the walls. Alex winced. Dalek Sec held his head. The other Daleks started to act erratically. The Doctor turned to the people. "Run!" He yelled.

The humans ran back. The Doctor soon followed them. Martha led the prisoners through the tunnels. Alex and the Doctor were last. Martha stopped. She wasn't sure which way to turn. The Doctor ran past her, with Alex on his tail. "Come on! Move, move, move, move, move!"

They ran down another tunnel. Alex saw Tallulah standing there. "Tallulah!" The showgirl turned around. "Come on! Run!" She yelled.

"What's happened to Lazlo?" She asked bewildered.

The Doctor led everyone up a ladder. "C'mon! Everyone up!" Alex knew that no one wanted to argue.

-x-

The party had returned to Hooverville. Everyone was catching their breaths. The Doctor, Alex, Martha, and Frank had just finished explaining it all to Solomon. "These Daleks, they sound like the stuff of nightmares." _They are_, Alex thought. "And they wanna breed?"

"They're splicing themselves into human bodies." The Doctor said. "If I'm right," which he always was. "They've got a farm of breeding stock right here in Hooverville."

"We need to get everyone out of her." Alex concluded.

"Hooverville's the lowest place a man can fall." Solomon contradicted. "There's nowhere else to go."

"I'm sorry, Solomon." The Doctor said. "But you've got to scatter. Go anywhere. Down the railroads, travel across the state; just get out of New York."

"There's got to be a way to reason with these things." Solomon said.

"No." Alex lifted up. "That would be if you're dealing with someone like you or me, someone who has emotions. These things don't, Solomon. They will kill you on the spot without any hesitation or guilt." She forgot how true that statement would become.

"Daleks are bad enough at anytime, but right now they're vulnerable and that makes them even more dangerous than ever." The Doctor explained.

The group heard a whistle. "A sentry. Must have seen something."

"They're here!" The Sentry called. "I've seen 'em! Monsters! They're monsters!" _He must be talking about the pig slaves_. Alex looked around, ready.

"It's started." The Doctor muttered.

"I'm guessing that means it's too late to go back?" Alex sighed.

"Yeah." The Doctor answered.

"We're under attack! Everyone to arms!" Solomon cried out.

"I'm ready, boss!" Frank answered. "But all o' you! Find a weapon! Use anything!" Alex wasn't about to use a weapon. She knew that the Doctor wouldn't like that.

Some of the residents ran off. "Come back!" Solomon cried. "We gotta stick together! It's not safe out there! Come back!" The pig men finally entered the camp. They attacked anyone who tried to escape.

"We need to get out of the park." Martha said.

Alex grabbed her arm. "We can't." Alex hissed. "They've got us surrounded." It looked like they were driving everyone back into one group.

"We're trapped." Tallulah said.

"Then we stand together." Solomon ordered. "Gather 'round. Everybody come with me. You there, Jethro, Harry, Seamus, stay together. They can't take all of us." Men around Alex started to shoot down the pig men. Alex pressed herself against the Doctor. Alex winced every time a gun went off beside her. It hurt her ears. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her, reflexively.

The pig slaves forced everyone into a tight circle around the fire. "If we can just hold them off 'till daylight."

The Doctor had his eyes turned skyward. "Oh Martha," He said. "They're just the foot soldiers."

Alex looked at him and followed his gaze. Her face went white. A Dalek was coming flying towards them. "Oh my God." Alex muttered.

"What in the world?" Solomon muttered.

"It's the devil. A devil in the sky. God save us all. It's damnation." A sentry yelled out.

"Oh yeah? We'll see about that!" Frank fired a shot at a Dalek. But no damage was made. Alex grabbed the gun, and threw it to the ground.

"Don't!" Alex hissed. "Bullets won't do a damn thing." It was very rare for her to use language. In this case, she was emphasizing a point.

Alex saw another Dalek met with the first one. Alex took the Doctor's hand fearfully. "There's more than one." Martha pointed out. The Daleks started fire at the settlement. The Doctor's arm shot out and held Alex tightly to him. Alex covered her face as debris flew everywhere. The shots started fires.

"The humans will surrender." One of the Daleks ordered.

The Doctor stood forward, holding Alex back, and yelled at them. "Leave them alone! They've done nothing to you!"

Solomon took a step forward. Alex grabbed his arm. "No!" She said. "Don't!"

He ignored Alex. "I'm told that I'm addressin' the Daleks, is that right? From what I'm told, you're outcast, too."

"Solomon, don't." The Doctor said.

"Doctor, this is my township, you will respect my authority." Solomon commanded. "Just let me try." The Doctor stepped back. He shook his head. Alex took a couple of steps towards Solomon. The Doctor held her back. He wrapped his arms around her. She looked over at him in disbelief. "Daleks… ain't we the same? Underneath, ain't we all kin?" Solomon set the riffled down. Alex buried her face into the Doctor's chest. She watched from there. "'Cause, see, I've just discovered this past day God's universe is a thousand times the size I thought it was. And that scares me. Oh, yeah. Terrifies me. Right down to the bone. But it's got to give me hope… Hope that together we can make a better tomorrow. So I… I beg you now if you have any compassion in your hearts then you'll meet with us and stop this fight. Well… What do you say?" Alex felt tears in her eyes. He didn't understand at all.

"Exterminate!" A Dalek said. He shot at Solomon. He cried out before falling to the ground.

"Oh, no!" Frank cried, horrified. The people of Hooverville screamed. Alex closed her eyes tightly. "No! Solomon!" Frank ran over to Solomon's side.

"They killed him." Martha was in pure disbelief. "They just shot 'im on the spot."

Suddenly, something snapped inside of Alex. All she could see was red. She ripped herself away from the Doctor. "Allie?" He called to her. She didn't hear him. "Allie!"

"Daleks!" She roared. They turned to her. "Kill me!" She commanded. "If you so heartless, then kill me!" She cried. "It should be _easy_! You heartless monsters! Kill me like you killed the Time Lords!"

"How do you know about the Time Lords?" One Dalek asked.

"I know all about the Time War!" Alex cried. "I know all about how you _slaughtered _the Time Lords! Now, do it! Kill me!" A cold wind started to pick up. Alex's hair flew into her face. It was almost as if her anger started up something within reality itself. She didn't see it. All Alex could see was red. "Because you're wrong, Dalek Sec!" She knew he was watching them. "Humanity isn't about war, and aggression, and anger! _There's so much more_!" Tears were pouring down her cheeks. "_Kill me_!" She screamed.

"Allie!" The Doctor ran towards her.

"This human is important to the Doctor." A Dalek pointed out. The Doctor ignored them. He tried to make Alex turn. She wouldn't budge. She continued to look straight at the Daleks. Her blood was boiling. All she heard was the Daleks. She heard nothing else. The Doctor's voice, which normally calmed Alex down, was nothing more than white noise. "I shall exterminate!"

Alex didn't even flinch. "No!" The Doctor put himself in front of her. He put himself between the Daleks and Alex. He tried to look her in the eyes. But her eyes shifted so she still was looking at the Daleks. More wind picked up. The Doctor saw such livid anger in her eyes. The tears continued to freeze her cheeks. The Doctor took her face into his hands. She still refused to look at him.

"I shall kill the Doctor as well." The same Dalek said. "I will be the destroyer of our greatest enemy and this human." Alex's hands were clenched into fists. "Extermin –" Something cut the Dalek off. "I do not understand." It said. "It is the Doctor. And this human means nothing." Alex blinked. What was going on? The mysterious wind started to slowly calm down. "The urge to kill is too strong." Finally the Dalek seemed to calm down. "I… Obey."

The Doctor turned around. He now moved his hand so it sat on Alex's small shoulder.

"What's going on?" The Doctor asked.

"You will follow." The Dalek turned his eyes onto the small girl. "Both of you." Alex blinked. Slowly her eyes fluttered, like she was about to fall asleep. Then her eyes focused again. The Doctor watched as she looked around, slightly confused.

She looked at the Doctor. "What…?" She muttered. Alex remembered what she did. But it felt more like she had watched someone else do it. She turned to the Doctor. The Time Lord was happy to see the familiar emotions back in her eyes again. When that anger was there, it hadn't been his Alex. It had been a stranger. To be honest, when she got angry, she reminded him of himself when he was younger. Her anger was that of a young, angry Time Lord.

"No!" Martha cried. "You two can't go!"

"We've got to go." The Doctor answered. "The Daleks just changed their minds. They _never _change their minds."

"But what about us?" The Doctor turned to the people of Hooverville.

Alex could still feel her high, and turned back around to the Daleks. In a voice that was very much like one the Doctor would use, she spoke out. "On one condition!" The Daleks watched her. "We'll go with you, but that means _you leave these people alone_! Ya hear me?"

"The humans will be spared." Alex relaxed. "Doctor, human… Follow." Alex smiled slightly and took the Doctor's hand. He squeezed it.

"Then I'm coming with you." Martha started to walk with them.

"Martha, stay here." Martha looked at the Doctor in disbelief. "Do what you do best. People are hurt. You can help them. Let us go."

The Doctor looked over at the Daleks before walking with Alex. He paused. He turned and winked at Alex. She smiled, knowing what he was going to do.

"Oh, and can I just say, thank you very much." The Doctor took Martha's hand in both of his. He winked at her. He then took Alex's hand and they both walked off.

-x-

They finally arrived at the laboratory and Alex sighed. She kept close to the Doctor as the Daleks led them. When they entered the chambers, the Doctor grilled Dalek Sec. "Those people were defenseless! You only wanted me, but no, that wasn't enough for you! You had to start killing 'cause that's the only thing a Dalek is good for!"

"The deaths… were wrong." There was a long pause after Dalek Sec said that.

Alex walked up. "S'cuse me?" She asked. "What did you just say?"

"That man, their leader, Solomon, he showed courage." The Dalek human turned to Alex. "As did you. You are right. There is more to humanity than what I originally thought." Alex raised her eyebrows at him. It wasn't everyday that a Dalek tells you you're right.

"And that's good?" The Doctor asked. He was just a surprised as Alex was.

"That's excellent." Dalek Sec replied.

"Is it me or are you just becoming a little bit more human?" The Doctor had a point. A Dalek would never say the things he's telling them.

"You are the last of your kind and now I am the first of mine." Dalek Sec said.

"What do you want us for?" Alex asked.

"We tried everything to survive when we found ourselves stranded in this ignorant age." Dalek Sec explained. "First, we tried growing new Dalek embryos but their flesh was too weak." Alex looked over at the Doctor. She was confused.

"Yeah, we found one of your experiments. Just left to die out there in the dark." Alex pursued her lips. That's horrible.

"It forced us to conclude what is the greatest resource of this planet – its people." Dalek Sec pulled a giant switch. The lights turned on, and Alex covered her mouth. There, above them, were hundreds of humans. Dalek Sec pulled around switch. One of the bodies was lowered. "We stole them. We stole human beings for our purpose. Look… inside."

The Doctor walked towards the body. Alex was behind him. She had his sleeve tightly in her clutches. When he stopped, she stood near his back. She didn't want to look inside. The Doctor took her hand and held it tightly. With the other hand, he opened the shroud. "This is the extent of the Final Experiment."

"Is he dead?" The Doctor asked.

"Near death with his mind wiped clean ready to be filled with new ideas." Dalek Sec said.

"Dalek ideas." The Doctor countered.

"The Human-Dalek race."

"All of these people?" Alex asked. "How many have you taken?"

"We have caverns beyond this storing more than a thousand." Dalek Sec answered. Alex looked more disturbed.

"Is there any way to make them human again?" Alex asked hopefully. "Any way to reverse it?"

"Everything they were has been lost." Alex frowned and looked at the person lying there.

"So they're like shells." The Doctor was just as disturbed. "You've got empty human beings ready to be converted. That's going to take a hell of a lot of power. This planet hasn't even split the atom yet. How're you going to do it?"

"Open the conductor plan." Dalek Sec commanded.

Dalek Sec showed them an animated graph of their plans. "Yeah, yeah, yeah." The Doctor said. "The Empire State Building. We're right underneath that. I've already worked that out, thanks." Alex gave him a look. He could have told her. She didn't know. She's not as clever as a certain Time Lord. "But what, you hijacked the whole building?"

"We needed an energy conductor." The hybrid explained.

"What for?" Alex asked.

"I… am the genetic template. My altered DNA was to be administered to each human body. A strong enough blast of gamma radiation can splice the Dalek and human genetic codes and wake each body from its sleep." The screened showed what he was talking about.

"Gamma radiation?" The Doctor asked. "What are –?" The screen showed where they were going to get it. "Oh, the sun. You're using the sun."

"Soon… The greatest solar flare for a hundred years will hit the earth. Gamma radiation will be drawn to the energy conductor and when it strikes –"

"The army will awake." Alex finished. "Why do you need us, then?" It seemed like solid plan without them.

"You're a genius." He told the Doctor. "And you have such emotions." Alex raised an eyebrow. "Consider a pure Dalek; intelligent but emotionless."

"Removing the emotions makes you stronger." The Doctor told. "That's what you're creator thought all those years ago."

"He was wrong."

There was another pause. "He was what?" Alex asked.

"It makes us lesser than our enemies. We must return to the flesh." The other Daleks seemed to become concerned with that. "And also… the heart."

"But you won't be the supreme beings anymore." The Doctor pointed out.

"That is good." Alex raised her eyebrow again.

"That is incorrect." A Dalek said.

"Daleks are supreme." Another said.

"No. Not anymore." Dalek Sec argued.

"But that is our purpose." The Dalek said.

"Then our purpose is wrong!" Dalek Sec yelled. "Where has our quest for supremacy led us? To this. Hiding in the sewers on a primitive world. Just four of us left. If we do not change now then we deserve extinction."

"Wait a minute." Alex said. "You want to change everything that _makes _a Dalek a Dalek?"

"If… you could help me." Dalek Sec said. "You're knowledge of genetic engineering is even greater than ours. The new race must be ready by the time the solar flare erupts."

"But you're the template." The Doctor pointed out. "I thought they were getting a dose of you."

"I want to change the gene sequence." Dalek Sec said.

"What? To make them more human?" Alex asked.

"You humans are the great survivors." Dalek Sec said. "We need that ability."

"Hold on." The Doctor interrupted. "There's no way this lot is going to let you do it."

"I am their leader." Dalek Sec contradicted.

The Doctor turned to the other Daleks. "Oh, and that's enough for you, is it?" The Daleks turned to him.

"Daleks must follow orders." One said.

"Dalek Sec commands, we obey." Another answered.

"If you don't help me… nothing will change." Dalek Sec said.

"There's no room on Earth for another race of people." The Doctor pointed out. Alex agreed. Earth was already full. It would be impossible to have the new Dalek race living there as well.

Dalek Sec seemed to have an answer for that too. "You have your TARDIS. Take us across the stars. Find us a new home and allow the new Daleks to start again."

The Doctor still seemed hesitant. "Secure the human!" A Dalek commanded. Alex screamed as a pig slave came up behind her and squeezed her neck. Alex struggled and scratched. "The Doctor must obey or the human will die!"

"What?" Alex screeched. "You just brought me here as a grantee?"

"Don't hurt her!" The Doctor yelled.

"No!" Dalek Sec commanded. "Let her go!" The pig slaves didn't move at first. But soon let Alex go. She ran into the Doctor's arms. "I need her just as much as the Doctor."

"Why?" The Doctor demanded. He could understand him. But why did he want Alex?

"She has such emotion." Dalek Sec said. "I… I want you to teach it to the new Daleks."

Alex blinked. "You want me to show them how to… well, be human?" She asked.

"Yes. You should such courage and compassion. I want that to be in the new Daleks." Alex looked over at the Doctor. They locked eyes. He reached over and kissed her forehead gently. Alex melted. He came back and they locked eyes again.

"When's the solar flare?" The Doctor didn't take his eyes off of Alex. He couldn't let her get hurt. He made a promise to her and to himself. Nothing was ever going to hurt Alex.

"Eleven minutes." Dalek Sec watched in curiosity. He could see there was such compassion passing between their eyes.

"Right then." The Doctor broke the link. "Better get started then."

-x-

The Doctor was running about checking the equipment and readouts. Alex was sitting on one of the tables. "There's no point in chromosomal grafting. That's too erratic. You need to split the genome and force the Dalek-human sequence right into the cortex." Alex didn't understand a darn word. Most of it went in one ear and out the other.

"We need more chromatin solution." Dalek Sec concluded.

"The pig slaves have it." A Dalek responded. Alex paused when she saw Lazlo there. Their eyes locked, and she smiled at him. She looked away before the Daleks noticed.

"These pig slaves, what happens to them in the grand plan?" The Doctor asked.

"Nothing." The Dalek hybrid responded. "They're just simple beasts. Their life span is limited. None survive beyond a few weeks. Power up the engine feeds." Alex and the Doctor lock eyes and walk over to Lazlo.

"Lazlo, I can't undo what they've done to you," The Doctor explained. "But they won't do it to anyone else." He promised.

"Do you trust him?" Lazlo asked.

"I know that one man can change the course of history." The Doctor responded.

"Lazlo, he's the only hope we have. Maybe, just _maybe_, the Daleks can take a turn for the better of all." Alex could only hope. The three of them didn't notice a Dalek watching them speak to each other.

"Right idea in the right place at the right time is all it takes." The Doctor said. "We've got to believe it's possible." Both he and Alex were hopping.

-x-

"The line feeds are ready." A Dalek finally said. Alex lifted her head. She was becoming tired. The Doctor had given her his coat again. She had herself wrapped tightly in it. The Doctor rushed up to a bunch of tubes and extracted the solution into the syringe.

"Then all systems go." The Doctor said.

"The solar flare is imminent." Dalek Sec announced. "The radiation… will reach the Earth in a matter of minutes."

"We'll be ready for it." The Doctor promised. The Doctor inserted the syringe into one of the main feeding tubes. Now all they needed to do was wait. "That compound will allow the gene bond to reconfigure in a brand new pattern. Power up!" He commanded to the Daleks.

One of the pig slaves and Lazlo turned on the power switches. "Start the line feeds." Dalek Sec commanded. A Dalek started the machinery. Alex watched as the solution went up the tubes.

"There goes the gene solution." The Doctor walked over to Alex and smiled at her tired face. She smiled back sleepily. The Doctor wrapped his arms around her. She laid her head onto his shoulder. She snuggled into his warm body. His scent and warmth was making her even sleepier. Her eyes dropped as she listened to the lullaby of his heartbeats.

"The life blood." Dalek Sec said.

-x-

Alex's head snapped up when she heard an alarm go off. She looked around as the laboratory went red. She shot up. The Doctor must have laid her down. The Doctor was standing next to Dalek Sec. Both were looking around as well. She rushed over to the Doctor's side. "What's that?" Alex asked.

"What's happening? Is there a malfunction?" The Daleks remained silent. "Answer me!"

"No, no, no." The Doctor cried. "They gene feed! They're overriding the gene feed!" The Doctor ran over to the controls to stop it.

"Impossible. They cannot disobey orders." Dalek Sec said.

Alex let out a humorless laugh. "Wanna bet?"

"The Doctor will step away from the controls." The Dalek turned and pointed his laser at the Doctor. He slowly backed away and to Alex's side. They took each other's hands.

"Stop!" Dalek tried to order. "You will not fire."

"He is an enemy of the Daleks." The Dalek answered.

"And so are you." Another Dalek said. All of the Daleks turned and pointed their weapons and the Doctor, Alex, and Dalek Sec.

"I am your commander. I am Dalek Sec." He said, as if that was going to change something.

"You have lost your authority." A Dalek responded. _So they _can_ go against orders_. Alex thought. Just their luck.

"You are no longer a Dalek." Another spoke up.

"What have you done to the gene feed?" Alex asked. The Daleks turned their eye stocks to her.

"The new bodies will be 100% Dalek." Dalek spoke up.

"No! You can't do this!" It seemed they can though.

"Pig slaves; restrain Dalek Sec, the human, and the Doctor." Two pig slaves grabbed Dalek Sec. One of them grabbed Alex. Lazlo took the Doctor.

"Release me. I am your creator. I am your master." Alex just struggled against her captor. When he wouldn't budge, she blew her hair out of her face.

"Solar flare approaching." A Dalek said.

"Prepare for intercept." Some other Dalek said. The Daleks turn their backs onto the prisoners. A small ding was heard behind them. Alex turned to see it was the elevator.

She turned her head to the Doctor. She gave him a look. He looked hesitant. When she stressed the look, the Doctor nodded. "There's the lift." Lazlo said.

"After you." The Doctor was still looking at Alex. The minute they took off. Alex stamped her heel onto the pig man's foot. It squealed it pain. She rammed her elbows into its stomach. He doubled over. Alex took off, and slipped in just before the doors closed.

She fixed her shirt. "Now, _that _is how you take care of that." She said, grinning.

The Doctor held the same grin. "Brilliant!" He picked her up and twirled her around. "Just brilliant!" She giggled. He set her down and their foreheads bumped together. Alex reached up and took off the Doctor's coat almost reluctantly, she really did love that coat. She gave it back to the Time Lord. They smiled at each other.

She looked over and frowned when she saw Lazlo leaning against the side of the elevator. "Lazlo?" She asked. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," He said. "Out of breath. It's nothing." The Doctor turned to look as well. "We've escaped them, Alex. That's all that matters."

-x-

The doors opened and it showed Martha, Tallulah, and Frank. All of them turned when they heard the 'swoosh' of the doors. "Doctor! Alex!" Martha cried. She was happy to see her friends were fine.

Alex grinned. "Martha!" She raised her hands. She ran over to Martha and they hugged. "I'm _so _glad to see you!" She squealed.

"First floor, perfumery." The Doctor said.

Tallulah was happy to see Lazlo. "I thought I'd never see you again."

"Nothing stopping me." Lazlo answered. They met halfway and hugged each other. After Martha's and Alex's hug, Martha led the Doctor to the plans.

"We worked it out. We know what they've done. There's Dalekanium on the mast. And it's good to see you too, by the way." Martha said, excited.

"Oh, come here." He picked her up and twirled her around. He dropped her abruptly when the doors for the elevator closed. He ran over to try and stop it. "No, no, no." The Doctor yelled. "See? Never waste your time with a hug." He pulled out his sonic screwdriver. "It's a deadlock seal. I can't stop it." The Doctor hit it.

"Where's it going?"

"Going back down to the Daleks. That means we're going to get a visit from the pig men." Alex explained.

"What time is it?" The Doctor asked.

"11:15." Frank answered.

"Six minutes to go." The Doctor muttered. "I've got to remove the Dalekanium before the gamma radiation hits."

"Gamma radiation?" Tallulah asked. "What the heck is that?" _They must not have learned about it yet_. Alex thought.

Martha led them outside. Tallulah and Lazlo followed. "Oh, that's high." The Doctor pointed out. "That's very – Blimey, that's high." Alex looked up.

"And it looks like we're not even close to the Dalekanium." Alex said. The Doctor came over. She pointed up higher. "That must be the mass…" Alex was always afraid of heights. "How many are there?" She asked Martha.

"Three pieces." Martha said. "We've got to get up there –"

Alex finished for her. "And we've got to get them off."

"That's not 'we'." The Doctor said. "That's just me."

"Doctor –" Alex tried. He grabbed her tightly by the shoulders. He got close to her face. Alex and the Doctor had a staring contest.

"_No_." The Doctor said. "_You are not coming with me_." He couldn't let her get hurt. She had already been close to getting killed by the Daleks. He couldn't take another chance. Alex looked into the depths of those eyes. Something about how he said it, something about his tone made her nod her head. He relaxed and slowly let go of her tiny shoulders.

Martha wasn't going down so easily. "I'm not just going to stand here and watch you."

"No," The Doctor contradicted. "You're going to have your hands full, anyways. I'm sorry, Martha, Allie, but you've got to fight."

-x-

Alex felt weird with this weapon in her hands. She had never gotten into a physical fight before. She had taken self-defense classes, but that was different. Self-defense and fighting were _completely_ different things. Everyone else had the same makeshift weapons in their hands too. "The lift's coming up."

"Stay calm, Martha." Alex muttered gently.

"I shoulda brought that gun." That would have done some good.

"Tallulah, stay back. You too, Martha. And you Alex. If they send those pig slaves, they're trained to kill."

"The Doctor wants us to fight. I'm not going anywhere!"

"We need all the people we can get, Lazlo!" Alex argued. "Just you and Frank aren't going to be enough."

"They're savages." Lazlo explained. "I should know. Their trained to slit your throat with their bare teeth." Alex scrunched her nose up. Lazlo collapsed onto the floor.

"Lazlo?" Tallulah asked, alarmed. "What is it?" He struggled to stand back up.

"No, it's nothing. I'm fine. Just leave me." He fell back down again. Tallulah knelt beside him, and felt his forehead. It was burning.

"Oh, honey, you're burnin' up. What's wrong with you? Tell me." Tallulah ordered.

"One man down and we haven't even started yet." Frank told Martha and Alex.

Alex sighed. _This is bad_.

"It's not looking good, Frank." Martha said.

"Nope." He agreed. Something occurred to Alex. She looked out.

"Thunderstorm." She murmured.

"What?" Martha asked. She looked out and got the same idea. They both turned back to each other. They grinned. "Lightening!"

Martha, Alex, and Frank started to take and arrange long poles. They had it come from the outside of the building to the elevator. The three made sure it didn't touch the ground. "Aw, you'll be alright sweetheart. Don't worry." Tallulah told her boyfriend sweetly. She then turned to the rest of them and growled, "what the hell are you three clowns doin'?"

"Even if the Doctor stops the Dalekanium, this place is still gonna to get hit." Martha explained in a rush. "Great big bolt of lightning, electricity all down the building."

Alex continued. "Metal is a conductor. Meaning, that it will attract the lightning. So, make on big long pole from outside to the lift and those pigs are going to get one _big _shock!" Alex paused, realizing something. "I just said, 'lift'," she muttered. She sighed. "I'm turning into a Brit." She muttered to herself.

"Oh my God." The showgirl was impressed. "That could actually work."

"Then help us." Frank snapped.

-x-

The trio finished their work. "Is that gonna work?" Tallulah now had doubts.

"It's the best thing we have." Alex argued.

"It's got to." Martha said.

"I've got it all piped up to the scaffolding outside." Frank came back inside.

"Come here, Frank." Alex said. "Stay in the middle, and _don't _touch anything metal."

The group huddled in the corner, waiting for the lightning to come. The lift gave a 'ding' and the door started to open. The lightning finally came and flew through the pikes and hit the pig slaves. They squealed and shook as they got electrocuted. The pig men started to fall. Alex finally opened her eyes and looked at the damage. All of the pig men were down.

They were dead.

Martha ran over to them. Alex took her hand gently and shook her head. Martha looked horrified. Alex rubbed her arm. Frank threw his arms around her. "You did it, guys!" Tallulah said.

"They used to be like Lazlo. They were people and we killed 'em." Martha said.

"No." The African American looked over at Alex. "We didn't kill them. The Daleks did." A look of realization came across her face. "Doctor!" She whirled around and ran towards the ladder. Her previous fear forgotten she climbed quickly up the tower and finally reached the mast. The small brunette heaved herself up. "Doctor!" She cried in horror as she saw him lying there.

Alex ran over to him. And – without even realizing it – she ran her fingers through his soft hair. She leaned her head down and felt his breath on her cheek. She put her fingers onto his neck. Alex relaxed when she concluded that he was just knocked out. Alex continued to run her fingers through his hair.

"Alex! He isn't –" Martha called to her as she came up.

Alex turned and cut her off. "No." She smiled. "I checked, he's still breathing and both of his hearts are working. He must have fallen unconscious." _But what would cause that_? Alex looked at the mast. There were still two pieces left.

"We found this halfway down." Martha held up the sonic screwdriver. Alex sighed, and smiled as if to say 'he's such an idiot'. "He's getting careless."

Alex laughed. "Oh yeah." She looked back at the mass. Alex knew the Doctor wouldn't have stopped just because he lost his sonic screwdriver. So… What did he do? Alex slowly realized it. It had to be something that would have knocked him unconscious. _No way_, Alex thought, _he didn't_. But the more she thought about it, the more it seemed to be true.

The Doctor groaned. Both looked over, surprised. "Oh my head."

"Doctor," Alex and Martha said relieved.

"Hi." The Doctor responded. "You two survived then." Alex stopped her hand. He groaned. "Don't stop."

Both blinked. "Don't stop what?" Alex asked.

"You're hand," The Doctor knew Alex's touch without even looking. "Feels nice."

"Huh?" She finally realized she had her hand in his hair. "…Oh."

"You never knew?" Martha had seen her do it twice before.

"Um…" Alex smiled, sheepishly. "No?" She shrugged. "I never noticed. I suppose it was a reflex." Alex thought about it. "Oh… I've done it three times, haven't I?"

Martha shook her head, but laughed. "You are incredible."

Alex grinned. "Yep! That's me! Now, I _hate _to ruin this wonderful moment. But Doctor," She turned her head to him. "There's still Dalekanium on the mast." The Doctor shot up.

-x-

The Doctor led Alex, Martha, and Frank back down. He paced. "The Daleks will have gone straight to war footing." The Doctor knew the Daleks better than anyone. "They'll be using the sewers, spreading their soldiers out underneath Manhattan."

"How do we stop them?" Lazlo asked, voicing Alex's thoughts.

"There's only one chance. I got in the way." Alex gave him a flat look of disbelief. _Do not tell me I'm right_. "The gamma strike went zipping through me first." Alex rolled her eyes. That move was _beyond _reckless. He could've gotten killed!

"But what does that mean?" Martha asked.

"We need to draw fire." The Doctor ignored her question. "Before they can attack New York, I need to face them. Think, think, think, think." He ran a hand through his hair. As always, his hair stuck out in crazy directions. "We need some sort of space, somewhere safe, somewhere out of the way." A light bulb went off. "Tallulah!"

"That's me," She raised her hair slightly. "Three Ls and an H."

He ignored that. "The theatre! Its right above them and, what it's gone midnight? Can you get us inside?"

"Don't see why not." She answered.

"Is there another lift?" Alex asked. There was no way they could us the one the pig slaves came up in.

"We came up the service elevator." Martha replied.

"That'll do. Allons-y!" The Doctor cried.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Martha, Frank, Tallulah and Lazlo arrive in the darkened theatre. _Goodness, it's creepy in here_. Alex thought. "That should do it. Here we go." The Doctor switched on his sonic screwdriver.

"There ain't nothing more creepy than a theatre in the dark. Listen, Doctor, I know you got a thing for show tunes, but there's a place and a time, hunh?" Lazlo collapsed into the chair next to her. Alex frowned.

"Lazlo, what's wrong?" Tallulah sat down next to him.

"Nothing." He dismissed. "It's just so hot."

"But… it's freezing in here." Tallulah turned to the Doctor. "Doctor, what's happening to him?"

The Time Lord was too busy checking the frequency on the screwdriver. "Not now, Tallulah. Sorry."

"What are you doing?" Martha finally asked.

"If the Daleks are going to war, they'll want to find their number one enemy. I'm just telling them where I am." The Doctor answered.

"So, basically, you sending a message to the Daleks, 'I'm here!' in great, big, bold, neon colored letters?" Alex asked.

The Doctor looked over at her. "Well, when you put it like that…" The Doctor held up his screwdriver and turned it on.

-x-

"I'm telling you two to go." The Doctor was trying to convince Martha and Alex to leave. "Frank can take you back to Hooverville."

"And I'm telling you I'm not going anywhere." Martha said.

"No way!" Alex snapped. "I already let you go up onto the mass by yourself. There is _no way_ I'm leaving you now."

"Martha, Allie, that's an order." He told them.

"I don't care!" Alex threw back. "I'm not leaving, and _you can't make me_."

"Who are you, then?" Martha shot back. "Some sort of Dalek?"

The doors suddenly burst open before the Doctor could answer. The human Daleks filed in, flanking all of them. "Oh my God, that's them then, hunh?" Tallulah pointed out.

"Humans… With Dalek DNA." Martha said.

"Well," she drew her 'l' out. It was a habit she was picking up from the Doctor. "And a tiny bit Time Lord, apparently." She threw the Doctor a look. She was still upset at him that he did that.

"What?" Martha asked. Frank moved to attack them, and Alex threw her arms around him to keep him back.

"It's alright." The Doctor said. "Just stay calm. Don't antagonize them."

"But what about the Dalek masters?" Alex's eye twitched. She really wished Lazlo would stop calling them 'masters'. "Where are they?"

An explosion ripped through the stage. The group ducked behind the seats for cover. The Doctor peeked over the seats to see two Daleks there. Dalek Sec was on the ground, in chains. The Doctor stood tall, while the others peeked over the chairs. "The Doctor will stand before the Daleks." The Dalek on the right commanded. The Doctor stood over the chair. He walked on the backs until he got to the front row. "You will die, Doctor. It's the beginning of a new age."

"Planet Earth will become New Skaro." The one on the left said.

"Oh, and what a world." The Doctor said. "With anything else just the slightest bit different ground into the dirt. That's Dalek Sec. Don't you remember? The cleverest Dalek ever and look what you've done to him. Is that your new empire? Hmm? Is that the foundation for a whole new civilization?"

"My Daleks…" Dalek Sec spoke up. "Just understand this. If you chose death and destruction, death and destruction will choose you."

"Incorrect." The Dalek on the right argued. "We will always survive."

The other Dalek spoke. "Now we will destroy our greatest enemy, the Doctor."

"But he can help you." Dalek Sec said.

"The Doctor must die."

Dalek Sec moved in front of the Dalek. "No, I beg you, don't."

"Exterminate!" The left hand Dalek cried. Alex Dalek Sec stood up just as the other Dalek shot his beam. He died instantly. Alex threw her hands up to her face as she screamed.

The Doctor was disgusted. He felt his hands clench slightly, though. He hated it when Alex got upset. "Your own leader." He said. "The only creature who might have led you out of the darkness and you destroy him." He turned to the Dalek-Humans. "Do you see what they did? Huh? You see what a Dalek really is?" The Doctor turned back to address the Daleks. "If I'm gonna die, let's give the new boys a shot." Alex watched the Doctor curiously. What was he up to? "What do you think, eh? The Dalek-Humans. Their first blood. Go on, baptize them."

"Dalek-Humans, take aim." Alex flinched when the Dalek-Humans cocked their weapons and pointed them at the Doctor.

"What are you waiting for?" The Doctor asked. "Give the command!"

"Exterminate!" The Dalek on the left commanded. The Doctor closed his eyes. Alex's hand flew up to her ears, but she forced her eyes to stay open. Martha buried her face into Frank's shirt. But… Nothing happened. "Exterminate!" The Dalek commanded again. Still, nothing happened. Alex looked at the Dalek-Humans curiously.

"Obey. Dalek-Humans will obey." The second Dalek ordered.

"Not firing." Martha turned to the Doctor. "What did you do?" Alex really did have a crappy memory. She relaxed. She didn't even remember her own theory that the Doctor confirmed.

"You will obey. Exterminate!" They still did nothing.

"Why?"

Alex turned to the voice. A man in the front right row had turned his head to the Daleks. He was the one that spoke up. The Doctor turned to the man as well. "Daleks do not question orders."

"But why?" He continued.

"You will stop this." A Dalek commanded.

"But… Why?"

"You must not question." The other Dalek ordered.

"But you are not our masters." Alex raised her eyebrows. "And we… We are not Daleks."

"No," the Doctor said gently. "And you never will be." He turned back to the Daleks. "Sorry, I got in the way of the lightning strike. Time Lord DNA got all mixed up. Just that little bit of freedom."

"If they will not obey, then they must die." The Dalek answered. He shot at the Dalek-Human that questioned them.

"Get down!" Everyone took cover. The two factions fired at each other.

"Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate!" The Dalek on the left was destroyed.

"Extermin –" The second Dalek was destroyed.

The human Daleks stop firing. Frank, Martha, Alex, Lazlo, and Tallulah all stood up slowly. The Doctor went over to one of the hybrids. "It's alright. It's alright. It's alright. You did it. You're free." Suddenly the hybrids screamed in pain. They clutched their heads. Alex ran over to one of them. She caught them. "No!" The human Daleks crumbled to the ground. Alex looked at all of them in horror. "They can't! They can't! They can't!" Martha joined Alex.

"What happened, Doctor?" Alex cried. "What's going on?"

"They kill 'em." Alex's heart stopped. "Rather than let them live. An entire species."

"Genocide…" Alex muttered. She never knew what 'genocide' was until she watched Doctor Who.

"Only two of the Daleks have been destroyed." Lazlo pointed out. "One of the Dalek masters must be alive."

The Doctor stood up. "Oh, yes. In the whole universe, just one."

-x-

The Doctor had run off. As the rest of the group went to find him, Lazlo became seriously sick. "Doctor, Doctor!" Alex cried. She ran around the machinery to see him standing where the last Dalek must have been. He slowly turned around. "Doctor," Martha and Tallulah came behind her with a wheezing Lazlo. "Lazlo's sick."

They lowered him to the ground and Tallulah cradled him in her lap. "It's okay. You're alright." Martha turned to the Doctor. "It's his heart." She explained. "It's racing like mad. I've never seen anything like it."

"What is it, Doctor?" Tallulah asked. The Doctor approached and kneeled next to Alex. "What's the matter with him? He says he can't breathe. What is it?"

"It's time, sweetheart." Lazlo told her.

"What do you mean, 'time'? What are you talking about?" Tallulah was getting nervous.

"None of the slaves…" He wheeze some more. "Survive for long. Most of them only live a few weeks. I was lucky. I held on 'cause I had you. But now… I'm dyin', Tallulah." Alex bit her lip.

"No you're not." Tallulah sounded like she was going to cry. "Not now, after all of this. Doctor, can't you do somethin'?"

The Time Lord's eyes were somber. "Oh, Tallulah with three Ls and an H…" Alex frowned. He wasn't going to let Lazlo die was he? "Just you watch me!" The Doctor stood up. "What do I need?" Alex grinned. "Oh, I don't know. How about a great big genetic laboratory?" He looked around. "Oh look, I've got one." Alex giggled. "Lazlo, just you hold on.

"There have been too many deaths today." The Doctor was running around. He was mixing solutions, talking all the way. "Way too many people have died. Brand new creatures and wise old men and age-old enemies. And I'm tellin' you, I'm tellin' you right now, I am not having one more death! Got that? Not one!" He turned back to the group. "Tallulah, out of the way." The Doctor drew out his stethoscope. "The Doctor is in."

-x-

The whole group stood together. The Doctor, Alex, Martha, Tallulah and Lazlo – who was bundled in a coat and hat – were waiting for Frank. He finally walked towards them. "Well I talked to 'em and I told 'em what Solomon would've said and I reckon I shamed one or two of 'em."

"What did they say?" The Doctor asked.

"They said yes." Everyone smiled. Tallulah hugged Lazlo. "They'll give you a home, Lazlo. I mean, uh, don't imagine people ain't gonna to stare. I can't promise you'll be at peace but, in the end, that is what Hooverville is for, people who ain't got nowhere else to go."

"Thank you." Lazlo meant it. "I – I can't thank you enough."

-x-

"Do you reckon it's gonna work?" Martha asked. The trio finally got back to the Statue of Liberty. They were looking out at the Manhattan skyline.

"I don't know." The Doctor answered. "Anywhere else in the universe, I might worry about them, but not New York." The Doctor brought up a good point. "That's what the city's good at. 'Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled mass, and maybe the odd pig-slave-Dalek-mutant-hybrid'."

Alex laughed. "I don't think people are really going to stare. New York is famous for weird things. I bet most people are just going to look at Lazlo, go 'oh, look, it's a pig man' and go on their way."

"The pig and the showgirl." Martha laughed at their humor. Alex laughed with her.

"The pig and the showgirl!" The Doctor repeated with a smile.

"Just proves, I suppose. There's someone for everyone." Martha thought of the Doctor when she said this. Alex scratched her head, part of her brain thought of the Doctor. The Doctor's smiled disappeared. Without realizing it, his brown eyes slid towards Alex. He watched as the wind blew her hair into her face. She reached up and slid it back behind her ear.

"Maybe." The Doctor muttered. He walked over the TARDIS. Martha followed him. Alex sighed before turning to the Statue of Liberty.

"Bye-bye Statue of Liberty!" She called to it like a small child. The Doctor laughed. He walked over to her and picked her up. She squealed and laughed. "Oi! I can say goodbye to a monument that means everything to my country, thank you very much!" Martha was laughing, despite that familiar feeling of despair.

"You're such a child!" Alex grinned at Martha.

"I'm not the only one!" She defended. "I'm being carried by the other one."

"Oi!" The Doctor laughed even so. He finally let Alex down and she stuck her tongue out at him.

Martha sighed. "Meant to say…" Both brunettes looked over. "Sorry." Alex nodded in agreement.

"What for?" The Doctor asked.

"Just 'cause that Dalek got away." Martha explained. "I know how much that means to you. Think you'll ever see it again?" The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS doors.

"Oh yes." Martha ducked into the TARDIS. Alex reached up and took the Doctor's face. He looked over at her. She bent him down and kissed his forehead. The Time Lord bit back a sigh at the wonderful feeling. Alex then turned and entered the TARDIS. The Doctor turned to look outside. "One day." He then went into the TARDIS.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Alex jerked back and forth as the TARDIS flew through space and time. She was actually getting use to the jerky flight. It made sense. The Doctor was a perfect example. He was now more than use to the flying. Finally the TARDIS gave one final lurch and the ship stilled. "There we go…" The Doctor was proud of himself. "Perfect landing," He scratched his head. "Which isn't easy in such a tight spot."

"You should be use to tight spots by now." Martha dusted off her hand. She turned excitedly to the door. She turned back around. "Where are we?"

"The end of the line." Alex was going to rush towards the door with Martha. But she stopped. She looked over at the Doctor confused. What did he mean by that? "No place like it." Martha looked at him, questioning if she should open the doors. He nodded. She opened the door only to become disappointed with what she saw.

"Home." She muttered. "You took me home?"

"In fact, the morning after we left, so you've only been gone 12 hours. No time at all really." The Doctor had come out of the TARDIS. He looked about at her photos. Alex slowly removed herself from the ship. She looked over at the Doctor nervously. If he was taking Martha home, did that mean she had to go home too?

"But all the stuff we've done – Shakespeare, New New York, old New York?" Martha asked, bewildered.

"Yep, all in one night." He turned back around to the girls. "Relatively speaking. Everything should be as it was – books, CDS, laundry." The Doctor picked up a pair of underwear off the drying rack. Martha's eyes widened and she snatched the offending lingerie from his finger tips. Alex reached over and smacked his arm. "So, back as you were, as promised."

_Some promise_, Alex thought. It had to be extremely hard to just go back to normal after what the Doctor shows you. Alex felt her stomach churn. It would be harder for her, knowing that Doctor Who was so much more than a television show. "This is it?" Martha asked.

The Time Lord inhaled deeply. "Yeah, I need to get Allie back to her dimension." Alex felt her heart stop. Her stomach dropped. She looked at the ground. She felt tears prickle in her eyes. She… She really wanted the Doctor to take her with him. She really wanted to help him with his hearts. "So I should probably… um…" Martha's phone rang. The answering machine picked up the message.

"Hi! I'm out! Leave a message!" The answering machine said.

"I'm sorry." Alex blinked away her tears. But her eyes still held a slightly blank look to them. The Doctor watched her. He felt his stomach clench.

"Martha, are you there? Pick it up, will you?" Francine, Martha's mother, said.

"It's mum." Martha explained. "It'll wait."

"Alright then, pretend you're out if you like." The three of them smiled at that. "I was only calling to tell you your sister's on TV. On the News of all things. Just thought you might be interested." Martha's look changed into one of surprise. She reached for the remote and turned the TV on. The Doctor came to stand next to Alex. Her body shifted slightly away from him out of reflex. The Doctor looked over at her again.

"The details are top secret…" Tish was standing behind an old man, who looked to be in his 70s.

"How could Tish end up on the news?" Martha muttered to herself.

"Tonight, I will demonstrate a device…" The man continued.

"She's got a new job. PR for some research lab." Martha explained.

"… With the push of a single button, I will change what it means to be human." Martha shut it off. Alex turned to see the Doctor looking slightly disturbed.

"Sorry." Martha turned back to the Doctor as well. "You were saying we should –?"

"Yes, yes, we should." The Doctor snapped out of it. "One trip is what we said." Alex felt the faint tears coming back into her eyes.

"Yeah." Martha agreed. It was obvious that she was reluctant. "I suppose things just… escalated."

"Mmm…" The Doctor thought about that. "Seems to happen to me a lot."

"Thank you, for everything." Martha said.

The Doctor smiled. "It was my pleasure." He looked over to the quiet girl. "Come on." She reluctantly followed the Time Lord. Alex and Martha gave each other a long hug. Slowly Alex opened the doors and entered the TARDIS.

Alex didn't even look at the Doctor. She sat down on the chair. She lifted her knees. She wrapped her arms around them. And put her chin on top. The Doctor watched her. "I didn't mean it." Alex turned her head slightly. "I…" He took a deep breath. "I want you to come with me." Alex got up and whirled around. He smiled. "I want you to become my companion."

There was a pause. Alex fully realized what he was saying. She squealed. She jumped up and down and then ran over to him. He laughed and picked her up. They hugged each other tightly. The Doctor sighed. It felt so nice. Her warmth was wonderful. But something continued to nip at the edge of his mind. When she let go, the Doctor paused for a moment before sighing. He reversed the controls.

When the TARDIS gave that one final lurch he strode over to the door and opened it. Alex ran up and leaned against the other door. "No, I'm sorry," She heard him say, "Did he say he was going to change what it means to be human?"

Alex smirked. She should have known he couldn't leave with that in his mind.

-x-

The trio walked down the street. The Doctor continued to fuss over the cuffs to his dress shirt. "Black tie." He said uneasily. Martha had changed into a sleeveless pansy purple dress. With it, she had mulberry high heels. Alex had changed into a Brandies blue halter dress – to match her highlights. With this, she had strappy silver high heels. She had on a vine like bracelet. It had a small flower in the center. The Doctor had the usual tux with a black bow tie. "Whenever I wear this something bad always happen."

Alex rolled her. _I'm afraid that's not the outfit, Doctor_. Martha had the same thoughts. "It's not the outfit, that's just you. Anyways, I think it suits you. In a James Bond sort of way."

Defensively he asked, "James Bond?" The approvingly he added. "Really?"

Alex snorted. "Puh-lease." The Doctor looked over surprised. "You look better than all of the James Bonds put together." Alex put the record straight. The Doctor smiled, but he could feel his cheeks gaining a slight color to them. They walked the impressive entrance to the Lazarus Laboratories.

-x-

Inside the main reception room the guests were mingling. Dominating most of the place was a large white cabinet. It was surrounded by four pillars that slightly curved at the top. A waitress came by, and the Doctor took some snacks off the plate. "Oh, look they've got nibbles!" Well, the Doctor was happy. "I love nibbles."

"What are those?" Alex asked.

He looked over. He was surprised. He then reminded himself that Alex wasn't from Britain. "Try them." The Doctor held his hand out for her to take one. She hesitated but took one and bit into it. He waited and she smiled. He grinned at her. "Good, eh?"

"Oh yeah." She laughed. "They're fantastic."

Tish appeared smiling. "Hello."

"Tish!" Martha cried, happily. The two of them hugged.

"Hey Alex." Tish greeted. Alex smiled.

"Hey," She hugged Tish as well.

"You two look great." Alex shifted back and forth, smiling. She liked dresses like these. "So, what do you think? Impressive, isn't it?"

Martha nodded. "Very."

"Amazing." Alex agreed.

"And that's two night in a row for you – that's dangerously close to your social life." Tish had been talking directly to Martha. Alex took a step back and stood with the Doctor. The Time Lord smiled at her. She grinned back and stole another 'nibble'.

"If I keep this up, I'll end up in all the gossip columns." Martha teased.

"You might, actually." Tish agreed. "Keep an eye out for photographers. And mum – she's coming too, even dragging Leo along." Alex smirked. Leo in a black tie, she _had _to see that.

Martha had the same thoughts. "Leo in black tie? That I mustsee."

Tish glanced over at the Doctor who was having another bumping contest with Alex. Alex noticed her staring. "Ah, Tish meet the Doctor."

The Doctor strode forward and held his hand out. "Hello."

She took it and they shook hands. "Is he with you two?"

"Yeah." Martha stated.

"But he's not on the list. How did he get in?" Tish asked.

Alex bit back a smile. "Oh, he's just our plus one." Couldn't exactly tell her that he used his physic paper, could they?

The Doctor had to ask something. "So this Lazarus bloke, he's your boss?"

"Professor Lazarus, yes. I'm part of his executive staff." Tish responded.

"She's in the PR department." Martha teased.

"I'm head of the PR department, actually." Tish defended.

"You're kidding," Alex grinned.

"I put this whole thing together." Tish had a right to be proud.

"So do you know what the Professor is going to be doing tonight?" The Time Lord turned to the weird cabinet. "That looks like it might be sonic microfeild manipulator."

Alex turned to the Doctor with a 'what' look. She didn't catch any of that. "He's a science geek, I should have known." Tish turned back to the two girls. "Gotta get back to work now. I'll catch up with you later." She left to mingle with the other guests.

"Science geek? What does that mean?" The Doctor asked.

"That you're obsessively enthusiastic about it." Martha replied.

The Doctor smiled. "Oh, nice."

Alex laughed. "Only you, Doctor, only you."

"Only me what?" He turned to her.

"Only you could take 'science geek' and 'obsessively enthusiastic' as a complement." The Doctor grinned at her.

"Martha. Alex." Both turned to see Francine waving for them.

"Mum." Martha ran over to her mother and hugged her tightly. Alex smiled.

When Martha was done hugging her, Alex came in and hugged Francine. "It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Jones."

Francine smiled at Alex. "How many times do I have to tell you, Alex? Please call me Francine." Francine had known Alex for a long time. The girl was beyond sweet, and she was responsible. Francine knew Martha was in good hands when she was around. She turned back to her daughter. "Now then," Francine laughed, "What's the occasion?" Both girls were acting like they haven't seen her in a long time.

"What do you mean?" Martha asked. "We're just pleased to see you."

"You two saw me last night." Francine told them.

Alex thought quickly. "But that's such a long time." Alex joked. "We missed you." Francine smiled at that. Alex smirked and nudged Leo. "Lookin' good, Leo." She teased.

He laughed. "Yeah. If anyone asks me to fetch 'em a drink, I'll swing for them." Alex grinned.

Francine took note to the Doctor in the back. She watched as he smiled to himself seeing Alex happy. It seemed they were… close. "You two disappeared last night." Francine felt her motherly instincts going off.

"We… Just went home." Martha responded, uneasy.

"On your own?" Alex finally noticed Francine's staring and turned around. She waved the Doctor over.

"Mrs. –" Alex corrected herself. "Francine, this is our friend the Doctor. We're doing some work together." It made sense. His name was 'the Doctor' and both girls were training to become doctors.

"Doctor what?" Francine asked. _Ah, typical_. Everyone asks that question.

"No, it's just the Doctor." Martha explained.

Leo shook the Doctor's hand. "Yeah, alright." He shook Mrs. Jones hand. "Lovely to meet you Mrs. Jones. Heard a lot about you."

"Have you?" Alex heard a slight bit of snippiness in Francine's voice. "What have you heard, then?"

"Oh, you know, that you're Martha's mother and… Um… No, actually, that's… That's about it. We haven't had much time to chat, you know, been busy." Alex put her fingers to her lips to fight a smile. It seemed even the mighty Doctor couldn't stand up to a mother's intense stare.

"Busy?" The look became even more prominent. The more this man talked, the more Francine's instincts went off. "Doing what, exactly?"

The Doctor started to look uncomfortable. "Oh… You know… Stuff." Alex put her whole mouth over her lips to stop laughter from seeping through.

The conversation was cut short when the glass tapping meant to give their attention. Alex saw the Doctor look more than relieved. She grabbed his arm. "Judoon?" She teased him. "No problem. Daleks? Piece of cake. Talking to your companion's mother? And even the mighty Doctor breaks." The Doctor gave her a look. Francine frowned when she saw how close they were standing together. The frown deepened when the Doctor took her hand and they walked to the front.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I am Professor Richard Lazarus and tonight I'm going to perform a miracle. It is, I believe, the most important advancement since Rutherford split the atom, the biggest leap since Armstrong stood on the moon. Tonight, you will watch and wonder. Tomorrow, you'll awake to a world which will be changed forever." Alex felt her eyebrows knit together. She was getting a bad feeling again. She gently squeezed the Doctor's hand. He looked over. She passed on the look to him. He nodded. He was getting that same feeling.

Lazarus entered the cabinet. Two female technicians started up the machine. There was a high-pitched 'whir' as a bright blue light blinded the crowd. Alex blinked and squinted her eyes. But she had to watch. The Doctor was doing the same thing. Everyone else closed their eyes at the flashes. The four pillars moved around the cabinet creating an energy field. Suddenly a warning klaxon went off. The Doctor looked at the cabinet with worry. "Something's wrong. It's overloading." Alex could barely hear him over the sounds of the machine and the warning signal.

The technicians tried to stop it. But the panels exploded in response. The Doctor ran over the controls. Alex took Martha's and Francine's arm and backed them up away from the machine. An elder woman called out when she saw the Doctor behind the table. "Somebody stop him! Get him away from the controls!"

"If this thing goes off, it'll take the whole building with it!" The Doctor responded. "Is that what you want?" The warning continued to blare through the room. Martha grabbed Alex's hand. Finally the Doctor jumped back over the table and pulled a wire from its plug. The pillars slowly stopped moving. When they did Alex shot off to the cabinet. Martha was right behind her. "Get it open!" The Doctor commanded. Alex grunted but she was able to pull it open.

Professor Lazarus came out in a huge amount of smoke. He now looked at least 40 years younger. Alex looked at him in disbelief. The Doctor looked angry. Martha looked amazed as everyone else did. The Professor reached up to his face, and realized it worked. He stepped out of the machine complete and stood to the crowd. "My name is Richard Lazarus. I am 76 years old and I am reborn!" The crowd applauded.

-x-

The Doctor was studying the machine. Alex and Martha were watching Lazarus. Alex wanted to say something, but in doing so, she would have become a hypocrite. "It can't be the same guy." Martha was still in disbelief. "It's impossible. It must be a trick."

"Oh no, it's not a trick. I wish it were." The Doctor didn't approve of what the Professor did at all.

"What just happened, then?" Alex asked.

"He just changed what it means to be human." The Doctor answered. Martha finally looked over at Alex and frowned.

"Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Alex asked. She turned her head to look curiously at Martha.

"You look like you want to say something." Martha pointed out.

Alex sighed. "I wish I could, but I would become a hypocrite if I did."

"What do you mean?" Martha asked.

Alex sighed. "I don't know why these girls're making such a fuss. He's _76 _years old. Ew." She turned back to Martha. "I don't know about you but I still have what he looked like before in my head."

"How is this making you hypocritical?" Martha could understand what she was saying.

"You don't know?" Alex rolled her eyes and turned to the Doctor. "Doctor," she called. He 'hmm'ed to show he was listening. "How old are you?"

"Oh." He thought about it for a second. "903 years old." She turned back to Martha. Her eyes were wide. Alex smirked and winked.

"That's why, hun." Alex said. "However," Alex continued. "I can say that I would take the Doctor over that creepy guy any day."

"Why's that?" The Time Lord asked.

She gave him a 'duh' look. "You're way hotter." The Doctor froze and turned back around to look at her. "What?" Alex said. She didn't see any problem with what she just said. "I'm just stating facts."

The Doctor shook his head. But he smiled. A simple statement from her could always put a smile on his face.

-x-

The trio came up to talk to Lazarus after his little show. Alex watched as he shoved 'nibbles' into his mouth one after another. "Richard!" The woman said, aghast.

"I'm famished." Lazarus responded.

"Energy deficit." The Doctor responded, knowingly. "Always happens with this kind of process."

"You speak as if you've seen this every day, Mr. –"

"Doctor." The Time Lord finished. "And, well, no, not every day, but I have some experience in this sort of transformation."

"That's not possible." Lazarus responded. No one could.

"Using hypersonic sound waves to create a resonance. That's – that's inspired." Alex wasn't surprised that he knew that.

"You understand the theory, then?" The Professor asked.

"Enough to know you couldn't possibly have allowed for all of the variables." The Doctor answered. Alex suddenly realized that the two male were about the same height. That was – of course – not counting the Doctor's hair.

"No experiment is entirely without risk." Alex knew this man was being too optimistic. She was all for optimism, don't get her wrong. But he was thinking _too _positively.

"That thing nearly exploded." The Doctor argued. "You might have well as stepped into a blender."

"You're not qualified to comment." The woman said.

"Oh really?" Alex snapped. "If I'm not mistaken, if the Doctor hadn't stopped it, it would have exploded." The woman and her glared at each other.

"Then I thank you, Doctor." Lazarus said. "But that's a simple engineering issue. What happened in the capsule was exactly what was supposed to happen."

"You have no way of knowing that until you've run proper test." Martha contradicted.

Lazarus laughed. "Look at me!" He cried. "You can see what happened. I'm all the proof you need."

"The device will be properly certified before we start to operate commercially." The woman told the time travelers.

"What?" Alex exploded. "That would cause chaos!" Were they insane?

"Not chaos. Change." Alex looked at the man like he was crazy. And in her mind, he was. "A chance for humanity to evolve, improve."

"This isn't about improving." The Doctor argued. "It's about you and your customers living a little longer."

"Not a little longer, Doctor." The Professor was unfazed by the Doctor's tone. "A lot longer. Perhaps indefinably."

"Richard, we have things to discuss. Upstairs." The woman walked away.

Lazarus followed. He paused and turned back to the three brunettes. "Goodbye Doctor. In a few years, you look back and laugh at how wrong you were." Alex raised her eyebrows. The man reached out and took Martha's hand. He kissed it gently. Alex felt her face scrunched up. She backed up a little behind the Doctor in fear he would come after her. He seemed to notice she didn't want to come near him and Lazarus left.

"Oh," Alex came out and nudged the Doctor's skinny stomach. "If you were human, Doctor, he would have totally just dissed you." She said. He gave her a look, but smiled. She giggled.

He then stopped smiling and turned back to Lazarus. "…Oh," he finally said. "He's out of his depth. No idea the damage he might of caused."

"What do we do now?" Alex knew the Doctor wasn't going to give in so quickly.

"Now… well, this building must be full of laboratories. I say we do our own tests." The Doctor and Alex grinned. The small brunette turned to Martha. She winked, knowing what Martha had done.

"Lucky I've just collected a DNA sample then, isn't it?" Martha waved her hand at him.

"Oh," The Doctor said. "Martha Jones, you're a star. Heh." The three of them head off.

-x-

"Amazing." The Doctor said. They finally had found a lab. After the scan, they were looking at Lazarus' DNA.

"What?" Martha asked. Alex was wondering too.

"Lazarus' DNA." The Doctor must have seen something that Alex and Martha haven't.

"I don't see anything." Alex said. It looked like a normal DNA strand to her.

"Look at it." Suddenly, the screen flickered.

Alex jumped. "Whoa, that was weird."

"Oh my God!" Martha said. "Did that thing just change? … But it can't have."

"But it did." Alex contradicted.

"But it's impossible." Martha argued.

"And that's two impossible things we've seen tonight. Don't you love it when that happens?" The Doctor grinned at them. Alex giggled. It wasn't surprising that he was happy about that.

"That means Lazarus has changed his own molecular patters." Martha said.

"Hypersonic sound waves to destabilize the cell structure then a mutagenic program to manipulate the coding in the protein strands." Alex and Martha both gave him a look. Alex only caught some of that. "Basically," _Oh good, he's going to explain it in English_. "He hacked into his own genes and told them to rejuvenate."

"But…" Alex looked back at the DNA as it flicked. "He must've missed something. It's still changing."

"Something in his DNA has been activated and won't let him stabilize. Something that's trying to change him." The Doctor muttered.

"Change him into what?" Martha asked.

"I dunno," it's never _ever _a good thing to hear the Doctor say that. "But I think we need to find out."

"That woman that was with him said they needed to go upstairs." Alex said.

"Let's go!" The Doctor ran out of the room with Martha and Alex following him.

-x-

The three brunettes finally left the elevator and walked into the dark office. The Doctor turned the lights on. "This is his office, alright."Alex walked off to look elsewhere.

"Where is he then?" The Doctor asked. Alex spun around. This place was _huge_.

"Let's try back at the re –" Alex screamed. The Doctor ran over to her. She turned and buried her face into his chest to stop seeing. Out of pure instinct, the Doctor wrapped his arms around her tiny waist. He looked to his left to see Lady Thaw. Both he and Martha were disturbed.

Martha bent down. The Doctor did as well. He kept Alex tightly to his chest. "Is that Lady Thaw?" Martha asked.

"Use to be." The Doctor responded. "Now it's just a shell. Had all the life energy drained out of her. Like squeezing the juice out of an orange."

"Lazarus." Martha whispered.

"Could be." The Doctor lifted his hand to cover Alex's eyes when she tried to look. She snuggled back into his chest.

"So, he's changed already." Alex moved her mouth so they'd be able to hear her without looking at the body.

"Not necessarily. You saw the DNA it was fluctuating. The process demanded energy. This might not have been enough." The Doctor responded.

"So you mean he might do this again?" Both girls asked him in fear.

"Hmmm…" The Doctor lifted Alex up to her feet. The trio ran over to the lift. They arrived back down at the party.

Alex couldn't seem him. Unfortunately, that wasn't saying much. She wasn't exactly the tallest person. "I can't see him."

"Keep looking." The Doctor took Alex's hand and they walked off.

"Where is he?" Alex turned a full circle. "Darnit," she turned to the tall man beside her. "What do you see?"

He looked back at her. "Why are you asking me?"

"Because compared to me, you're a building." Alex said with a straight face. The Doctor looked at her. There a pause before Alex and the Doctor started to laugh. They went back to Martha to see if she's found anything.

"Yeah. He was getting cozy with Tish a couple of minutes ago." Alex heard Leo say.

The people parted and she saw that he was talking to Martha. "With Tish?" Martha and Alex looked horrified at each other.

"Ah, Doctor." Francine came up to them. She wanted to talk to the Doctor. She had seen the looks he had been giving Alex. It unnerved her.

"Where did they go?" The Doctor ignored Francine.

"Upstairs, I think. Why?" Leo didn't see what why it was so important to know.

"Doctor –" Francine tried again. The Doctor rushed past her, spilling her drink over in the process. Alex ran after him. Martha was on her tail. "I'm speaking to you!" Alex turned around slightly surprised before focusing on keeping up with the Doctor in heels. And let her just say, it was _not _easy.

"Not now, Mum." Martha hissed.

-x-

They arrived back at Lazarus' office. Alex bound into room. She cursed when she couldn't find them. "Where are they?"

The Doctor jerked out the sonic screwdriver. He held it in front of him. "Fluctuating DNA will give off an energy signature. I might be able to pick it up." The Doctor lifted the sonic screwdriver to the roof. She heard it beep more quickly. "Got him."

"But this is the top floor…" Martha said. "The roof!" They ran for the stairs.

-x-

Alex took a deep breath. "Oh my god." Her feet were starting to hurt.

"Are you okay, Allie?" The Doctor asked.

"No." She said. She sighed. "I should have known. You never wear high heels when you're with the Doctor." He took her hand and got her up the rest of the stairs. They opened the door and found Tish standing there with Lazarus.

Alex felt her face scrunch. She now felt bad. Tish was 'one of those girls'. She scratched her head. Lazarus was speaking. "'Between the idea and the reality, between the motion and the act –'"

"'Falls the shadow'." The Doctor finished. Both turned to the brunettes.

"Martha, what are you doing here?" Tish asked, startled.

"So the mysterious Doctor knows his Eliot. I'm impressed." Lazarus said.

"Tish, get away from him." Martha ordered gently.

"What?" Tish asked, offended. "Don't tell me what to do."

"I wouldn't have thought you have time for poetry, Lazarus, what with you being so busy defying the laws of nature." The Doctor said.

"You're right, Doctor. One lifetime been too short for me to do everything I'd like." Lazarus answered. "How much more would I get done in two or three or four?"

"It doesn't work like that, Lazarus." Alex knew. "Some people can do so much more and live so much more in 20 years than others can do in 80 years. It's not the time that changes that, it's the _person_."

"But if it was the right person, what a gift that would be." Lazarus contradicted.

"Or what a curse." The Doctor would know. "Look at what you've done to yourself."

Lazarus scowled. "Who are you to judge me?"

"Over here, Tish." Martha waved her sister over.

Tish rushed over to Martha. "You have to spoil everything, don't you? Every time I find someone nice, you have to go and find a fault."

"Then listen to me, Tish." She looked over at Alex. "He's a monster. You need to stay away from him." Alex stopped suddenly. She looked behind Tish and slowly back up to the Doctor. He looked just as horrified. They took each other's hands. It seemed all they had to do was get close to one another, and their hands would move. They were like magnets, pulling the other together until their hands were touching.

She still wouldn't believe. "I know the age thing's a bit freaky, but it worked for Catherine Zeta-Jones."

At the sound of growling Tish slowly turned around. Alex covered her mouth. He looked horrible. Professor Lazarus looked like the mix between a human skeleton and a scorpion. It reared its head towards them. "Run!" The Doctor yelled. Alex didn't need to be told twice. They all ran for the door. The Doctor turned and used the sonic screwdriver. The girls ran down the stairs and Alex smacked the button for the lift.

"Are you okay?" Martha asked her sister.

"I was gonna snog him." She responded. Alex sighed, that would suck. The Doctor ran to them. Lazarus threw his body against the door. Suddenly, all light went off. Sirens echoed into the building.

An automated voice came over the speakers. "Security one. Security one. Security one."

"What's going on?" Alex asked.

"Uh, and intrusion." Tish answered. "It triggers a security lockdown. Kills most of the power. Stops the lifts. Seals the exits."

Another bang as Lazarus continued to hit the door. "He must be breaking through that door. The stairs come on!" Alex took the Doctor's hand and they ran down the stairs together. When Alex slipped slightly the Doctor caught her in a rush. He spun himself around and let her land on a couple stairs below.

_Crash_.

"He's inside!" Martha cried.

"We've got no time!" Alex called back to her. "Run!"

The four of them finally got to the reception. "Tish!" The Doctor said. "Is there another way out?"

"There's an exit in the corner, but it'll be locked by now." Ah, that wasn't going to be a problem. He turned to Alex.

"Allie, setting 54. Hurry." He chucked her the sonic screwdriver. Alex ran towards the exit. Martha and Tish follow close behind.

The Doctor jumped in front of Lazarus' machine. "Listen to me!" He yelled to the crowd. "You people are in serious danger! You need to get out of here right now!"

"Don't be ridiculous." A woman answered him. "The biggest danger here is chocking on an olive."

_Crash. _

Alex turned to see Lazarus appear on the landing above them. He rushed down towards the crowd. All of the people screamed. More crashes could be heard as people dropped their drinks to run. Alex turned back to her job. "Come on, come on, come on." She continued to work on the door.

The door finally opened. "Over here!" Martha called to everyone. "This way! Everyone downstairs! Hurry!"

Alex grabbed Martha's hand when she saw Francine and Leo. They ran over to them. Alex stood in front of them protectively. "Lazarus!" The Doctor called. He wasn't going to have him come anywhere near Alex. "Leave them alone!" Martha helped her brother and mother.

"Martha." Francine said, relieved. "Alex, get back here." Alex ignored her, and continued to stand.

"C'mon, stay with me." Martha reached out and tugged Alex's arm gently. It was a sign that they needed to leave. Alex slowly turned and they ran to safety.

They ran over to the door where Tish stood. "What's the Doctor doing?"

"He's buying us time." Alex answered.

"Let's not waste it." Martha commented. Alex agreed. "Leo, look at me. Let me see your eyes." She looked carefully into his eyes. "He's got a concussion. You'll need to help him downstairs." Martha got some ice and wrapped it around a napkin. "This'll keep the swelling down. Go! I'll be right behind you."

Alex pushed on Tish's arm when she didn't move. "Tish, we got to move." The woman finally moved. "Go, Martha." Alex took one last look at where the Doctor had been before removing herself from the reception.

-x-

The guests ran over to the doors. Many pressed themselves against it. But it wouldn't budge. "We can't get out!" Tish said. "We're trapped."

"Calm down," Alex ordered. "Now, there has to be a security desk." She looked at Tish. "Tish!"

"Over there!" Alex turned and ran over to it. She slid over the counter. Alex looked at the screens. She checked to make sure she turned on the right panels. Alex pressed the button on the sonic screwdriver and held it over the right areas.

The lights flicked on and Alex grinned, proud of herself. She then slid back over the counter as the partygoers ran outside the laboratories. The small girl walked back over to the Jones family. Alex looked at the sonic screwdriver. She turned it in her hand. Alex looked back up. She knew what she had to do. Martha locked eyes with her. Both knew what they had to do. "We have to go back." Martha said.

"You can't!" Francine said. "You say what that thing did! It'll kill you both!" She was not having Martha and Alex go back in there. Martha was her daughter. And Alex was the closest thing to a daughter.

"If there's one thing that I am _certain _of, it's this: The Doctor would never let that happen." Alex said.

"That's it, isn't it? It's that Doctor?" Francine came up and took Alex's and Martha's hand. "That's what happened to you two. That's why you've changed." They loved the Doctor.

Alex slowly slipped her hand out of Francine's hand. She would do anything for the Doctor. And honestly, Alex felt that she's been changed for the better. "He was buying us time, Martha, Alex. Time for you to get out too."

"We're not leaving him." Martha responded. She voiced both of their thoughts.

"Martha! Alex!" Both turned and ran back into the laboratories.

-x-

_BOOM_.

Alex slide to a stop. Well, that wasn't hard to figure out who did that. She ran in the direction it came from. The Doctor came slamming into them as they ran around a corner. "What are you doing here?" He asked shocked.

"We're returning something important." Alex lifted her hand to show the sonic screwdriver.

"How did you –?" Martha cut him off.

"Heard the explosion. Guessed it was you." Martha said simply.

"I blasted Lazarus." The Doctor explained.

"Did you kill him?" Martha asked.

_Crash_.

Alex jumped around to see Lazarus had crashed into the wall. "More sort of annoyed, I'd say." Alex, Martha, and the Doctor ran away. Somehow they ended up back at the reception.

"What now?" Martha asked. "We're just going around in a circle!"

Lazarus burst through the room. The Doctor ran towards the machine. "We can't lead him outside. Come on, get in!" The Doctor opened the door. Alex and Martha ran inside. The three pressed themselves together.

"Are we hiding?" Martha asked.

"We can't be." Alex said. "He's got to know we're in here."

"He does." The Doctor explained. "But this is his masterpiece. I'm betting he won't destroy it, not even to get at us."

"Oh," Alex pressed her back into the wall as much as she could. "That was the best idea you came up with?" Alex wasn't claustrophobic. But if you put anyone inside this thing with three people, and anyone would be. The Doctor didn't respond. "Anyways," Alex pointed out. "We're trapped."

"Well, yeah, that's a slight problem." The Doctor answered.

"You mean you don't have a plan?" Martha asked, snippy.

"Yes." The Doctor threw back. "The plan was to get inside here!"

"Then what?" Alex asked. She was starting too snippy as well.

"Well… Then I come up with another plan." The Doctor answered. Alex raised her eyebrows at him.

"In your own time, then." Martha said.

In the tight quarters, the Doctor reached to get his screwdriver. "Hey!" The Doctor's elbow pushed against Martha's throat. The Doctor turned to try and move it. He ended up pushing himself into Alex. The small girl felt her breath stop. His lips were just _inches _away from hers.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry." He told both of them. Though, he didn't really want to leave the position he was in with Alex. The brunette girl swore she could feel his lips move against hers. He finally got his screwdriver out. He moved away from Alex. She messed up all of his thoughts without even knowing it.

He slid down to the floor of the cabinet. "What are you going to do with that?" Martha asked.

"Improvise." The Time Lord popped the panel opened.

"I still don't understand where that thing came from. Is it alien?" Martha asked. Alex shuffled her feet to stay out of the Doctor's way. She was tempted to tell him to keep his head right where it was. Anymore in her or Martha's direction and he could get a lovely view of their underwear. But she knew the Doctor. He wouldn't do something like that.

"No," The Doctor fiddled with wires from the panel. He shined the sonic screwdriver on them. "For once, it's strictly human in origin."

"Human?" Alex snorted. "How can that thing be human?"

"Probably from dormant genes in Lazarus' DNA. The energy field from in this thing must have reactivated them. And it looks like they're becoming dominant." The Doctor explained.

"So it's a throwback." Martha muttered.

"Some option evolution rejected for you millions of years ago, but the potential is still there. Locked away, forgotten about until Lazarus unlocked them by mistake." The Doctor finished. He continued to fiddle with the wires.

"So, it's like Pandora's box?" Alex confirmed.

"Exactly." The Doctor looked over. "Nice shoes, by the way." He muttered.

Alex looked down at his brown hair. "Which ones?"

The Doctor took a look at both of them. "Both, actually." Alex smiled. Light filled the small room. Alex winced at the brightness. "Crap!" Alex said. "Please don't tell me he's done what I think he's done."

The Doctor looked up. "He's switched on the machine."

"Doctor!" Alex whined. "I told you not to tell me." Another light almost blinded her.

"That's not good is it?" Martha asked.

"Well, I was hoping it was gonna take him a little bit longer to work that out." The Doctor said.

"I don't want to hurry you, but –" Alex could barely hear her friend over the sound of the machine.

"I know, I know. Nearly done." The Doctor responded.

"What are you doing?" Alex yelled.

"Trying to set up the capsule to reflect energy rather than receive it." The Doctor explained, still fixing the wires.

"Will that kill him?" Martha asked.

"When he transform, he's three times bigger his size – cellular triplication – so he's spreading himself thin." The Doctor said.

Another flash shot through the cabinet. "We're going to end up like him!" Alex shouted.

"Just one more!" The Doctor pulled a wire. The lights to the machine slowly turn off. Alex looked around. The Doctor opened the door and cautiously stepped out. Alex put a hand to her stomach. She could feel butterflies ramming into the walls.

Martha came out next. "I thought we were gonna go through the blender." Martha said.

"I was _not _looking forward to that." Alex responded.

"Really shouldn't take that long to reverse the polarity. I must be a bit out of practice." The Doctor said.

Alex grabbed his arm. The Doctor put the arm around her to keep her steady. "You reversed it before the blender could change us, so I'm happy." The Time Lord ran a hand through her hair. Alex turned and saw Lazarus on the floor.

"Oh God." Martha said. They walked over to him. "He seems so… human again. It's kind of pitiful."

"Eliot saw that, too." The Doctor said. "'This is the way the world ends, not with a bang, but a whimper'."

"He seems like a cheerful guy." Alex said sarcastically. The Doctor smiled.

-x-

Alex, Martha, and the Doctor followed the cart as the paramedics took Lazarus away. "They're here." Tish ran over to them. "Oh, they're alright." Tish hugged Martha before hugging Alex.

"Ah, Mrs. Jones, we haven't finished out chat." The Doctor said, cheerful again.

_Whack_.

Alex turned around shocked to see Francine had slapped the Time Lord. "You keep away from my daughter. And you keep away from Alex." Said girl rushed over to the Doctor. He had a hand to his face.

"Mum what are you doing?" Martha asked.

"All the mothers, every time." The Doctor said to Alex. She smiled slightly. Alex took his hand gently and looked at the damage.

"It looks fine." She smiled. "It's just _really _red." Alex rubbed it gently. The Doctor couldn't stop himself from leaning slightly into her touch.

"He's dangerous!" Francine told her daughter. "I've been told things."

"What are you talking about?" Martha asked. What had her mother been 'told'?

Francine took Martha by the shoulders. "Look around you! Nothing but death and destruction."

Alex whirled around. "Francine," The woman looked over. "This isn't his fault." The girl didn't know where Francine got that idea. But she felt like she didn't want to know. "None of this is. He didn't cause it. He stopped it!"

"And it was Tish who invited us to this thing in the first place. So, I'd say, technically, it's her fault." Leo said. Tish rolled her eyes and elbowed her brother.

_Crash_.

Everyone turned to the sound. The Doctor, who had Alex's hand, turned to the girls before he ran off. Francine grabbed her other hand. Alex jerked back and her hand slipped out of the Doctor's grip. She turned back around surprised. Alex saw that she had a grip on Martha as well. "Leave him." Francine told the girls.

Alex took Francine's hand. "No." Alex said gently. She was never going to leave the Doctor. Martha shook her head in agreement. Both girls slipped out of her grip and ran towards the Doctor. Alex got to where he was. She stood next to him. Alex looked at the corpses of the poor men only husks now.

Tish and Martha joined them. "Lazarus, back from the dead. Should've known, really." He took out the screwdriver and looked around for Lazarus just like he did previously. The beeping sped up when he pointed it at the church.

"Where's he gone?" Martha asked.

"That way." The Doctor answered. "The church."

"Cathedral. It's Southwark Cathedral. He told me." The group walked towards the cathedral. They walked into the cathedral and up the nave. The Doctor was first, holding the sonic screwdriver.

"Do you think he's in here?" Alex was right behind the Time Lord. Behind her, were Martha and Tish.

"Seems like the right place if you wanted sanctuary." Alex responded. They walked up to the open space behind the alter. It was right under the bell tower. Lazarus sat there gasping. He had a red blanket wrapped around him. He must have got it from the ambulance.

He turned to them. "I came here before." Lazarus said. "A lifetime ago. I thought I was going to die then. In fact, I was sure of it. I sat there, just a child…" The Doctor slowly walked up to him. "The sound of planes and bombs outside."

"The Blitz." The Doctor said. Alex blinked. The Blitz were planes in World War II. They had been for the Nazi. They had bombed England – along with other countries – from September 7 1940 to May 10 1941.

"You've read about it." Alex had. She wouldn't be surprised if the Doctor had actually been there.

"I was there." Alex nodded. _Knew it_, Alex thought.

Lazarus scoffed. "You're too young." Alex sighed. He was only young to look at. In reality, he was more than 900 years old. He told them.

"So are you." The Doctor retaliated.

Lazarus laughed. But it soon turned into a gasp of pain as he fought with the mutation. "In the morning," Lazarus gasped out. "The fires had died, and I was still alive. I swore I'd never face death like that again." The Doctor walked around Lazarus. Alex caught him looking up into the bell tower. Alex looked up as well. She then looked back down and smirked. She knew that face… He was planning something. "So defenseless. I would arm myself, fight back, defeat it."

"That's what you were trying to do today?" The Doctor asked.

"That's what I did today." Lazarus corrected.

"What about the other people who died?" The Doctor asked. He held an arm up when Alex tried to step forward. He gave her a look. He knew she would understand. Alex hesitated, but slowly took that step back. When she did, he turned back to Lazarus.

"They were nothing." Lazarus cared for no one but himself. "I changed the course of history."

"Any of them might have done, too. You think history only made with equations?" The Doctor knew the answer more than most. "Facing death is part of being human. You can't change that."

"No, _Doctor_," Lazarus spat the Time Lord's name. "Avoiding death. That's being human. It's our strongest impulse, to cling to life with every fiber of being. I'm doing what everyone's before me has tried to do. I've simply been more… successful." He groaned as his body tried to change again. Alex winced as a painful 'pop' could be heard in his body.

"Look at yourself!" The Doctor shouted. "You're mutating! You've no control over it! You call that success?"

"I call it progress." Lazarus panted. "I'm more than I was. More than just an ordinary human."

"There's no such thing as an ordinary human." The Doctor knew that. Alex didn't see the look he sent her. His body tried to mutate again.

Alex slowly walked to the Doctor's side. "He's going to mutate any minute." She pointed out.

"I know." He whispered back. "If I can get him up into the bell tower somehow, I've an idea that might work."

Alex looked up at the bell tower again. "Up there?" She asked. He nodded at her.

"You so sentimental, Doctor." Lazarus brought their attention back to him. Alex backed up and passed on the information to Martha. "Maybe you are older than you look."

"I'm old enough to know that a longer life isn't always a better one." The Doctor said. "In the end, you just get tired. Tired of the struggle. Tired of losing everyone that matters to you. Tired of watching everything turn to dust." The Doctor squatted down next to Lazarus. Alex felt her eyes sadden. "If you live long enough, Lazarus, the only certainty left is that you end up alone."

"That's a price worth paying." Alex shook her head. She doubted that.

"Is it?" The Doctor asked.

Lazarus struggled against the change again. "I will feed soon." He told the Time Lord.

"I'm not gonna let that happen." The Doctor promised.

"You've not been able to stop me so far." Lazarus pointed out.

Alex stood on the other side of Lazarus. "Leave him alone, Lazarus. He's old and bitter." The Doctor frowned at Alex. What was she doing?

Martha walked up next to her. "Thought you had a taste for fresher meat."

"Martha, Allie, no!" The Doctor said. Lazarus growled at them. He launched himself towards them. Martha and Alex turned to run. Tish ran with them.

"What are you doing?" Martha cried.

"Keeping you two out of trouble!" Tish responded.

"Doctor!" Alex yelled. "The bell tower!"

Martha, Alex, and Tish ran up the narrow staircase to get to the upper levels. Suddenly, Lazarus started to scream. They turned and stopped. "Did you hear that?"

"He's changed again." Martha said. "We've got to lead them up." They continued up the stairs. Finally, they got to the high levels. Alex stopped for a moment. She could have sworn she heard her name.

"Allie?" Alex slide to a stop when she heard the Doctor's voice. "Martha?"

Alex ran over to one of the archways and leaned out of it. "Doctor!" She called back to him.

The Time Lord spun around, happy to see she was okay. "Take him to the top, the very top, d'you hear me?" He shouted back at them.

"Then what?" Martha asked.

"Martha! Alex! Come on!" Tish took Martha's hand, who took Alex's hand. The three girls ran towards the top. Martha, Tish, and Alex finally got to the very top of the bell tower. It was a circular pathway with wooden rails. "There's nowhere to go! We're trapped!"

"This is where he said to bring him!" Martha said.

"Alright," Tish corrected. "We're not trapped, we're bait."

"We've got to trust the Doctor." Alex told Tish. "He knows what he's doing." Lazarus came into the room. He blocked the only door.

"Ladies." Lazarus hissed.

Alex pushed the girls behind her. "If he takes me, I want you both to run out the door." Alex instructed.

"But –" Tish said.

"Alex –" Martha tried.

"Just do it!" Alex snapped. Lazarus attacked them. The girls ducked. Lazarus continued to swing his tail at them. He broke the wooden railing. Just as he was about to hit Martha, Alex pushed her. The small girl ended up being pushed off the walkway in the process. Alex had just enough time to cling to the edge. "Doctor!" She screamed as loud as she could. Lazarus leaped over her to stand before Alex.

-x-

The Doctor's head snapped up in response. His hearts raced at the emotion behind Alex's cry. He looked up just enough to see Alex's silver shoes. His body froze for a second. _No_! He turned back to the organ. His mind was now racing a mile a minute. "We need to turn this up to 11." The Doctor quickly grabbed the sonic screwdriver.

He was working as quickly as he could now. He had to save Alex before she either fell to her death, or became an orange to Lazarus. His hearts were going to burst with both scenes playing in his mind.

-x-

Tish and Martha held their hands over their ears in agony. The sound waves of the organ were resonating in the small place. Alex closed her eyes tightly. She had to endure the agony without covering her ears. Lazarus screeched before falling over the edge. Alex could barely feel him pass her.

Alex's grip slipped. Before she could fall to her own doom, Martha and Tish got her. They pulled her up slowly. Alex sighed when she felt her body on the floor. The girls huddled together happy to be alive. "Allie?" Alex heard the Doctor yell up to them. He was worried that the worst happened.

"I'm fine!" Alex called back. The Doctor relaxed. He let his breath out in relief. "We're all okay!" She turned back to the sisters. "Thanks." Alex smiled in relief.

"It's your Doctor we should be thanking." Tish said. She laughed weakly.

"Told you he's something." Martha said.

"Oh yeah," Alex rolled her eyes. "He's something alright."

"He cut it a bit close there, didn't he?" Tish said.

"Oh," Alex laughed. "He always does. It's 'more fun that way' as he would put it." The girls laughed.

"…Who _is_ he?" Tish finally asked.

"He's… He's the Doctor." Martha explained. Alex sighed. Her heart was still trying to escape.

-x-

They finally got down to the stairs. The minute Alex locked eyes with the Doctor she ran to him. The Doctor lifted her up in his arms. He took a deep breath. His hearts were still pounding. He had been worried that she was gone. The thought was scary. He inhaled her wonderful scent. Everything about her he was now becoming depended on… Even, even loving them.

The Doctor couldn't deny it anymore. He had fallen in love with Alex Harper. He loved everything about her. Alex pulled away. Those beautiful eyes looked back at him. Both smiled a relieved smile. Martha frowned at them. She knew… Oh, how she knew. They were going to fall in love with each other. That's saying if they haven't already. Martha smiled sadly at the scene. The Doctor had his hands on Alex's face. Both were just inches apart from each other. Martha loved Alex. She loved her like a sister… But at the same time, she hated Alex. Martha hated Alex with everything she had.

The Doctor came over and hugged Martha too. Martha looked over at Alex. Their eyes locked. Alex raised an eyebrow. Something seemed to come over Martha. But Alex couldn't tell what it was. Martha looked away when Alex gave her a questioningly gaze. "I didn't know you could play." Martha said.

"Oh, well, you know, if you hang around Beethoven, you're bound to pick up a few things." The Doctor responded.

"Hmm… Especially about playing loud." Alex teased. The Doctor leaned forward like he hadn't heard her.

"Sorry?" He asked. Alex and Martha laughed at him.

-x-

"Something else that just kind of escalated, then." The Doctor said. Alex nodded her head.

"I can see a pattern developing." Martha said to him. "You two should take better care in the future. And the past, and whatever other time period you find yourselves in." Martha knew. She knew that the Doctor couldn't send Alex back home. Alex was going to become a companion.

"You know?" Alex scratched her head. She really didn't want Martha to find out. She was after all in love with the Doctor.

Martha gave her a knowing look. "Oh I know." Alex smiled nervously.

The Doctor was oblivious as always. Alex and Martha had a conversation under the one that was heard. "Its good fun, though, isn't it?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah." Martha replied.

"So, what d'you say, one more trip?" The Doctor liked her. Unfortunately, it wasn't in the way that she wanted.

"No. Sorry." Martha said. Alex had a knowing look. She knew why Martha turned her down.

The Doctor however didn't. He looked deflated. "What do you mean?" He asked. "I thought you liked it."

"I do," Martha explained. "But I can't go on like this. 'One more trip'. It's not fair."

"What're you talking about?" The Doctor was still in the dark.

"I don't want to be a passenger anymore." Martha told him. "Someone you take along for a treat. If that's how you still see me, well, I'd rather stay here."

The Doctor's look of confusion had cleared. The Doctor looked over at Alex. They had a silent conversation through their locked eyes. Alex raised an eyebrow. "Okay, then. If that's what you want."

Martha was hurt. "Right. But we've already said good-bye once today so it's really best if you just leave." Martha turned her back away from them. Alex grinned and shook her head. When there wasn't any noise Martha turned back around. "What is it?"

"What?" The Doctor asked. "I said okay."

"Sorry?" Martha asked.

"He's letting you come!" Alex finally said. Martha looked up at the TARDIS and then at them with a huge smile.

"Oh, thank you, thank you!" Martha ran over and hugged the Doctor. Alex squealed happily. Both girls grinned at each other and hugged tightly.

"Well," The Doctor drew out the 'l'. "You were never really just a passenger, were you?" They entered the TARDIS.

Alex jumped happily. "This is going to be so much fun!" The small brunette jumped into the Time Lord's arms. He laughed and spun them around.

The Doctor threw his coat on a beam and walked over to the controls. He looked at them and smiled. They smiled back.

And with that, they were off.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

_Bzzzz…. _

Alex finally fixed her hair. She turned around. The Doctor held the sonic screwdriver to Martha's phone. Martha was near him. When she saw Alex, Alex gave her a look to ask what she thought.

Alex wore a black tank top with lace across the collar and bottom. Over it, she had a Wisteria colored short sleeved shirt over it. On the front, in black, it said 'PROMISE'. She had dark wash jeans with a brown belt. She had a silver watch on her left hand and a thick brown wristband on the other. She had a cross necklace that she wrapped around her neck three times. To match the necklace, the small brunette had small silver cross earnings. She wore pink converse. Always wear running shoes when with the Doctor.

Martha nodded in approval. Alex grinned. The Doctor finally was finished with Martha's phone. "There we go! Universal Roaming." He had already fixed Alex's phone. "Never have to worry about a signal again."

He tossed Martha's phone back to her. Martha looked and saw the screen now displayed 'Universal Roaming Activated'. Alex bound over to the Doctor. The Time Lord smiled at her. They looked at each other for a moment before Alex hugged him, happily. She always loved hugs. He grinned and lifted her up. "No way!" Martha said just as the Doctor set the small brunette down. "It's just… to mad! You're telling me I can call anyone, anywhere in space and time on my mobile?"

"Oh yeah!" Alex said. "Well," Alex shrugged. "As long as we know the area code." Martha and Alex grinned at each other.

"Frequent Fliers' privilege." The Doctor smiled. "Go on. Try it." Alex put her cell into her pocket. She really didn't have anyone that she wanted to call… Well, anyone that she _could _call. It seems that the Doctor couldn't let her call back into her world. Martha began to dial. Suddenly, the TARDIS jolted. It sent all three of them to the ground. The Doctor was the first to get back up. He looked at the screen of his TARDIS. It flashed red at him. "Distress signal." He told his companions. "Locking on!"

The Doctor pressed a switch on the console with his foot. Alex and Martha were able to get up and cling to the TARDIS. "Might be a bit of…" Before he could finish, the TARDIS gave another jerk. Then, all was still. The Doctor got up first. "… Turbulence. Sorry." Alex got up next. She cracked her neck and shook herself. Alex ran towards the Doctor as they went to the door. "Come on, Martha. Let's take a look." Martha was still trying to find her feet. She was annoyed.

The Doctor leaned out of the door. "Whoa! Now that is hot!" Alex followed him.

"Holy crap," She looked around. The TARDIS seemed to have ended up in an engine room. Everything was bright red. And – as the Doctor said – it was hot. "This is insanely hot."

"Whoa! It's like a sauna in here." Martha took off her jacket. Alex flicked her shirt to try and get herself cool.

The Doctor looked at the pieces of equipment. "Venting systems. Working at full pelt." Alex walked over. She saw that all of the dials were as high as they could possible go. "Trying to cool down…" The Doctor straightened. "Where ever it is we are."

Alex walked to a heavy duty door. She opened it with some effort. Alex peaked out before slipping into it. "Ah," the small girl shrugged. "That's a little better." The Doctor nodded. The heat still could be felt, but it wasn't as bad as that engine room.

Three people, two men and one woman, came running down the halls. They all looked very hot. "Oi! You two!" One of the men called.

"Get out of there!" The woman ordered.

"Seal that door! Now!" The first man yelled. Alex and the Doctor looked confused. The two men quickly sealed the door. Martha had just enough time to step out.

"Who are you? What are you doing on my ship?" _Must be the captain then_. Alex thought.

"Are you police?" One of the brunettes asked.

"Why would we be police?" Alex asked.

"We got your distress signal." Martha told them.

"If this is a ship, why can't I hear any engines?" The Doctor asked.

"It went dead four minutes ago." The captain responded.

"So maybe we should stop chatting and get back to engineering, captain." The second man finally spoke up.

"Security closure activated." A computer told them.

The doors started to slam shut. "What?" The captain whirled around at the 'clang' sound.

"The ships gone mad." The second brunette said.

Yet another woman came running towards the group. "Who activated security closure? I nearly got locked into area twenty-seven." The girl asked. She looked over at the three newcomers. "Who are you?"

"He's the Doctor and this is Alex Harper and I'm Martha Jones." Alex slowly walked towards a small window. Something about the light bothered her. "Hello."

"Hi, nice to meet you." Alex said, distracted. It looked like she was possessed. Alex slowly got in front of the window. She squinted as a bright light covered her face. Alex walked towards the window, looking both horrified and amazed at the same time. "Oh my God." She muttered to herself.

"Impact Projection in: Forty-two minutes." The computer stated. Alex didn't hear it.

"We'll get out of this, I promise." The captain said.

Martha came up next to her. The same look was on her face. "Doctor…" She said shakily.

"Forty-two minutes 'til what?" The Doctor asked.

"Doctor!" Alex shouted. He responded to Alex's shout and came over. "You really need to see this." The Time Lord stood next to her small body. There, on the other side of the screen, was a blazing sun.

"Forty-two minutes until we crash into the sun." The Doctor ran back to the captain.

"How many crew members on board?" He asked quickly.

"Seven, including us." She answered.

Another crew member spoke up. "We transport cargo across the galaxy. Everything's automated. We just keep the ship…"

The Doctor ran towards the door they came in. "Call the others, I'll get you out." The Doctor went to open the door.

"What's he doing?" The other brunette male asked.

"No! Don't!" It was too late. The Doctor opened the door. The engine was so hot that the pure force threw the Doctor back. Alex ran to him as he landed with a yelp. Martha was next to him as well. One of the crew members shut the door. She was wearing a breathing apparatus. The crowd came around the Doctor.

"But my ship's in there!" He couldn't just leave the TARDIS.

"In the vent chamber?" One of the men asked. It was hard to believe until you see it for yourself. The crew member took of the apparatus and it showed the brunette female. She stood off to the side of the room reading the gauges there.

"It's our lifeboat!" The Doctor said.

"It's lava." The other male said.

"The tempurature's going mad up there!" The brunette girl said. "Up 3000 degrees in ten seconds and still rising."

"Channeling the air. The closer we get to the sun, the hotter than room is going to get." _Great, _So it would be impossible for them to get the TARDIS now.

"We're stuck here." Martha said in contempt.

"So?" The Doctor said. "We fix the engines and steer the ship away from the sun! Simple!" The Doctor stood up and took Alex's hand. "Engineering down here, is it?" He ran down the corridor. He pulled Alex behind him the whole time.

"Impact in 40.26." The computer said. The Doctor and Alex ran into the engine room with the crew following them. Alex raised an eyebrow as the Doctor looked bemused at the room. It was a complete mess.

"Blimey!" The Doctor commented. "Do you always leave things in such a mess?" The rest of the crew looked shocked.

"Oh my god!" The captain yelled.

"What the hell happened?" One of the men shouted. They all walked over to the wreckage. Alex thought it was suppose to be an engine, but the thing was completely destroyed. Wires, springs, and casing were scattered all over the place. All of them walked around the machinery, surveying the damage.

"Oh, it's wrecked." The other man pointed out.

"And it was done well." Alex said. "The person had to know what they were doing. No amateur could do this kind of damage." The Doctor wondered over to the computer terminal. It seemed that was still intact.

The captain looked around. "Where's Korwin?" She asked. Alex wondered over to the Doctor. "Has anyone heard from him or Ahston?"

"No." One of the brunette men said.

"You mean someone did this on purpose?" Martha asked. Alex shrugged. She wasn't sure.

The woman captain ran over to the intercom. "Korwin? Ashton? Where are you?" There wasn't a response. "Korwin, can you answer?" There still wasn't an answer. "Where the hell is he? He should have been up here!" Alex noticed her tone. Whoever this 'Korwin' is he must be important to her.

The Doctor had been scanning to find out where they were. The rest of the crew moved about. They were trying to fix the ship and find Korwin. He had the adorable specs on. "Oh! We're in the Torajii system! Lovely!" The Doctor said, cheerfully. Alex looked over his shoulder – so to speak. She saw the screen show a system of planets that surround a sun. It looked a lot like Milky Way. "You're a long way from home, Allie. So are you Martha. Half a universe away."

"Yeah. Feels it." Martha said sarcastically.

"Great!" Alex paused. "…What's the Torajii system?" The Doctor chuckled at her enthusiasm despite having absolutely no idea where she was.

The Doctor went over to the captain. "And, you're still using energy scoops for fusion? Hasn't that been outlawed, yet?" The crew looked at each other nervously, and Alex could have sworn she saw guilt.

"We're due to upgrade next docking." The woman said dismissively. Alex raised an eyebrow. She walked away from the Doctor. "Scannell, engine report."

'Scannell' walked over to the screen the Doctor had been using. The Time Lord came to stand next to Alex. Their hands brush against each other before locking. He turned to give her a look. She knew the look well. He was promising her that they would get out of their safely. She smiled back at him. Alex had full trust in him.

Scannell scanned. The other waited anxiously for his report. Finally the computer beeped multiple times. "No response." He ran over to the engine.

"What?" The captain asked in disbelief.

Scannell went over to the wires. "They're burn out." He threw the wire in frustration. "The controls are wrecked. I can't get them back on line."

The Doctor took off his glasses. "Oh come on!" He called. "Auxiliary engines! Every craft's got auxiliary."

"We don't have access from here." The captain responded. "The auxiliary controls are in the front of the ship."

"Yeah, with 29 passwords sealed doors between us and them." Scannell said. "You'll never get there in time."

"Can't you like… I don't know, override the controls or something?" Alex asked. There had to be something they could do.

"No. Sealed closure means what it says." Scannell said. "They're all dead-locked sealed."

The Doctor voiced Alex's thoughts. "So a sonic screwdriver is no use." He said, disappointed.

"Nothing's any use." Scannell said. "We've got no engines, no time, and no chance." _Well, isn't he just a barrel full of sunshine_.

"Oh, listen to you! Defeated before you even started! Where's your Dunkirk spirit?" The Doctor turned back to the captain. "Who's got the door passwords?"

The other male interpreted. "They're randomly generated. Reckon I know most of 'em. Sorry, Riley Vashti."

Alex felt butterflies as the Doctor's face changed. He was going to take charge now. "Then what are you waiting for, Riley Vashti, get on it."

"Well, it's a two person job." Riley answered. He went over and fetched what looked like a giant clamp and a huge backpack. "One, it takes to answer the questions, and the other to carry this." He put the kit onto his back. "The oldest and cheapest security system around, eh, captain?"

"Reliable and simple, just like you, eh Riley?" The captain shot back.

"Try and be helpful, get abused. Nice!" Alex smiled at Riley's mumble.

Martha took the equipment from Riley's hands. "I'll help you. Make myself useful." Martha said.

"It's remotely controlled by a computer panel. That's why we need two." Riley explained.

Riley turned and went out of the door. Martha went to follow him. "Oi." The Doctor said, seriously. She turned back to him. "Be careful."

She smiled. "You too." Martha gave Alex a look. She was talking to both of them

Alex gave a sharp nod. "Aye Aye Ma'am." She jokingly said. Alex felt fine as long as the Doctor was by her side. The Doctor came up next to her. She looked over. Their eyes locked.

"I need you to be careful too." The Doctor had come to realize Alex had a good sense for feeling when something's wrong. "Even if you're with me, be on your toes." He then smiled.

"Ah," She snapped her fingers. "And here I thought I could get rid of you." Both grinned at her joke.

A voice came over the intercom. "McDonnell? It's Ashton."

McDonnell ran over to the intercom. "Where are you? Is Korwin with you?"

"Get to the med-center _now_!" Ashton replied. Alex and the Doctor looked at each other. They followed McDonnell to the med-center. Martha and Riley are just setting up to get through the first door when they come out.

The computer counted down to impact. "Impact in 34.31."

In the med-center a man, who had to be Korwin, was trashing around. He was on a bed that was connected that looked like an MRI scan. His eyes were shut tight. Another man, Ashton, and a woman, Abi, were restraining him.

"Argh! Stop it!" Korwin cried in pain.

The girl spoke up. "Korwin! It's Abi!" She struggled to keep him restrained. "Open your eyes. I need to take a look at you!" Alex ran in and stopped at the sight. The Doctor bumped into her small body slightly at the sudden stop. He was about to ask her why she stopped when he got a look at the sight.

"Korwin!" McDonnell cried. "What's happened? Is he okay?"

The Doctor ran to the foot of the bed. He held Alex back when she tried to come near him. He knew that this would upset her. Korwin continued to thrash about. "Oh God! Help me! It's burning me!"

"How long has he been like this?" The Doctor asked.

"Ashton just brought him in." The nurse answered.

The Doctor whipped out his sonic screwdriver. He felt Alex's hand on his arm. He used the sonic screwdriver over Korwin. At the same time, he took Alex's hand and squeezed gently. McDonnell panicked. "What are you doing?"

"Sonic impulse." The Doctor responded.

McDonnell pushed past Ashton to get to the head of the bed. "Don't be stupid, that's my husband." _Well, _Alex thought._ That would explain her tone of voice earlier_.

"And he's just sabotaged our ship!" Ahston commented.

"Wait. That was him?" Alex asked.

"What?" McDonnell asked.

"He went mad. He set the ship into secure closure, then he set that heat pulse to melt the controls." Ashton explained.

"No way! He wouldn't do that!" McDonnell knew her husband. She knew he would never do that.

"I saw it happen, captain." Ashton countered.

The Doctor spoke up to Korwin. "Korwin? Korwin open your eyes for me for a second."

"I can't!" Korwin shouted.

"Yeah, course you can. Go on." The Doctor encouraged.

"Don't make me look at you! Please!" Korwin begged. Alex spotted a small gun on the table. She took it and lifted it up to the nurse.

"This is sedative?" When the woman nodded, Alex turned to Korwin. "Korwin? My name's Alex. It's okay," she said softly, calmly. Her motherly tone was coming out. "You're going to be okay. I'm just going to let you rest." With that, Alex pointed the gun at Korwin's neck. She pushed the button. With one final cry, Korwin rested.

The Doctor gave her a smile. She was good, far from good, she was brilliant. He perched himself on the bed. "Rising body temperature, unusual energy readings…" He pointed to the MRI chamber. "Stasis chamber. I do love a good stasis chamber." Correction: He pointed to the _stasis _chamber. "Keep him sedated in there. Regulate the body temperature." The nurse looked at him questioningly but did as he said. Ashton also looked over at the Doctor. His breath was irregular from his fight with Korwin. "And, just for fun, run a bio scan and tissue profile on a metabolic detail."

The woman looked around as she made sure she did the right thing. "Yeah, I'm doing them now."

"Oh, you're good." Not as good as Alex but to the Doctor Alex was better than everyone. "Anyone else presenting these symptoms?"

"Not so far." She replied.

"Well," Alex said. "That's a start."

McDonnell continued to look down at her husband. "Will someone tell me what is the matter with him?"

"Some sort of infection." The Doctor answered. "We'll know more after the test results. Now, Allons-y, back downstairs." The Doctor commanded. "Oi! See about those engines." Ashton left but McDonnell didn't move. "Oi! Go." She finally did leave reluctantly. The Doctor took Alex's hand and ran back to the engines. To the nurse, he called. "Call us if there's any news! Any questions?"

She scoffed. "Yeah. Who are you?"

The Doctor popped his head back into the room. "I'm the Doctor." With that he tugged Alex back to the engine room.

-x-

The Doctor was talking to Abi through the intercom. "Abi, how's Korwin doing?" He asked. "Any results from the bio-scan?"

"He's under heavy sedation." Abi answered. "I'm trying to make sense of this data. Give me a couple of minutes and I'll let you know."

"Thanks anyways, Abi." Alex said since the Doctor could be a little rude. He changed the settings on the intercom so the two of them were now talking to Martha and Riley. "Martha? Riley? How're you doing?"

"Area twenty-nine." Martha explained. "At door to twenty-eight."

The Doctor putted on his dorky specs and read the readout above the intercom. "You've gotta move faster!" The Doctor said.

"We're doing our best." Martha responded. The Doctor ran back to the engine. Alex followed him obediently. She mostly held things for him. Alex was starting to feel a little useless. But she wasn't sure what she could do.

"Find the next number in the sequence: 313, 331, 367…" Alex heard Riley say over the intercom. There was a pause. "What?"

Alex blinked. _Didn't he say that he would know the answers_? Martha had the same thoughts. Martha became scared. "You said the crew knew all the answers."

"The crew's changed since we changed them." Riley answered. Alex snapped her head over to the intercom. She looked at it in disbelief. _But who would know…_ Alex turned back around to the Doctor. He was working on the engine. "Doctor," He turned to her. "'Find the next number in the sequence: 313, 331, 367…'" Alex had a crappy long term memory. Give her something fresh and ask her in a few minutes, and she'll remember.

The Doctor ran over to the comm. "379!" He said.

"What?" Martha asked.

"It's a sequence of happy primes." The Doctor explained. "379."

"Happy what?" Martha asked.

"Just enter it!" The Doctor ordered. Alex felt it was better to do what he said when he was certain. When you gave the Time Lord a question and he gave you an answer right off the bat that meant he was certain. If you just did what he said, then he wouldn't go into some long explanation that he explained at 100 miles per hour.

"Are you sure?" Alex rolled her eyes. _Don't doubt the Doctor_. "We only get one chance."

Alex watched as the Time Lord got slightly annoyed. And then he was off, speaking his trademark 100 mph. "Any number which reduces to one when you take the sum of the square of its digits and you continued iterating until it yields one is a happy number. Any number that doesn't isn't. A happy prime is a number which is both happy and prime, now type it in!" The Doctor turned as McDonnell came down the stairs. She threw him a dirty look. "I dunno, talk about dumbing down! Don't they teach recreational mathematics, anymore?"

"What mathematics?" Alex asked. Her tone was flat. He looked over at her.

"Not talking about you, Allie." He corrected quickly.

"I hope not." Alex's tone was still flat.

"We're through!" Martha called.

"Duh," Alex couldn't hold her tongue for long. "The Doctor's never wrong. You really need to learn that."

"Keep moving. Fast as you can." The Doctor commanded. The Doctor took off his glasses. He locked eyes with Alex. He spoke quietly and sensitively. "And, Martha," – although he only said Martha's name he was talking to both – "be careful. There may be something else on board this ship."

"Anytime you wanna unnerve me, feel free." Martha said.

"Will do, thanks." The Doctor switched off the com for now and walked away.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex were standing in front of a broken piece of equipment. The remainder of the crew stood around them. "We need a backup in case they don't reach the auxiliary engines in time." The Doctor explained. "Come on! Think! What've we got?" Martha's voice came over the intercom.

"Doctor?" The Doctor looked around.

"What's the question this time, Martha?" Alex asked gently. She knew if the Doctor would answer he wouldn't have been so kind.

"Who had the most number ones, Elvis, or the Beatles?" Alex looked at the intercom with a raised eyebrow. What kind of question was that? "That's pre-download."

"Elvis!" The Doctor said, confident. "No! The Beatles!" Okay, maybe he wasn't so confident. "No! Wait! Um… Um…" The Doctor looked like he was physically in pain. "Argh!" He began to smack the back of his head. "What was that remix?" Finally the Doctor gave up. "Um… I don't know! I'm a bit busy!"

"Fine." Martha said, put out. "I'll ask someone else." Unfortunately, Alex didn't remember the answer off the top of her head. She didn't know it either. "Alex…?" Martha asked hopefully.

"Nope!" Alex sighed. "I don't remember nor know." She heard Martha sigh over the com.

"Now, where was I?" The Doctor asked. Alex turned her attention back to him. "Here comes the sun."

"No," Alex corrected patiently. "Resources."

"Right!" The Doctor got back on track. "So the power's still working, the generator's going. If we can harness that… Ah!" Light bulb went off over his head.

"Use the generator to jump-start the ship." McDonnell finished.

"Exactly!" The Doctor said. "At the very least, it'll buy use some more time."

"That… Is brilliant." McDonnell complemented.

"Isn't it?" Alex grinned. "But see? Tiny glimmer of hope shinning threw." Most of the crew smiled. There now may be a way out.

"If it works." Scannell said. Alex pouted, and threw him a look. Must he spoil everything?

"Oh, believe me. You're going to make it work." _Oh, _Alex smirked. _Talk about girl power_.

The Doctor looked at McDonnell with respect. He smiled. "That told him!" Alex smiled at his child-like nature.

The computer continued to count down. "Impact in 29.46."

-x-

"Impact in 28.50."

"Doctor," Abi finally spoke. Alex turned, concerned. Her voice sounded frightful. "These readings are starting to scare me."

The Doctor looked up, concerned as well. "What d'you mean?" He asked.

"Well," The Doctor, Alex, and the rest of the crew listen intently. "Korwin's body's changing! His whole biological make-up, it's… It's impossible." Alex suddenly started to get a very bad feeling. She tugged on the Doctor's jacket. He looked over. She put the feeling through her eyes. The Doctor's eyebrow's furrowed together. "This is med-centre." Abi's voice rose up. "Urgent assistance requested. Urgent assistance requested."

The Doctor looked shocked. He looked back at Alex. She was _really _good at sensing danger. The Doctor ran out of the room. Alex followed him. "Stay here! Keep working!" They had to get those engines working. McDonnell didn't listen and ran after the two brunettes.

"Urgent assistance!" Alex continued to hear Abi's voice.

Erina's voice then came onto the com. "Abi. They're on their way."

"What's happen to you?" Abi asked. Alex ran faster.

Alex almost stopped in her tracks when she heard the response. It was a deep threatening voice that sent shivers down her spine. "Burn with me." The voice repeated itself. "Burn with me."

The Doctor slowed down. He caught Alex to help her stop. It seemed that both McDonnell and Scannell followed them. "Captain?" Scannell asked.

"I told you to stay in engineering!" The Doctor said.

"I only take orders from one person 'round here." Scannell shot back.

The Doctor looked shocked. Alex rolled her eyes. She couldn't hold the sarcastic comment anymore. "Is he always such a barrel full of sunshine?"

"Burn with me." The voice continued to say.

Abi's voice came over the intercom. She sounded absolutely terrified. And she had a good reason to be. "K… Korwin, you're sick…"

"Burn. With. Me!" Alex felt her stomach lurch. Not at the statement but the sound after it. Abi let out a blood curdling scream.

"Doctor? What were those screams?" Martha asked. It seemed that even she and Riley heard it.

The Doctor and Alex – along with McDonnell and Scannell – were still running to get to the med-center. "Concentrate on those doors!" He yelled. "You've got to keep moving forward!"

And, after all of that, the last thing they needed was the computer reminding them of how close they were to a sun. "Impact in 27.06."

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and McDonnell burst through the plastic sheeting. Scannell was already there. He was looking around. Alex noticed the bed where Korwin was supposed to be was now empty. McDonnell was shaken. "Korwin's gone."

Alex turned and felt her stomach jump into her throat. "Oh," She had trouble speaking. "Oh my God." The small brunette girl felt sick.

The Doctor's mind gave off small alarms at Alex's tone. He turned to see what freaked her out. McDonnell and Scannell turned as well. It was a charred, black shape on the wall. It was in the shape of a person with one hand up in the air.

The charred shape was once Abi Learner.

The Doctor slowly walked up to it. "Tell me that's not Learner." Scannell said. Alex put her hands up over her mouth. What could do such a thing?

The Doctor ran his fingers across the outline. "Endothermic vaporization. I've never seen one this ferrous." The Doctor's face became distant. "'Burn with me'."

"That's what we heard Korwin say." Scannell said. The Doctor lifted a hand to Alex. She didn't think twice. She walked over and buried her face into his chest. The Time Lord held his Alex tightly to him.

"What?" McDonnell snapped. "D'you think…? No way! Scannell, tell him! Korwin is not a killer! He can't vaporize people! He's human!"

The Doctor noticed something on the floor and picked it up. He pulled Alex back to him when he stood back up. Alex didn't care if it was super hot in the ship. She would never turn down the Doctor's hugs. "His bioscan results…" The Doctor looked at them carefully. "Internal temperature, one hundred degrees! Body oxygen replaced with hydrogen! You're husband hasn't been infected, he's been overwhelmed!"

McDonnell snatched the papers out of the Time Lord's hand. "The test results are wrong!"

"But what was it though?" The Doctor wouldn't drop it. "Parasite? Mutagenic virus? Something that needs a host body. But how did it get inside him?"

"Stop talking like he's some sort of experiment!" McDonnell was now getting hysterical.

"Where's the ship been?" Something had to occur to cause this. It couldn't have just happened on its own. "Have you made planet-fall recently?" McDonnell's face went blank. "Docked with any vessels? Any kind of external contact at all?"

"What is this?" Alex started to get a funny feeling. McDonnell was hiding something. Alex knew it. The captain would always get to defensive when the Doctor started to ask her these kinds of questions. "An interrogation?"

"We've got to stop him before he kills again." The Doctor said.

"We're just… A cargo ship." The woman turned away from the Doctor. She looked distraught. Scannell tried to comfort her.

"Doctor, if you give her a minute…" The Doctor turned back to Alex and rubbed her back to comfort her. And Scannell turned to face McDonnell. Alex pulled away from the Doctor's chest. She gave a small smile to show him she was okay.

McDonnell covered quickly. "I'm fine. I need to warn the crew." The Doctor turned to the puzzling bio-scans when he was sure Alex was okay. McDonnell walked over to the intercom. "Everybody listen to me!" The whole crew turned to give her their full attention. "Something's infected Korwin. We think…" The Doctor turned to her. "He killed Abi Learner. None of you must go anywhere near him, is that clear?"

"Understood Captain." Ashton's voice answered.

-x-

"Impact in 24.51." Alex was really starting to hate that computer voice. Alex had slipped out of the med-center and back to the engine room. She didn't want to be in the same room as that outline of Abi Learner. Even if she just thought about it, it made her stomach turn. She asked if anyone needed something from her. Ashton asked her if she could get him some equipment since Erina hadn't come yet.

Alex had nodded and he told her where to get it. Alex sighed and started to hum 'One Step at a Time' by Jordin Sparks. She heard footsteps behind her. Alex turned thinking it was finally Erina. She smiled in greeting only to have the smile whipped off her face.

There, standing only a few feet away from her was Korwin. He had a breathing apparatus on now. Alex slowly backed up and took a deep breath. It did nothing to help her rapid heart. "Who are you?"

"Burn with me." It said. Alex's eyes widened as it lifted the gear. Everything felt like slow motion. He opened the protective lenses. Alex jumped out of the way. Alex screamed in pure agony as his eyes got some of her arm. "Burn with me."

Alex grabbed onto the side of her arm. It was bleeding profoundly. Alex didn't have to be a doctor to know that if she didn't get that fixed as soon as possible she could die of blood loss. She looked up. There was a mirror on the top of the ceiling where it met the wall. She was in a position where she could see Korwin but he couldn't see her. "Burn with me." It continued to say. It sounded like that was the only thing it _could_ say.

Alex slowly slid across the floor. Thankfully, the floor was smooth. She could slide across it without making a noise. "Allie?" The Doctor asked alarmed into the intercom. One thing, he's looking at the bio-scans. The next, he looks up and she's gone. "Allie!" He shouted again. "Where are you?"

Alex screamed as another blast burned almost everything a couple feet to her right. She had to keep moving. If she didn't, she would get roasted. "Alex went to go get some supplies for the engine." Ashton answered.

"What?" The Doctor shouted. "You let her go off on her own?"

"She was the one who asked." Ashton defended.

"_Allie_!" Alex sighed. She was going to get one hell of a scolding from the Doctor. That is, if she lived. She continued to slide across the floor.

"Burn with me!" It seemed like the thing was getting angrier. But why? What had she done to this thing?

"_Alex Harper_!" Alex winced. It sounded funny hearing her full name from the Doctor. His voice was both desperate and furious. Alex's thigh touched a piece of metal. Alex looked down at it… If she could throw that thing in a different direction…

Alex sighed. She knew this wasn't the movies or television but it was all she had. Alex quickly grabbed the piece of metal. She lifted it up and chucked it as far as she could. She was surprised she got it as far as she did. Alex didn't throw well with her left hand. The heavy footsteps ran off in that direction.

At that minute, Alex shot up and ran towards the door. She took a sharp right. Once she was sure it wasn't following her, she went to the closest intercom. "Doctor," She breathed. She distantly realized that she was getting the buttons bloody.

"_Where the hell are you_?" The Doctor snarled. Alex winced. Wow… A hell of a lot angrier than she thought.

"Not sure." She breathed. "I know how to get to the engineer room though."

"_Get there_." He ordered. Alex ran towards the area.

-x-

Alex was starting to feel woozy. But she finally did make it to the area. Alex's world was spinning and started to go black. "_Alex Harper_!" Alex shook her head when she thought she heard the Doctor call her name. "_What the hell were you thinking_?" He exploded at her. She could have responded! The Doctor felt his hearts stop when she didn't answer the multiple times he called.

Alex slowly turned to the Doctor. His mental ranting stopped – as well as his hearts – when he saw the huge gash in her arm. He looked back at her face. It was paper white. She wasn't getting any blood to her head. The Doctor rushed over just as she fell forward.

"Sorry," Alex breathed. "Korwin was trying to kill me. Had to get away first."

"Allie!" _Ah, that's better_. It's so much nicer to hear the Doctor say 'Allie' instead of 'Alex'. "You need to keep your eyes open for me."

Alex forced them open. "I feel funny." Her words slurred. "All I wanna do is sleep."

"I know." The Doctor answered gently. All of his anger vanished. "But I need you to keep awake for me. Can you do that?" The Time Lord picked her up quickly. He ran to the med-center.

Alex thought she smiled. Her whole body was going numb. "I'll do anything for you."

The Doctor smiled at her. "I know." He said gently. He kissed her forehead. "Stay with me, Allie."

"Are you still mad at me?" Alex asked. "I dun like it when you're mad at me…"

The Doctor laughed for her sake. For now, he'll lie to her. "No, Allie. I'm not mad anymore." He kissed her forehead again. "I am forcing you to stick by my side from now on, though."

Alex giggled sleepily. "I dun mind. I like staying by your side."

A question slipped from the Doctor's mouth. "Forever?"

Alex giggled again. "Forever and always." The Doctor's hearts soared.

"Allie." He got her to the med-center. Once he had all the necessary equipment he put his hand to her face. "You can sleep now." It would be better that way.

"Nighty-night Doctor." Alex fell into the darkness feeling the Doctor's touch the entire time.

-x-

Alex slowly slipped into consciousness again. For a minute she just laid there, not really realizing that she was awake. Finally, she let her eyes flutter open. The blue eyed girl blinked her eyes a couple of times to clear her fuzzy vision. The first thing she took note to was her bandaged arm. It didn't hurt. That must have meant that the Doctor gave her pain killers. Another indication of that were her slow and sluggish thoughts.

The small girl heaved herself up. "Allie?" She looked over and saw the Doctor leaning next to the com. When she looked over he fixed himself and walked over to her. "How are you feeling?"

It took her a minute to process his question. "Feel funny." Her speech was slightly slurred. "What did you do?"

He sighed. "Part of this isn't me. Some of it is because you lost blood. You're brain needs time retrieve enough blood."

"The other part?"

A slight twitch of his lips indicated he was fighting a smile. He could imagine her response when he tells her. "The other part is the pain killers."

Her answer didn't disappoint him. "You gave me happy pills?" She asked with a huge – if not sleepy – grin.

He chuckled. "I gave you happy pills." Slowly, Alex slid her legs off the side of the bed.

She looked back at him. She could only vaguely remember her conversation with him. "Are you mad at me?"

He looked away. "…Yes." He had only said 'no' to her when she was wounded because he didn't want to upset her. She looked down. He grabbed her shoulders. "What were you thinking, Allie?" He shook her slightly. "Why did you leave?" If she stuck by him, then she wouldn't have gotten hurt.

"I was feeling useless!" Alex responded. "That and it wasn't exactly easy for me to stand in the room with an imprint of Abi Learner!"

The Doctor's grip on her shoulders tightened. "You should have told me." He growled. "Running off on your own was stupid."

She looked down. "I'm sorry." She really hated it when she upset the Doctor.

The Time Lord saw this. He sighed. He pulled her towards him and hugged his small Alex. "I'm sorry." He muttered into her hair. "But you're not leaving my side Allie. Do you hear me? I don't care if you feel useless."

Alex smiled. "I promise I'll stay by your side." She promised. _Forever_, she added mentally.

-x-

The two of them got back to the engineer room. Alex's bandaged arm was visible for the world to see. She had asked him how bad it was. He said that this was going to take longer to heal than the wound she got in Manhattan. Not only that, but this wound was going to leave a scar. Alex didn't mind that much. Really, how many people can say they got a scar from fighting against a guy who now can shoot super hot heat out of his eyes? Probably close to none.

Alex continued to hold things for the Doctor as he fixed the engines. Martha's voice came over the intercom. "Doctor!" Alex turned curiously. Her voice was higher than usual. It sounded like fear was the cause of it. "We're stuck in an escape pod off the area seventeen airlock." Both Alex and the Doctor froze. "One of the crew's trying to jettison us! You've gotta help us!"

"Doctor!" He knew what Alex was going to say.

"Why is this happening?" McDonnell asked herself.

The Doctor took off his glasses in a rush. "Stay here! I mean it!" He took Alex's hand. "Jump start those engines!" He led Alex to where Martha said they were.

They finally get to area seventeen. "That's enough!" The Doctor yelled. The man turned to the Doctor. He held Alex behind him. He already let her get hurt, he wasn't about to let something else happen to her. "What do you want? Why this ship? Tell me!"

Rather than answer him, the man turned back around and rammed his fist into the control pad. The man then turned and faced the two brunettes. Alex held the back of the Doctor's jacket. She tugged. This guy could easily kill the Time Lord. "Come on. Let's see you." Alex tugged harder. The man – thinking about it, Alex thought it looked like Ashton – came forward. He was now nose-to-nose with the Doctor. "I wanna know what you really are."

Ashton lifted his hand to the visor. Alex bit her lip harder and harder. She was aware it could break at any moment. But suddenly, Ashton doubled over as if pain. He even let out a shout of pain. He backed away from the pair. Ashton then stood up and walk towards the Doctor. However, instead of resuming his attack on the Time Lord. The man just pushed past him and Alex. He walked out of area seventeen.

The Doctor went over to a com. "McDonnell! Ashton's heading over in your direction!" So Alex was right, it had been Ashton. "He's been infected, just like Korwin!"

"Korwin's dead, Doctor." Alex heart stopped. She reached out for the Doctor. It wasn't for her, it was for him. She knew how much he hated killing. She held _her _Time Lord tightly. He buried his face into her hair.

"Airlock decompression activated." Alex's head snapped up. "Jettisoning pod."

"Doctor…" Alex said.

The Doctor's head shot up and he skidded over to the airlock door. He looked out of the small circular window. He could see Martha, just few feet away. She was tapping on the glass. He could make out his name on her lips. "I'll save you!" He promised her. Alex ran over to him. She grabbed his arm. Alex wasn't tall enough to look into the window. "I'll save you!"

Alex felt her heart sink. He continued to call out 'I'll save you' to her. Even in the somber moment, the computer reminded them of how little time they had. "Impact in 17.05."

The Doctor ran back over to the com. "Scannell! I need a spacesuit in area seventeen, now!" The Doctor barked.

"What for?"

The Doctor continued to look out the window. His expression and voice were incredibly angry and frustrated. He yelled at the top of his voice. "Just get down here!" He looked back over at Alex. He could see her face. The horrible sadness that held her eyes, "Allie." She looked up. His chest tightened. He didn't like the look in her eyes. No, he hated it. It wasn't his Alex. His Alex would have a smile on his face. His Alex would be happy. And he was going to get his Alex back no matter what. "I'm going to get her back." He promised her.

Alex felt her numb lips pull up in a small smile. It wasn't enough to satisfy the Doctor. But it was a start. The Doctor turned his head back to the window. His mind was already made up. He knew what he had to do.

-x-

Scannell got down there with a spacesuit. The Doctor was all suited up. Alex felt her lips tug into another small smile. That suit emphasized his leanness. Basically, it showed just how _skinny _the Doctor was. Scannell was trying to change the Doctor's mind. "I can't let you do this."

"You're wasting your breath, Scannell. You're not going to stop me." The Doctor warned. His mind was already made up. He wasn't about to let Martha die in that sun. He also knew that it was the only way to get his Alex back to normal.

"You wanna open an air lock in flight on a ship spinning into the sun." Scannell said. "No one can survive that!"

"Oh, just you watch." The Doctor countered.

"You open that air lock, its suicide." Scannell responded. "This close to the sun, the shields will barely protect you."

"If I can breach the magnetic lock on the ships' exterior, it should remagnetise the pod." The Doctor explained. "Now, while I'm out there, you got get the rest of those doors open." The Doctor commanded. "We _need _those auxiliary engines."

"Doctor, will you listen?" Scannell said. "They're too far away, it's too late!"

"I'm not going to lose her." The Doctor said with finality. He turned to Alex. She walked over to him. She reached up to his cheeks and bent him over. Her lips touched his forehead.

"You be careful." She said softly. "I'm not going to lose you."

The Doctor smiled. Without thinking, he reached over and kissed her cheek. "I'll be back before you know it." He answered. "And I'll have Martha with me." Alex smiled. He then put his helmet on. The Doctor walked past Scannell and into the airlock room. He had an intense look on his face. Out the window of the exterior door, the sun blazed.

"Decompression, initiating." The computer also reminded them of the impact. "Impact in 12.55."

-x-

The air finally had exited the chamber. The computer spoke up again. "Impact in 11.15." As the Doctor walked towards the exterior door, the computer warned him. "Heat shield failing. At ten percent."

The Time Lord ignored it and pressed a button on a keypad. The exterior door opened. He recoiled at the heat and the brightness. He soon recovered and grabbed a hold of the frame. He battled against the vacuum as he climbed out onto the hull of the ship. The Doctor was almost swept away a couple of times but finally got his footing. When he got himself into the right position he reached out to the column of buttons.

He hissed with his first try. The Doctor continued to reach out. "Come on!" He screamed in desperation and frustration. He gritted his teeth. "Go on my son!" He pressed the button. But the Time Lord's work wasn't done. He now had to reach for the small box next to the column.

Scannell's voice came into his ears. "Doctor! How're you doing?" Both Alex and Scannell were watching him through the small window as best they could.

He was stretching as far as his arm could reach. "I can't! I can't reach!" He screamed. The Doctor was starting to feel overwhelmed by everything. "I don't know how much longer I can last."

"Doctor!" Alex's voice answered. "Come on, Doctor. You promised you'd get her back. Are you telling me that you lied to me?" There was no harshness in her voice. She knew those were the right words. And they were. It struck a nerve. He would never lie to Alex. With the renewed strength, he reached out to the handle. He yanked the cover off. Inside the box, there was a lever. With a scream of both pain and strength, the Doctor grabbed hold. And with all of his might he pulled the lever down.

With that now done, the Doctor slowly struggled back into the airlock chamber. The Doctor, even though he was now inside of the chamber, climbed to his knees. He looked over the bottom of the airlock. He looked out into the sun. He was both confused and frightened. The bright light reflected off his helmet intensely. It showed the swirling molten surface the Doctor was witnessing that stretched across the sun.

"It's alive," The Doctor whispered. "It's alive…? It's alive!" Realization hit him.

-x- 

Alex, McDonnell and Scannell were doing what the Doctor wanted. They were trying to open the doors as quickly as they could. They reached area ten by now. Before Scannell reached the door, he spoke into the intercom. "Doctor, close the airlock now!" Alex's feeling of danger was squeezing her gut. "That pod's gonna smash into him!"

"Something's wrong…" Alex whispered. Both looked over. "Something's happened…" She didn't explain anymore. She ran over to the airlock where the Doctor was.

"Alex!" McDonnell called after her. She gave Scannell the clamp. "Stay here!" The captain ran after Alex.

-x-

"Impact in 8.57." The computer said. Alex ran over to area seventeen. The closer she got to the airlock the more her gut tightened. She was now 100% positive that there was something wrong. If only she could remember!

"Airlock recompression completed." The computer announced.

"Doctor! Doctor!" Alex could now hear Martha's voice.

"Doctor!" She finally met up with them.

"Alex!" Martha said. In any other situation, Alex would have happily hugged Martha. But instead, she weaved around the African American. Alex looked confused at the Doctor. It looked like he was in pain. She reached out to him.

"Doctor?" She softly asked the Time Lord. "What's wrong?" She flipped the man over.

The Doctor opened his eyes. Alex flew away from him when she saw that whatever infected Korwin and Ahston now has its grip on the Doctor. "Stay away from me!" The Doctor sounded angry. He had been hoping that Alex wouldn't have come. He wanted her to stay as far away from him as possible. But… He could imagine that she had gotten her accurate feeling of despair and responded to it.

He closed his eyes tightly. The Time Lord continued to wither in pain. Alex could feel her body twitched to reach out and help the Doctor. Or at least, just hold him. But she knew the Doctor wouldn't want that. McDonnell appeared behind them. "What's happened?" She asked.

"It's all your fault, Captain McDonnell." Alex was thankful that the Doctor still had his normal voice. It wasn't the voice that Korwin or Ahston had. Alex couldn't stop herself and she reached out for the Doctor again. Forget the fact that it could kill her. The Doctor was in pain. He winced as she wrapped her arms around his neck. An arm snatched her waist. He pressed his forehead to her neck. He noticed that her pulse was rapidly pumping. Alex put her face into his sweaty hair.

McDonnell looked shocked for a second before she regained her composer. She looked at Riley. "Riley! Get down to area ten and help Scannell with the doors. Go!" Riley did as his captain said.

The Doctor started to thrash around his Alex's arms. Part of him wanted her to let go and get as far away from him as possible. The other part wanted to hold her as reckless close and long as possible. The latter of his hearts was winning right now. "You mined that sun! Stripped its surface for cheep fuel! You should have scanned for life!"

"What?" Alex asked only above a whisper. If what the Doctor saying was true – and the Doctor never would lie about something like this – then that meant… _No, it can't_…

"I don't understand." McDonnell said.

"Doctor, what are you talking about?" Martha yelled.

The Doctor continued to fight off the pain. "That sun is alive! A living organism! They scooped out its heart, used it for fuel, and now it's screaming!" He cried. Alex's eyes closed. Her arms tightened around the Doctor. _Oh my God_. Honestly, Alex felt more for the sun than anyone else.

"What do you mean?" McDonnell started to panic. "How can a sun be alive? Why's he saying that?"

"Because it's living in me." The Doctor answered.

"That's why…" Alex muttered. She looked over at the captain. "It's angry at you! It's your fault!" Alex screamed. "That's why it wants to kill everyone on this ship! That's why it wants to kill us! _It's your fault_!"

"Oh my God." McDonnell was in pure disbelief.

"Humans!" The Doctor was probably angrier than Alex was. "You grab whatever and bleed it dry!" He screamed in agony and anguish. "You should have scanned!"

"It's takes too long! We'd be caught. Fusion scoops are illegal."

"And you did it anyway? How would you like it if I took out your heart and used it for fuel?" Alex snarled. McDonnell wheeled back at the tone. The heat in the room started to become unbearably hot. "You greedy murder!" She cried. "_It's your fault_!"

The captain was almost cowering in fear of Alex's fearsome tone. That mysterious wind picked up again. This time it was whipping around everything. "You've got to freeze me, quickly!" The wind almost stopped instantly.

Alex snapped around to the Doctor. "What?" That would kill him!

"What?" Martha echoed as she came to the Doctor's other side.

"Stasis chamber!" The Doctor yelled through his pain. "You gotta keep me… Below minus two hundred. Freeze it out of me!" The Doctor screamed again. Martha looked at McDonnell with disgust. Alex didn't even bother to pay any more attention to the captain. Rather than aguish now, the Doctor's tone changed to fear. "It'll use me to kill you if you don't! The closer we get to the sun, the stronger…" He seemed to be overcome for a second. "it gets! Med-centre! Quickly! Quickly!"

Alex and Martha struggled to get the Doctor to his feet. Finally, Martha looked over to McDonnell. "Help us!" The woman seemed to snap out of it and walked over to Martha. It seemed she feared Alex. And for good reason, the small girl wasn't about ready to be nice to the captain right now.

"Impact in 7.30." The computer announced.

-x-

The three women finally have gotten the withering Time Lord to the med centre. "Ugh, right." Alex let go of the Doctor's arm and ran over to the system. "I can do this!" Just looking at it, it seemed simple.

"Allie?" Where was she? Where'd she go? In this state, the Doctor wanted Alex as close to him as possible. "Where are you?" He reached blindly out. Alex ran back to the Doctor and took his hand. She took his face gently.

"I'm here," She said gently. "I'm fine. Stasis chamber, minus two hundred, right?" The Doctor pressed his face against her. She looked at the women. "Come on, let's get him set." They heaved him up into the bed. When he was ready, Alex ran her fingers through his hair.

"No, you don't know how this equipment works!" Alex ignored McDonnell. "You'll kill him! Nobody can survive those temperatures!" Alex felt her hands were shaking. This had never happened before. And all though Alex didn't _show _that she was paying attention to the captain. Alex knew that she was right. _No, I have to trust the Doctor_.

"He's not human!" Martha said. "If he says he can survive, then he can."

"Let me help you then!"

Alex snarled at her. "You've done more than enough damage." The brunette girl turned her back on the women. When Alex did, her façade of anger shattered into one of fear and tears. The small girl went back to fixing the stasis chamber.

"Ten seconds!" The Doctor said. "That's all I'll be able to make. No more!" He screamed. Alex shuddered. "Martha! Allie!"

"Yeah?" Alex turned on instinct. She ran her fingers through his hair. Her tears were barely being held back.

The Time Lord gurgled and retched. "It's burning me up. I can't control it. If you don't get rid of it," a dark tone took on his voice. The sun was peeking through. "I could kill you. I could kill you all." Alex's heart lurched into her throat. The Doctor's voice came back to normal as he screamed. "I'm scared! I'm so scared!" He now sounded like a small child. He was genuinely frightened.

"Just… stay calm." Martha tried to soothe. "You saved us, now we return the favor. Just… Just believe in us."

"It's bloody killing me! Then what'll happen?" The Doctor snapped.

"Its okay, Doctor." The Doctor breathed deeply. His mind was shouting alarms at him. Alex was close to crying. He could hear it. He resisted the urge to get up and hug her. To soothe her tears away, "We've got you." He felt her lean down next to him. She whispered something into his ear. His hearts lurched into his chest.

"Allie." He breathed. Alex lifted her head again. A secret that only the Doctor and she would know. "But…" As much as she had the ability to soothe him, there was still doubt. "There's this process. This… This thing… That happens… If I'm about to die." _Regeneration_, but no, that was _not _going to happen soon.

"Shhh… quiet now." Martha voiced her thoughts. "'Cause that's not going to happen. You ready?"

"No." Alex took a deep breath. She grabbed the lever and pushed it forward. The Doctor slid into the chamber. Alex slowly typed the appropriate amount. Alex bit her lip hard and with a slight moment of hesitation she started the process. The Doctor screamed the minute it started.

Alex couldn't handle it. She lifted her hands to her ears. But it didn't stop it, she could still hear him. Alex whimpered. She pressed her hand tightly to her ears. "Alex?" She didn't hear her name over the Doctor's screams.

"Stop," She whispered. She begged to an invisible source. "Please, just let him go. He's done nothing wrong. He can help you." The stasis chamber hit seventy before the chamber shut off. Alex's eyes snapped over to the machine in shock. "What?" She pressed the 'start' button but nothing happened.

Inside the chamber, the Doctor was covered in ice crystals. "No! Allie you can't stop! Not yet!"

_I didn't do it on purpose_. Alex responded mentally. "What happened?" What caused the power to shut off?

"Power's been cut in engineering." McDonnell explained.

"But who's down there?"Martha asked.

McDonnell knew the answer fully well. "Leave it to me."

Alex punched the side of the machine in frustration. "Alex!" Martha said alarmed.

"Damnit!" It was rare for Alex to swear. But why now? The sun could kill the Doctor and then have the rest of them killed!

Alex leaned her hands against the chamber. Martha watched McDonnell leave. The Doctor started to scream again as he fought off with the sun. Tears slipped past Alex's eyes. This was going onto a road that they shouldn't have gone down.

"Impact in 4.47."

-x-

Martha was trying to get the stasis chamber to work. Alex was doing all she could not to break down right then and there. "Come on! You're defrosting!" The ice crystals on the Doctor's body have now melted. He screamed in pain once again. Every time the Doctor screamed Alex flinched. Her mask slipped even more each time.

"Martha! Allie! Listen!" The Doctor cried. "I've got only a moment. You've got to go." He couldn't have Martha and Alex die. No, he couldn't bare it. His thoughts were focused on Alex. The part of his hearts that now wanted her away from him was winning.

"No way!" Martha answered.

"Get to the front!" The Doctor ordered. "Vent the engines! Sun particles in the fuel! Get rid of them!"

"I am not leaving you!" Martha said.

"You've got to! Give back what they took!"

Martha still wouldn't go. "Doctor!"

"Please! Go!" Martha finally did.

"Impact in 4.08."

Alex slid up. "Allie!" He called to her when he didn't hear her footsteps. "Please!"

"Doctor…" The Doctor's hearts lurched at her tone. She was frightened and crying. More than he ever heard. His hearts broke. "Doctor… Please." Even with him in the stasis chamber, when he wasn't by her side she felt lost. "Please…"

"Allie!" He_ hated _that she was doing this. "You've got to go! I can't let you die! If you give back what they took then I'll be back to normal! I promise!"

Alex sobbed. But she did what the Doctor said. Alex turned around and ran out of the room. She ran as fast as she could to the front of the ship. She caught up with Martha along the way. It seemed that Alex was getting better at running. They passed area twenty one and continued on their mission. They got to area four. The closer they got the faster both girls ran. They had to get there before the sun took the Doctor over.

"Martha! Allie!"

"Doctor!" Alex called alarmed.

Martha echoed her thoughts. "What are you doing?"

With his last energy he spoke to them. "I can't fight it. Give it back or..." But it was too late. The Doctor opened his eyes. They were glowing with the heat of the sun. "Burn with me." Alex felt her heart stop. Her stomach dropped. "Burn with me, Martha. Burn with me, Allie." Said girls looked at each other before restarting their running.

"Impact in 1.21." Martha and Alex ran faster. "Impact in 1.06."

"It's not working." Alex heard Riley said. "Why's it not working?"

Suddenly the girls entered area one. "Vent the engines. Dump the fuel." Alex ordered.

"What?" Scannell asked. Both looked at them questioningly.

"Sun particles in the fuel. Get rid of them." Martha ordered.

When neither responded, Alex snarled at them. "_Now_!" The boys spring to life. They jumped over to two identical walls. They turned all of the dials. This released the fuel.

"Come on, Doctor, hold on." Martha whispered.

Once all of the dials had been turned one of the males twisted the 'fuel dispersal' dial. The ship lurched in response. All of them were flung to the ground. The screens showed that the fuel was being dumped. Martha and Alex held on tightly. The sun particles fell back into the sun. Its heart rightly placed. "There! How're we gonna fly?"

As the countdown reached zero, the computer gave an announcement. "Impact averted. Impact averted." Alex's body slowly relaxed.

Riley was on the floor, breathing heavily. Martha looked around before pulling herself up into a sitting position. Alex breathed deeply before doing the same. Scannell shuffled to his feet. Riley couldn't believe they were safe. "We're clear! We've got just enough reserves!"

With beaming smiles, the men hug each other. Alex and Martha smiled before Alex realized someone was missing. "Doctor…" The name tugged on Martha's memory. Alex took off with Martha close behind her. The small brunette girl cried in happiness when she saw the Time Lord struggle to his feet. He looked worse for wear, but he was okay. He lifted his arms to her. She ran into them. Despite how weak he is, the Doctor lifted Alex up off her feet. They shared a giggle of happiness.

He finally let Alex down and he hugged Martha. When he let her down Alex and the Doctor launch into another hug. He held her tightly. It was a little late since Alex had stopped crying, but he still needed to hold her.

-x-

The ship was now floating through space. Everything was now back to normal on the cargo ship. Well, a part from the distinct lack in crew members. Riley and Scannell stood in awe of the Doctor's ship. The three time travelers were making sure that she was okay.

"This was never your ship." Scannell said in disbelief. Alex giggled. She rubbed the familiar wood of the TARDIS. It felt good to be near her again.

"Compact, eh?" The Doctor answered. "And another good word, robust! Barely a scorch mark on her." That was good.

Martha was concerned about the men. "We can't just leave you drifting with no fuel."

"We've sent out an official mayday." Riley answered. "The authorities will pick us up soon enough."

"Though, how we explain what happen…" Scannell said.

"Just tell them this." Alex said. "That sun out there needs to be taken care of and protected just like any other living thing."

Scannell gave a nod. The Doctor stepped into the TARDIS. Alex gave a hug to each of the men. Martha was about to step into the TARDIS when Riley stopped her. "So… Uh, you're off then." Martha nodded. "No chance I'll see you again?"

Martha and Alex looked at each other. They doubted it. "Not really. It was nice… Not dying with you." Both shared a half hearted laugh. "I'll reckon you'll find someone worth believing in." Alex raised an eyebrow. She assumed it had been something that must have come up when they were in the pod together.

"I think I already did." _Ooooooohhhhh_… Alex was probably never going to let Martha live that one down. There was a pause. It seemed that neither knew what to do. Martha launched herself at Riley. Their lips met in a steamy kiss. Alex bit her lip to stop from laughing. Riley seemed pleasantly surprised. Both Alex and Scannell shared an amused look.

They finally stopped their lip locking. Martha seemed unsure of what to say. "Well done. Very hot." Riley laughed quietly at that. Martha stepped into the TARDIS. Alex followed her.

"Oooooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Alex laughed. "Martha got skillz…"

"Shut up, Alex." Martha blushed.

Alex was practically bouncing around. "I'm never going to let you live this down!" Nope, it was too perfect. She was going to hang this over her friend's head forever. She bounced over to the Doctor. She punched the Time Lord's arm. "Now! Martin Luther King Jr.!" However, Alex finally noticed the Doctor's face.

His expression was one of sadness. His eyes were distant. The whole conversation she was preparing for fizzed in the back of her throat. "So! Didn't really need you in the end, did we?" Martha finally got a glimpse at the Doctor's face. Her response was similar to Alex's. "Sorry."

"How're you doing?" Alex asked.

The Doctor snapped out of it. "Now," He said in a business like tone. "What do you say? Ice skating on the mineral lakes of Culhan! Fancy it?"

Alex sighed sadly. She should have known the Doctor wasn't going to answer her. Martha looked just as disappointed. _It wouldn't kill him to open up once in a while_. Alex thought. "Whatever you like." Martha answered unenthusiastically.

The Doctor paused. He seemed to realize something. "By the way, you'll need these." He pulled out two keys. Alex looked at them in disbelief. They were keys to the TARDIS.

"Really?" Martha had just as much disbelief.

"Frequent Flier's Privilege." The Doctor answered. He gave Martha hers. Then he gave Alex's hers. "Thank you." He meant it. He meant it to both of them.

"No problem." Alex put it around her neck. She eyed the key though. It was a plan, normal key. Creative ideas formed into the girl's head as she thought of ways to spunk the small key up. "Oh no, my mum." Martha felt around for her phone. Alex walked over to the Doctor's side.

She could never hold her tongue for long. "It wouldn't kill you to show what you're really feeling ever now and then." She whispered. He turned his eyes towards Alex. Instead, he reached out and hugged her. Alex looked shocked. He didn't usually give her random hugs. _She _gave _him _random hugs. "What…?"

"I couldn't do that in the ship." He muttered. "When you were pleading to stay with me. I'm sorry I couldn't hug you."

Alex shuddered slightly. She snuggled into his embrace. "I felt so weak." She whispered. "There was nothing I could do. I couldn't get your screams out of my ears." She felt the tears come back. "It was so scary."

The Doctor rocked her back and forth. He whispered soothing words in her ear. That one sentence she whispered to him in the stasis chamber echoed into his ears. He kissed her head gently. "That's never going to happen again, Allie."

"You can't promise that." She responded.

The Doctor sighed. "To you, I would promise the whole universe." Alex sighed, but she felt a smile on her lips. Her heart fluttered.

Martha finally hung up on her mother. Alex pulled away and smiled. The Doctor returned the expression. He reached down and kissed his Alex on the cheek. Alex's cheeks flared red. The Doctor turned back around to Martha. They smiled at each other.

If only Martha knew what her mother had been doing on the other side of the phone. But with no idea of what was going to come, the time travelers moved on in their adventures.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**Hey guys, now I'm actually the most worried about this chapter and Chapter Nine. Now, here's why. Not to spoil it, I'm going to make it short, but I'm bringing in this character called 'Ella White', now, I really did **_**try **_**not to make her a Mary Sue. But I'm really not sure. So, I would like two things from my lovely readers, **_**please**_**. **

**First off, please give me the benefit of the doubt and read the whole chapter before giving a review of any kind.**

**Second off, if you do think that Ella is a Mary Sue, when you do make a review, please don't just put, 'oh Ella's a Mary Sue' etc. because I won't be able to do anything about it, I've gone over it many times – and still do – and I'm not sure what to do if she's a Mary Sue. So, please, when write a review, I ask that you can give me constructive criticism.**

**Oh, by the way, this is for 'ILuvTwiBoyz' Alex Harper is not related to Doctor Owen Harper ;D Until now I didn't even know there was another Harper in the Doctor Who universe – but ya learn something new every day lol **

**So, please sit back and enjoy the story… **

_The TARDIS controls sparked crazily. The Doctor, Martha, and Alex picked themselves up. The Doctor ran over to the girls urgently. "Did they see you?"_

"_I don't know!" Martha responded._

"_Did they see you?" He repeated._

"_We don't know, Doctor!" Alex said this time. "We were too busy, oh I don't know, running!"_

"_Martha, Allie, it's important," The Doctor said. "Did they see your faces?"_

"_They couldn't have." Alex shook her head. "We didn't look back." She looked over at Martha. The African American woman nodded in agreement._

_The Doctor ran over to the console and started to press buttons. "Off we go!" Martha and Alex ran over to him. He watched the time rotor carefully. Alex watched as symbols appeared on the screen. A warning sound announced it. "Ahhh…" The Doctor grabbed it and read the symbols closely. "They're following us." He went back to the controls. _

"_How can they do that? You've got a time machine." Martha pointed out._

"_Stolen technology. They've got a Time Agent's vortex manipulator. They can follow us wherever we go, right across the universe." He paused. "They're never going to stop." Alex felt her gut tighten in her. This was so bad…_

_The Doctor ran a hand through his hair. It stuck in odd directions. He just store off, thinking deeply. Suddenly, an idea seemed to come to him. "Unless… I'll have to do it…" _

"_Do what?" Alex asked. The Doctor looked over at her. She saw the grim determination. _

"_Martha, Allie, you trust me don't you?" Alex felt her gut tighten even more. She raised an eyebrow though. What a stupid question. Of course she trusted the Doctor._

_Martha answered for the both of them. "Of course we do."_

"'_Cause it all depends on you." Alex blinked. What did?_

_The Doctor reached down under the console. He fiddled around trying to retrieve something. "What does?" Alex asked, nervously. "What are we suppose to do, Doctor?"_

_The Doctor finally got what he was after. He lifted up an old looking watch. "Take this watch, 'cause my life depends on it. The watch – the watch is –"_

-x-

Her eyes snapped open. She looked around confused. She was on the ground. The brunette girl rubbed her head. It hurt. "Are you alright?" She looked up to see an African American woman sitting over her.

"What…" She asked slowly. "What happened?"

The woman swallowed with difficulty. "You hit your head. Are you alright? Do you know your name?"

The brunette girl blinked before raising an eyebrow. "Yes. I'm fine. And yes, I know my name, it's Ella White." The black woman seemed to both be relived and nervous at this information.

Martha Jones knew this was bad. First, the Doctor was a human that believed he was John Smith and now Alex believed she was Ella White. Martha couldn't see how this could get worse.

-x-

_Alex walked around the TARDIS. The Doctor had finally converted himself into a human. It wasn't a pretty sight at all. Both of the girls had been completely terrified as his screams filled the faithful ship. Both Martha and Alex had to take care of him. The TARDIS gave them the information that they needed. Alex was to be a young girl named Ella White that helped around the nurse's office. Martha was to be a personal servant of the Doctor's._

_It gave them everything. Their names, their age, where they were born, etc. Alex dragged her fingers along the console of the TARDIS. It was hard watching the Doctor turn into a human. She hadn't actually seen the Doctor as John Smith yet; she needed to take some time to get those images out of her head. _

_Alex blinked when she saw a flashing light on the TARDIS. Her eyebrows furred as she heard the TARDIS doors open. "Hey Martha!" She called. _

"_Alex, are you okay?"_

"_What's this?" Alex reached over and brushed her fingers against it. _

_Suddenly, an electric shock shot through her whole body. She screamed as the current continue to move through her body. Suddenly, images and information that was not of her own life filed into her brain, she screamed again. Alex fell onto the ground, unconscious. Martha panicked and ran over to Alex. _

"_What…" Martha turned to the button where Alex's fingers met. It was no longer blinking. "What was _that_?"_

-x-

Martha now realized that it must have changed Alex's memories. She was no longer Alex Harper. She was now Ella White. Martha had to drag Alex's body out of the TARDIS and onto the grass a ways away from it. "I'm sorry." Martha blinked, taken out of her thoughts. She watched as Alex – Ella – got up to dust her clothes off. "Please forgive me for such an inconvenience."

"Ah, it's not trouble." Ella smiled at the woman.

"Oh," Ella looked at the time. "I must get going or I'll be late for my first day. I'm sorry again; I hope we see each other again." Martha smiled and bowed. "Oh," The brunette fluttered her hands over to Martha's shoulders. She pushed the black woman up. "There's no need for that."

Martha honestly was happy. She knew that back in this time period, African Americans were not looking highly upon. It was nice to know that no matter who Alex became her kind nature was always shinning through. "Of course."

Ella smiled. "Good bye." Martha nodded. The brunette walked off towards the nurse's office. She opened the door. "Hello?" She knocked hesitantly on the door.

"Ah, you must be Ella White." The girl jumped and whirled around to see a brunette woman standing near the window. She was wearing the customary clothing for a nurse. She had her brown hair in a neat bun. "My name is Matron Joan Redfern."

The brunette girl bowed respectfully. "Hello, Mrs. Redfern. As it seems you are already aware of, I am Ella White." The older of the two smiled warmly.

"There is no need for formality; we are going to be working together." Joan answered kindly.

Ella felt her cheeks flush. She wasn't good at meeting people. "I'm sorry, Mrs. –" She corrected herself. "Joan."

The woman smiled. "My you are a shy one." Ella felt her cheeks flush even more. "No need to worry about that. Come, let's start your lesson." Ella nodded eagerly and they got to work.

-x-

It had been a couple of months now, and Ella was fitting in nicely. Many of the boys were eyeing her, but she had her eye on only one.

She had just spotted him one day when she was taking a walk in the front of the school. He had been a teacher. He had deep brown hair. He had stunning, gorgeous brown eyes. She felt her heart melt at the sight of him. She was ecstatic every time he came into the office. She would try as quickly as possible to be the first to help him. She shook her head, it was impossible to have this kind of feelings.

Ella sighed before realizing what she was doing. She shook her head again. She looked up to see the very man she was thinking about. He was carrying an over load of books. Ella felt her heart speed up. She walked over to him. "Good morning, Mr. Smith." She greeted gently.

The man was startled at the sudden gentle voice. He turned enough just to see a young brunette girl. She had beautiful Egyptian blue eyes. A book on the top of his pile fell to the ground. He put a foot on it to keep it from going any farther. "There we go."

"Let me help you, Mr. Smith." Ella offered softly.

"No, no, I've got it, no…" John wondered silently how he was going to pick up the book with his arms full. "Um… Ah… Just… To… Retrieve… ah… if you could take these." Ella reached out. They seemed to come to the same conclusion; John handed over the books to her to pick the fallen book up.

Ella smiled warmly, if not shyly. "There we go."

"No harm done." John answered. "So, um, how was Jenkins?"

Ella blinked for a moment. She suddenly remembered the boy that had come into the nurse's office. "Oh, he's fine; it was just a small cold. More than anything, I think he just misses his mother." The brunette girl explained.

John was sympathetic. "We can't have that."

"He's doing much better now; thankfully he received a letter from his mother so he's much happier." Ella looked down and smiled gently. "I seem to have your books."

John was looking at Ella's face, almost entranced. She was a beautiful girl. When she spoke it snapped him out of his trance. "Yes, so you are! Sorry, sorry." He started to take back his books awkwardly. "Just let me –"

Ella felt a small, unnoticeable pink flush come to her cheeks. "Why don't I take half of that?" She was thankful she thought of that, it meant she got the opportunity to spend a little longer with him. Even if it was only a couple of minutes, it was enough for her.

"Ah, brilliant idea, brilliant." John complimented. "Perfect. Division of labor."

"We make quite the team don't we?" Ella smiled.

John felt his heart flutter at her smile. "Don't we just." He smiled largely. He honestly was a little daft in Ella's presence.

"These books," Ella started off patiently. She continued to smile. "Were they being taken in any particular direction?"

"Yes. Um…" John looked down the corridor thinking. He turned down the opposite direction. "This way."

Ella had to admit, John was quite the gentleman. He let her lead them down the corridor. As they walked down another corridor John spoke up. He knew in his mind that he was completely flustered. She was a beautiful, kind, gentle girl. She was quiet but when she did open her mouth, she was quiet smart. John tried to start a coherent conversation with her. It was something that he wasn't good at.

"As I always say, Ms. White, give the boys a good head of steam, they'll soon wear themselves out."

Ella was concerned about something else. For the last couple of months John had called her nothing more than 'Ms. White'. She felt her stomach flutter with butterflies. She was going to change that. "You know, Mr. Smith," she was determined to change that too. "When it's just you and me it's okay to call me Ella."

"Ella?"

"Yes," She smiled at the taller brunette. "That's my name."

John became flustered. "Well, obviously."

"It's John, isn't it?" She felt the butterflies go crazy. It was nice being able to speak his name; she truly hoped he wouldn't stop her from calling him by his first name.

"Yes, yes it is." He felt a flutter in his heart hearing her gently, sweet voice call him by his first name.

They walked down the stairs. Ella paused and eyed the wooden notice board. She spotted one announcement that caught her attention. She walked over to it to get a closer look. "Have you seen this, John?" She felt him follow her over to the board. "The annual village dance is going to be tomorrow at the town hall. It's certainly nothing formal, but it's fun on all accounts." Ella turned to John hopefully. "Were you going?"

John stammered for a moment. He wasn't sure how to answer that. "I hadn't thought about it." He answered, completely flustered.

"I've never been to a dance." Ella confessed. "No one has ever asked me." She laughed tensely and they fall into a tense silence.

John spoke up. He tried desperately to restart the conversation. "Well, I should imagine that you would be… um… I mean I never thought you'd be one for… I mean there's no reason why you shouldn't— if you do, you may not… I probably won't, but even if I did then I couldn't… um, I mean I wouldn't want to—" Ella tried to keep up with him, but he was honestly making no sense. Ella couldn't stop the small smile on her lips. She knew he was trying though, and to her, that meant a lot.

Ella noticed that he was getting closer to the stairs that were behind him. "The stairs." She said.

"It – what about the stairs?" He asked confused.

"They're right behind you." John turned around to see them and lost his balance. He tumbled down the stairs. The books went flying everywhere. Ella gasped, dropping her own books in horror and ran down to see if John was alright.

"Oh my God, John!" She cried and crashed down onto her knees next to him. He looked up at her dazed. "Are you alright?"

-x-

Ella cleaned the cut as carefully as she could. Both brunettes were now back in his study. John groaned against the pain.

"Hush," She chided gently. "I have school boys that cause less of a fuss than you do."

"But it hurts!" He replied, sulking like a child. Ella leaned over and kissed the cut. John felt his cheeks flush. Ella turned back around and felt her own cheeks flush. She had no idea what caused such a reaction out of her. John shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

Ella turned back around and started to clean the cut again. Martha burst through the doors, concerned. "Is he alright?"

Both brunettes looked up at the intrusion. "Now, Ms. Jones," Ella chided gently again. "I'm sorry, but that is no way to enter your master's study without knocking."

Martha would have rolled her eyes, but the girl knew that Ella wasn't being mean. "Sorry, right, yeah." She walked out of the study and knocked on the door. Once she finished she ran back in. Ella looked at her amused. "But is he alright?" She looked at John. "They say you fell down the stairs, Sir."

"No, it was just a tumble, that's all." Ella smiled at his mumble. It seems he was still sulking.

"Have you checked for a concussion?" Ella raised an eyebrow.

"Why, yes, I have." Ella watched Martha for a long moment. "I must say, that it's fine Ms. Jones, I may know a bit more about this than you do." The brunette's voice didn't change from her normal, patient tone.

Martha remembered her place. "Sorry." Ella waved her hand to Martha. It didn't matter. Ella just knew that it was a good thing that it was her that Martha spoke out too. Other people would not have been so patient with her. "I'll just…" She looked at John before looking at the desk. "Tidy your things."

"I was just telling Ella –" John remembered that he was only to call her by her first name when it was just them. "Ms. White, um, about my dream. They are quite remarkable tales."

Ella smiled. "I'm sure they are, I would love to hear them." Ella felt ecstatic, with him telling her his tales, she would get to spend even more time with him. Ella was completely smitten.

Martha looked up, interested, as John told his tales to Ella. "I keep imagining that I'm someone else." Ella raised an eyebrow. That was interesting. "And that I'm hiding –"

"Hiding?" Ella asked. "Hiding in what way?"

"Um… er… almost every night…" He laughed. "This is going to sound silly."

Ella smiled. "I would still like to hear it."

John smiled back. "I dream, quite often, that I have two hearts."

Ella lifted an eyebrow. "Oh? Well, I think I should be the one to decide that." She reached into her battered bag and pulled out a stethoscope. Ella put the ear buds into her ears. Martha had been watching when she finally turned and walked away. Ella placed the stethoscope to John's chest. She heard only one heart beat coming through. Martha turned back around to see if the results were different. They were not. "I can confirm this; there is only one heart beating." John smiled at his silliness, while Martha looked a little disappointed.

"I have written some of these dreams in the form of fiction… um… not that it would be of any interest…"

"On the contrary, Mr. Smith," Ella smiled. "I would love to read these dreams." It was strange, but Ella had been having similar dreams every night. She wanted to see if maybe her dreams were the same as John's. The brunette male looked surprised at her. She smiled and nodded, she really did want to read them. John lifted himself up from the chair and walked over to his desk.

"Well… I've never shown it to anyone before." John confessed. He handed Ella a black, worn, leather book. Ella opened it up and read the handwritten title that was on the first page.

"'Journal of Impossible Things'." She turned a page. Ella smiled in fascination; there was both writing and ink pictures. She saw a central control to what seemed like a ship, maybe. There was a monitor that must have been connected to the central control. She turned another page. There was a picture of a gas-masked victim. Ella turned another page. It showed a – Ella looked on the page to find the name – Dalek in all of its inked glory. "Just look at these creatures!" Ella laughed. She turned another page. "Such imagination."

John smiled. "Mhm. It's quite a hobby." Ella looked down; each time looked at the handwriting to find the name of the creature. She found a Moxx of Balhoon that gave away to two Autons. On another page, there was what was called a Clockwork robot that was taking over Madame De Pompadour's mind.

Ella continued to read in fascination. "It's wonderful. You have quite an eye for the pretty girls." Ella smiled when she found a picture of a blonde girl. The girl had to be Ella's age. She had beautiful blue eyes.

"Oh, no, no, she's just an invention." John explained. "This character, Rose, I call her Rose." Martha appeared behind the two brunettes. She watched John. "Seems to disappear later on…" John said, thoughtfully. Ella continued to turn the pages. There was a sketch of what was called the Cybermen. In the top corner of the next page, Ella found a smaller imagine of what he named the TARDIS.

Ella traced her fingers across the small image. It looked just like the one that she saw multiply times in her dreams. Ella turned a page to find a larger imagine of the same blue box. "What's this?" Ella asked.

"Ah, that's the box, the blue box." John explained. "It's always there. Like a… magic carpet, this funny little box that transports me too far away places."

Ella smiled. "Like a doorway?"

"Mhm." John nodded. Ella turned another page. This page was a mess of writings, but the faces stood out brightly. Each was a different face seeming to be just being listed down the pages.

"I sometimes think how magical life would be if things like this were true." Ella smiled and nodded. She agreed with that. She sometimes imagined the same thing.

"If only." Ella murmured.

"It's just a dream." John gave a quiet, short laugh. Ella turned the next page. On it showed a fob watch inside and out.

-x-

Ella hugged the book tightly as she walked out of John's study. She smiled dreamily. She turned and walked back to the nurse's office. She knew that she should be getting back soon. She sighed. She needed to make up an excuse for why she was late. She couldn't say that she was with John. It seemed that Matron Joan Redfern was not fond of her messing around just because she likes John.

The brunette girl knew that she could explain things without giving too much away. Ella was never good at lying. She could say that she helped John when he fell down the stairs, and that could be it. It was true, after all, there was just more to add that she knew she couldn't.

Martha ran after Ella. "Ma'am! That book –"

Ella turned back to Martha. She smiled. "Don't worry, Ms. Jones, I promise I'll take good care of it. He did say that I could read it."

Ella turned to leave. Martha spoke up. "It's just silly, that's all."

The brunette girl looked back at Martha. She raised an eyebrow. "To some, maybe, but to me, it's fascinating. It's wonderful that he trusts me enough to allow me this much into his mind." Ella held the book tightly to her chest.

"But they're just stories." Martha said.

Ella frowned. She turned seriously. "Who is he, Martha?" How come she swore that many times in her dream, she had the exact image of him as different person. Ella more important wanted to ask who she was… Many times, she felt like she wasn't Ella White. Those dreams kept haunting her, tugging on something in the very back of her mind.

"I'm sorry?" Martha asked.

"It's like… He knows there's something that he needs to do; he just can't remember what it was." Ella explained.

Martha laughed nervously. "That's just him."

"You arrived him, yes?" Ella asked. "He found you a job here at the school, yes?"

"I use to work for the family. He just sort of inherited me." Martha explained. She felt nervous. She knew that look that Ella was giving her. Alex showed it all the time; it was when she was starting to figure something out.

"Please, Ms. Jones, be careful." Ella finally spoke up. "Please forgive me for saying this, but sometimes you seem a little too close to him, a little too familiar. I may be the only one that notices this, and that would be a good thing, but _please _be careful. I'm different, Ms. Jones, I don't mind anything like that. But I know for a fact, that others will have a problem with that if they find out."

Ella nodded and walked back off to her job. Martha nodded too. She knew that Ella was only looking out for her. Ella was doing the same thing that Alex would do. "Yes, Ma'am." Ella took the stairs as Martha turned and strode back into John's study.

-x-

Ella walked down the road alone. Suddenly, a bright green light sparked brightly over her. Ella winced and covered her eyes at the brightness. Within a few moments, the light dies down. The brunette slowly put her head down and looked around confused. She knew that had been no ordinary light. Not only was it night time, but she saw the color of the light, it had been green.

Ella turned around in the direction she had come from. She saw the green light fire up again, before it drifted across the countryside. It went out again. Ella felt her gut tighten within her; she turned back around and walked quickly towards the pub. Honestly, that had spooked her deeply.

-x-

A while later, Ella finally approached the pub, Martha stood up. She noticed that distress that was on the brunettes face. "Ms. White?" Martha called.

"Did you see that?" Ella ran up to Martha. She turned in the direction that she saw the bizarre light. "There had been something in the woods… This strange green light."

John emerged from the pub. He noticed the two women standing off to the side and walked over to them. "Anything wrong, ladies? Far too cold to be standing around in the dark, don't you –"

Ella cut him off. "There!" She pointed out to the green light that flew across the night sky. It was like a shooting star. "There, look in the sky!" Ella insisted.

"It's beautiful." Jenny said.

"There… orgom. Commonly known as a meteorite. It's just rocks falling to the ground, that's all."

Ella turned to him. "It came down in the woods."

"No, no, no, they always look close, when actually they're miles off. Nothing left but a cinder." Ella started to relax. That must have been it. "Now," John smiled. "I'll escort you back to the school." Ella felt her heart flutter. The strange green light and meteorite were long forgotten. "Ladies?" He turned to Martha and Jenny.

"No, we're fine, thanks." Martha was still looking at the sky where the meteorite disappeared.

"Then I shall bid you a goodnight."

"Goodnight ladies, keep safe." Ella offered. John put on his hat and both Ella and John walked back towards the school.

-x-

Ella peeked her head around and smiled when she saw John teaching the boys. She leaned against the door. The gun was being held by one of the boys – she believed his name was Hutchison. The rounds were being feed constantly by another boy named Latimer. She came closer and frowned. She was not pleased at what she saw. "Hutchison, excellent work!" John complimented.

The Headmaster appeared. "Cease fire!" The boys did as commanded.

"Good day to you, Headmaster." John greeted.

"You're crew's on fine form today, Mr. Smith."

"Excuse me, Headmaster; we could do a lot better." Hutchison spoke up. "Latimer is being deliberately shoddy." Ella raised an eyebrow at that.

"I'm trying my best." Latimer tried to defend himself.

"You need to be better than best." The Headmaster cut in. "Those targets are tribesmen from the dark continent."

"That's exactly the problem, Sir." Latimer said. "They only have spears."

"Oh dear me. Latimer takes it upon himself to make us realize how wrong we all are. I hope, Latimer, that one day you have a just and proper war in which to prove yourself. Now, resume firing." Hutchison continued.

Latimer seemed to go off in thought. His eyes grew distant. Ella recognized that look; he must have been remembering something. Hutchison stopped the fire. "There's a stoppage, immediate action." He looked over at Latimer for assistance. The boy didn't move, he was still in his memories. "Didn't I tell you, Sir, this boy's useless! Permission, to give Latimer a beating, Sir?"

Ella frowned deeply. Beating the poor boy was certainly not the answer. "It's your class, Mr. Smith." The Headmaster pointed out.

"Permission granted." John answered. Ella looked at his back, her frown deepened more. She disapproved greatly. The boys took Latimer and followed to give him a good beating. Ella turned her back and walked away a little angry. John turned and saw just the last pieces of Ella's black hair before she disappeared completely out of sight.

-x-

John and Ella were walking down the road. Ella was oddly even more quiet than normal. John shifted trying to think of something to talk about. Finally, he mustered up the courage to speak. A piano was being lifted up, outside of a building by a rope. "I didn't see you today after class."

"I'm disappointed." Ella spoke. Her voice was slightly sharp.

John looked surprised. "At what?"

She turned and stopped him. She looked boldly into his eyes. He leaned back slightly away. "You." She said. "I'm disappointed in you, John." John frowned. Why was she disappointed in him? He felt a sting in his chest. It hurt when she said that. "Letting those boys beat Latimer helps with nothing other than having Latimer even more afraid of the boys than he may already be!" John looked away. "Not only that, but guns, and war, you're actually teaching them this? They're _boys_, shouldn't they being doing what boys do? Teaching war is something you teach to a _man _not a boy."

John didn't look her in the eyes. That speech had to be the longest speech she's given in the months that he's known her. "Don't you think discipline is good for them?" Ella reached out and grabbed John's face. He flushed at her touch.

She looked him in the eyes. "Not that kind of discipline." She answered. Her voice was now the gentle, sweet tone he had come to know, but he could still hear her restrained anger. He realized that it wasn't him that she was angry with anymore; it was just in the situation in general that she was upset at. "Why is it _military_ discipline? When a true war comes, those boys won't find it amusing anymore." That much, Ella knew.

"Well…" He leaned slightly into her touch. "Britain's at peace, long may it reign."

Ella sighed and realized she had her hand to his chin. She slowly let it go. John felt a little sad. He liked having her hand there. "In your journey, in one of your stories, you wrote about next year. 1914."

"That was just a dream." John reminded gently.

"There were so many images of mud and iron. You described a shadow, a shadow that fell across the whole world."

"Well," John and Ella started to walk again. "We can be thankful that's not true. And I'll admit that mankind doesn't need warfare and bloodshed to prove itself – everyday life can prove honor and valor and… Let's hope that from now on this, this country can… can find it's heroes in smaller places…" John became distracted when he saw two things occur. First, there was a woman and a stroller come around the corner by the shop building. The second was the ropes that were holding the piano was starting to break outside the same shop. The two men were desperately trying to steady it and hold it. The woman didn't notice and continued to walk.

"In the most…" Ella finally turned when she noticed John started to lag behind. A young boy was tossing a cricket ball up and down in his hand. John looked between the ball and the ropes. The second strand of rope was almost completely broken. The piano lurched dangerously.

"Ordinary…" Ella looked over, confused as to what as his attention. The ropes were almost cut. The woman was beneath the piano without knowing the dangers. "Of deeds!" Just as Ella realized what he was looking at John snatched the ball. He pitched it at a bundle of spare scaffolding poles that were standing outside the ironmongers. The poles fell, hitting a plank of wood that had a brick on the end of it. The brick flew over into the air over the piano – just as the ropes snapped and the piano started to fall to the ground. The brick hit a milk churn on the cart. It sent the churn into the path of the stroller. The woman stopped short. The woman screamed as the piano hit the ground and smashed to pieces.

Ella looked over at John in completely amazement. John himself looked amazed at what just happened. The baby started to cry within the stroller. The two workmen ran over to the woman to see if she was alright. Ella and John stood their stunned for a long moment. "Lucky." John muttered.

"That was lucky?" Ella asked in disbelief.

John turned to Ella suddenly. He puckered up the courage to ask her. "Ella, might I invite you to the village dance this evening? As my guest?"

Ella laughed. John couldn't stop the grin at the sound of bells and wind chimes. "What an extraordinary man you are, John." They laughed together and turned back to the near fatal scene.

-x-

Later on in the day, they were passing through the fields. "I believe that I've figured it all out." Ella spoke up. "The Doctor is the person that you would like to be, doing impossible things like you did with that cricket ball."

"Well, I discovered a talent that's certainly true!" John said.

Ella became teasing. "The Doctor had an eye for the ladies too."

John laughed. "The devil!"

"A girl at every fireplace." Ella smiled.

John laughed. "Now, there I have to protest, Ella, that's hardly me!"

"This coming from the man who is dancing with me tonight." Ella contradicted.

John noticed a scarecrow that was hanging off its post oddly. "That scarecrow's all skewed."

The brunette started to fix the scarecrow so it was right again. "And may I say, you are quit the artist." Ella complimented. "Where did you learn to draw?"

"Gallifrey." Ella paused. That name sounded familiar, but she wasn't sure where.

"Is that in Ireland?" She asked.

John was unsure. "Yes, it must be, yes."

"But," Ella blinked. "John, you're not from Ireland."

"Not at all, no." John confirmed. "My father Sidney was a watchmaker from Nottingham and my mother Verity was…" John paused. "… Um… Well, she was a nurse, actually."

Ella laughed. "We do make good wives." She said gently, a small flush finding her cheeks.

"Really? Right. Yes." John said, a little uncomfortable. "Well, my work is done, what do you think?"

He stood back as Ella took a close look at the scarecrow. She smiled at him. "Masterpiece." She answered gently.

"All sorts of skills today!" They laughed as they walked back onto the road. What they didn't know was that the scarecrow was following their movements with its head.

-x-

It was later in the day, by what Ella could see. She was sitting in John's study. John was off in front of her sketching. He finally lowered the book. Ella smiled. "May I see it?" John moved to sit next to her on the sofa. He showed her the book. Ella laughed quietly, but musically. "Oh goodness, is that me?" Ella smiled in delight. "Are you sure that's not me?" Ella pointed to the Siltheen on the page next to the portrait.

"Most defiantly this page, I think." He pointed at the portrait of her he had made.

Ella reached up and traces the outlines of her face. "This can't be, this girl is far too beautiful." Ella smiled.

"Well that's how I see you." John answered.

Ella smiled as she felt a flutter. "I'm younger than you, John. I'm close to a student's age while you're a teacher. I think the world would much prefer us to stop." Ella paused. "Is that fair? Should we stop?"

"That's not fair at all." John brushed a piece of midnight black hair out of Ella's face. Slowly, he leaned towards her. Ella felt her heart stop as she leaned forward as well. Their faces met and they kissed. "I've never… um…" John gave up on words and leaned back in. Ella pressed her hands to John's cheeks. She felt so light headed and dizzy. It was a wonderful feeling, tasting his lips. This kiss was a long and loving kiss. The door rattled and they broke apart. Martha ran into the room. "Martha, what have I told you about entering announced?" Without a word, Martha ran out of the door. Ella expected the girl to knock on the door before coming back in. It never came.

-x-

Ella twirled around in her dress as she showed John. "Well," she asked hesitantly. "What do you think?"

"You look wonderful." John answered. His eyes were alight at seeing her.

Ella flushed. She realized something. "There best be some warning before we start this dance…" She said. "Do you know how to dance?"

"Um…" John thought about it. "I'm not certain."

Ella laughed quietly. "That's nothing new, is there anything you _are _certain about?"

"Yes." John stepped towards Ella. She blushed. "Yes."

John leaned in and kissed Ella gently and lovingly. Ella felt completely breathless. She pressed her hands to his cheek. One hand slowly slid into his hair. John's arms were wrapped around her waist. Suddenly, the door burst open. Martha ran in, breathless. Ella and John broke away. "They've found us." Martha stated.

Ella sighed. "This is getting ridiculous…"

"Martha, I've warned you." John said sternly.

"They've found us, and I've seen them – they look people, like us, like normal. I'm sorry, but you've got to open the watch." Ella raised an eyebrow. "We've got to get your memories back too." Martha had been talking to the both of them. The black woman ran over to the mantle. She couldn't find the watch. "Where is it?" She shuffled through the things that were on the mantle. She still couldn't find it. "Oh my God, where is it? Where's the watch?"

"What are you talking about?" John asked, voicing both Ella's and his thoughts.

"You had a watch, a fob watch, right here!" Martha continued to shift through things.

"Did I? I don't remember." John answered.

"Ms. Jones, I don't see how this is important to you." Ella pointed out.

"But we need it…" Martha said. "Oh my God, Doctor we're hiding from aliens, and they've got Jenny, and they've… possessed her or copied her or something and you've got to tell me where the watch is!" John looked at her weirdly. She turned to Ella. "Alex, you're hiding with us, Alex you've got to tell me if you've seen the watch."

"Oh I see…" John lowered his voice so only Ella could hear him. "Cultural differences." He picked up the journal. "It must be so confusing for you. Martha, this is what we call a story."

"Oh you complete…" Martha cut herself off. "_This _is not you," she waved her finger at both Ella and John. "This is 1913."

"Good, Martha," Ella said quietly. "This _is _1913."

"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry but I've got to snap you out of this." She reached up and slapped John. Ella's eyes widened in horror.

"Martha!" Ella cried, horrified.

"Wake up! You're coming back to the TARDIS with me. You both are." Ella jerked as Martha tried to drag them out of the room.

"How dare you!" John was furious. "I'm not going anywhere with an insane servant! Martha, you are dismissed; you will leave the premise immediately. Now get out!" The Doctor used her grip on him to drag Martha out of the door. He closed the door. He was furious. "Nerve of it, absolute cheek!" He mumbled to himself. Ella was looking at the mantle. "You think I'm fantasist, what about her?"

"But, John," he looked over at his beauty. "You _really _did have a fob watch. And it really was over there." She pointed to the mantle. "Don't you remember?"

After a long moment of silence, they decide that it was best to go to the dance. John escorted Ella to the village hall. "She's infatuated with you. You're a dangerous man." Ella teased.

"You've taken my arm in public." John defended.

Ella laughed. "Oh, I've very scared." They laughed. Both turned to see a man sitting next to the door of the village.

He lifted a can. "Spare a coin for the veterans of Crimea, Ma'am, Sir?"

Ella reached into her purse. She pulled out a dollar and gently gave it to the man. John smiled, impressed by her generosity. With that, Ella and John turn back inside. Inside the town hall, people were milling about, getting drinks from a beer keg, laughing and talking. "Ladies and gentlemen! Please take your partners for a waltz!" The announcer said.

John and Ella took their place and started to dance. "You can dance." Ella said.

"I'm surprised myself." They accidently bumped into another pairing. "Sorry." Ella smiled and reached up and kissed John gently on the cheek. He flushed, but smiled. She returned the smile.

-x-

Ella crossed her legs and waited patiently for John to come back with their drinks. She looked around and spotted him. He waved his hand, showing he was still waiting. She smiled. Ella's smile slowly faded as Martha stood in front of her.

Ella sighed. "Please, Martha, this is getting silly." She told the black woman gently.

"He's different from any other man you've met, right?" Martha asked anyways.

Ella didn't see where this was going. "Yes."

"And sometimes he says these strange things like people and places, yeah? And whenever he says it, you know what they are? They sound familiar, yeah?" Ella became uncomfortable. She hated to admit it, but Martha was right. "But it's deeper than that. Sometimes when you look him in the eyes you know – you just know that there's something there. Something hidden. Right behind his eyes, something hidden away. In the dark. And you know what it is; you know what secret, because when you look in the mirror you see the same thing." Ella winced. Where was this all coming from?

"I don't know what you mean, I…" Ella said quietly.

"Yes you do," Martha insisted. "You're so lucky, Alex. You are so lucky, even when you're different he loves you. And, I'm sorry; Alex, but you and the Doctor need to come back."

John came back, none too pleased to see Martha there. "Oh, now really, Martha. This is getting out of hand. I must insist that you leave." Ella looked at the table without seeing it.

Martha held out the sonic screwdriver. Both of them looked at it distantly. "Do you both know what this is? Name it. Go on, name it." John took it and turned it in his hand slowly. "You're not John Smith, and you're not Ella White. You're called the Doctor and Alex Harper. The man in your journal, he's real. He's you."

Clarke entered the hall quickly. He knocked down a hat stand as he strode in. Ella's eyes widened when she spotted a gun that he had in his hand. People shrieked and moved away from him. "There will be silence! All of you!" Scarecrows filed in after Jenny and Baines.

"Mr. Clarke!" The announcer called. "What's going on here?"

Without a word, Clarke turned and fired at the man. He dissolved into nothing. Ella lifted her hands and screamed into them. "Mr. Smith, Ms. White, everything I told you, just forget it! Don't say anything!" Martha ordered.

"We ask for silence!" Clarke commanded. "Now then. We have a few questions for Mr. Smith."

"No, better than that." A little girl said. She entered the hall and stood next to Clarke and Baines. "The teacher. He's the Doctor. I heard them talking."

"You took human form." Baines pointed out. Ella didn't understand. John was always human.

"Of course I'm human, I was born human! As were you, Baines. And Jenny, and you, Mr. Clarke! What is going on, this is madness!"

"And a human brain, too!" Baines said. "Simple, thick, and dull."

"He's no good like this." Jenny frowned.

Clarke spoke up. "We need a Time Lord."

"Easily done." Baines had an idea. He stepped forward and pointed his gun to John. Ella pressed her hands to her face in horror. The crowd gasped as John recoiled slightly. "Change back." Baines commanded.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" John cried.

"Change back!" Baines ordered.

"I literally do not know what –" John was close to shouting.

Jenny came over and grabbed Martha round the neck. Martha screamed. "Get off me!"

"She's your friend, isn't she?" Jenny asked. "Doesn't this scare you enough to change you back?"

"I don't know what you mean!"

"Wait a minute…" Jenny muttered. "The maid told me about Smith and White together… That woman, there!"

Ella felt completely cold. "Let's have you." Ella gasped as Clarke snatched her and held her by the neck. John looked horrified at Ella. His friend and the love of his life were being held hostage, talking about something that he had no idea what they were talking about.

"Have you enjoyed it, Doctor? Being human? Has it taught you wonderful things, are you better, richer, wiser? Then let's see you answer this. Which one of them do you want us to kill? Maid or nurse? Your friend - or your lover? Your choice."

_To be continued…_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"Make your decision, Mr. Smith." Jenny stated.

"Perhaps if that human heart breaks, the Time Lord will emerge." Baines pointed out. Ella felt completely cold.

"Time Lord." There was a voice whispered gently. Ella could hear it clear as a bell.

"It's him!" Baines cried. Using the distraction, Martha turned the tables on the three. She whirled Jenny around and pointed the gun at her.

"One more move and I shoot." Martha said firmly.

"Oh, the maid is _full_ of fire!" Baines laughed.

"And you can shut up!" Ella winced as Martha shot off the gun into the ceiling.

"Careful, son of mine." Clarke chided. "This is all for you so that you can live forever."

"Shoot you down!" Baines snarled at Martha.

"Try it!" Martha retorted. "We'll die together."

"Would you really pull the trigger?" Baines asked, unbelieving. "Looks too scared."

"Scared and holding a gun. It's a good combination. You wanna risk it?" Martha had a good point.

And the group seemed to realize this. Baines looked over at John. He was completely out of his depth. The brunette boy lowered his gun. Ella escaped and ran over to John's side. "Doctor, Alex, get everyone out. There's a door at the side. It's over there. Go on!" John stood there indecisive. "Do it, Mr. Smith. I mean you!"

Ella snapped of it. She turned to the people. "We need to do what she says, people." Ella chided gently. "Everyone needs to get out, now." She started to ushered. "Don't argue, Mr. Jackson." She chided to a man that was about to object. "They're mad. That's all we need to now. Susan, Ms. Cooper, outside, all of you, now!"

The people started to remove themselves from the hall, screaming. John turned to Latimer. "Move yourself, boy. Back to school, quickly."

"And both of you." Ella looked hesitantly. "Go on. Just shift."

"Martha, are you sure?" Ella asked.

"What about you?" John asked.

"Mr. Smith I think you should escort your lady friend to safety," John and Ella looked at each other. "Don't you?" John looked at the door, to Martha, to the door, and then back to Martha. He took Ella's hand before they both ran out of the door.

John stopped outside and began directing people. "Mr. Hicks, go to the village. Get everyone out. Latimer, go back to the school. Tell the Headmaster –"

"Don't touch me!" Latimer cut John off. "You're as bad as them." He ran off.

Martha ran out of the building to see John and Ella waiting for her outside. "Don't just stand there, move!" Martha ordered. "God, you're rubbish as a human! Come on!" Martha rushed past him. John took Ella's hand and they ran after her.

-x-

The trio finally got back to the school. They were all breathless from their run. John closed the heavy wooden doors. Once they were inside the school hall, he rang a large bell. "What are you doing?" Martha wondered.

"Maybe one man can't fight them, but this school teaches us to stand together. Take arms! Take arms!" Ella looked hesitant. This was going to be a real battle; something in her gut told her that. It was not going to be pretty for the boys.

"You can't do that!" Martha tried. The Doctor had told her not to let him kill anyone.

"You want me to fight, don't you? Take arms! Take arms!" John commanded.

The boys began to rush down the stairs. Hutchison spoke up. "I say, sir, what is the matter?"

"Enemy at the door, Hutchison. Enemy at the door. Take arms!" John commanded. The boys got together and started to load up on the guns and other weapons.

Martha was still insisting that John did not continue this. "You can't do this, Doctor. Mr. Smith!"

John ignored her. "Maintain positions over the stable yard." He ordered to the boys.

"They're just boys." Martha pointed out. "You can't ask them to fight." Ella felt that way, but she knew that they couldn't just sit there. They had to fight back in order to protect themselves.

"Faster now! That's it!" He continued to ignore Martha.

"They don't stand a chance!" John finally turned to Martha.

"They're cadets, Ms. Jones. They are trained to defend the King and all his properties." Ella stayed near the back. She couldn't bear to watch these boys, the same age as her, work towards a battle. War never accomplished anything. Ella took a deep breath to try and calm herself. She felt her heart clench at the sight of the boys.

The Headmaster entered the room. "What in thunder's name is this? Before I devise an excellent and endless series of punishments for each and every one of you, could someone explain very simply and immediately exactly what is going on?"

John turned to address the man. "Headmaster, I have to report that the school is under attack."

"Really?" The Headmaster asked. "Is that so? Perhaps you and I should have a word in private." Ella walked over to the boys, and commanded them gently. She had watched enough of the classes to know what she was doing. The boys seemed to relax whenever they could hear her calm, clear voice.

"I promise you, sir. I was in the village with Ms. Ella White. It's Baines, sir. Jeremy Baines and Mr. Clark from Oakham Farm. They've gone mad, sir. They've got guns. They've already murdered people in the village. I saw it happen." John explained.

"Ms. White," Ella looked up from her talk with some of the boys. She patted the boy she had been talking to on the back. She walked over to John and stood by his side. "Is this so?"

Ella nodded. "I'm afraid it is, Headmaster."

"Murder on our own soil?"

Ella took a deep breath. "Yes," she answered quietly. It was hard to admit this, but she knew she had to. "I saw it with my own eyes, Sir."

"Perhaps you did well then, Mr. Smith." The Headmaster seemed to believe them, which was a good thing. "Whatever makes you think the danger's coming here?"

"Well, Sir, they said… Um…" John was at a loss for words, if he were to tell the Headmaster the true reason, it would sound completely folly.

Ella answered for him, instead. "Baines threaten Mr. Smith, Sir. He said that, um, he would follow Mr. Smith to the school. We aren't sure why he's doing this." John sent her a thankful glance.

"Very well, you boys remain on guard." Ella relaxed thankful the Headmaster was now with them. "Mr. Snell, telephone the police. Mr. Philips, with me. We shall investigate."

Martha stood in front of the Headmaster. "No, it's not safe out there."

Ella sighed. She shook her head. Just as she predicted, the Headmaster was not pleased with this. "Mr. Smith, it seems your favorite servant is giving me advice. You will control her, Sir." With that, the Headmaster left.

Ella saw Martha mutter something before running off. Ella nodded her head to herself, and after a moment's hesitation, she ran off after Martha.

-x-

Martha was looking through John's study with Ella. "I know it sounds mad, but when the Doctor became human, he took the alien part of himself and stored it inside this watch. It's really a watch; it just looks like a watch."

"Who am I, Martha?" Ella finally asked.

"You're Alex Harper." Martha explained. "You and me are really good friends. You've met the Doctor the same way that I did. We've seen amazing things." Ella took a deep breath. "You're outgoing, and energetic, and empathetic, and kind, and sweet, and gentle." Martha listed. "You're amazing."

"That's certainly not me." Ella looked away. This was a lot to take in. She was shy and quiet. "When you mean alien… you don't mean from overseas, do you?" Part of Ella hoped that was what Martha meant.

"That man that you call John Smith… He was born on a different planet." Martha confirmed Ella's fears.

"A different species." Ella said hesitantly.

"Yeah."

"Then tell me this, Martha Jones, where do _we _fit into this… fairy tale?"

Martha looked over at Ella for a long moment. "I'm just a friend… I'm not… I mean you haven't got a rival, as much as I might… Just his friend."

"What about me?" Ella asked. She could feel tears coming to her eyes. "Am I _just a friend_?" If so, she refused to go back, she loved John with all of her heart.

Martha shook her head. "No," Ella looked up. "You're more than that to him, I know it." She's known it for a long time. "He's… The Doctor's in love you Alex Harper." Ella felt her heart stop. "I think that's why you – as Ella White – are in love with John Smith. It's your feelings coming through."

"We're human, yes?" Ella confirmed.

"Human." Martha confirmed.

"Then how did this happen? Why do I have different memories?" Ella asked.

Martha took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain. She figured it was best to just give the truth. "The TARDIS – that's the blue box in his journal – you pressed a button and I don't know why but for some reason it exchanged your memories for Ella White's."

Ella nodded slowly. "Right…"

Martha sighed. "And you know what, I'm more than that." Ella looked up with a raised eyebrow. "You and me both, we were training to be doctors – not alien doctors – but doctors of medicine."

Ella raised both of her eyebrows now. "That can't be true, Martha," Ella said gently. "It's impossible for a woman to become a doctor… Not only that but a doctor that's both a woman _and _black. It's impossible."

"Oh, d'you think?" Martha thought of a way to prove it. "Bones of the hand," Martha lifted her left hand. She pointed to the bones as she named the off. "Carpal bones, proximal row; scaphoid, lunate, triquetrum, pisiform. Distal row; trapezium, trapezoid, capitates, hamates. Then the metacarpal bones extending in three distinct phalanges; proximal, middle, distal."

Ella had to admit that she was impressed. It didn't matter what she thought, though. "You read that in a book…" She muttered gently.

Martha laughed. "Yes, to pass my exams. Can't you see this is true?" Ella swallowed with some difficulty. She was afraid. She was truly, honestly afraid. She didn't want to admit or 'see' anything.

"I have to go." Ella turned quickly and walked towards the door.

"If we find that watch we can stop them." Martha pointed out.

Ella couldn't do it though. She couldn't stay with Martha a minute longer. "These boys are going off to fight. I may not be a doctor, but I _am _their nurse. They're going to need me." Ella walked out of the door and quickly down stairs.

-x-

Ella was now in her uniform. Matron Redfern had disappeared; most likely she had run home. Ella knew it was up to her to help the boys. John entered the room with two boys. He spotted the brunette getting ready for the fight. He turned to the boys. "You're with Armitage and Thwaites. They know the drill." He walked over to Ella. "Ella, it's not safe."

Ella was trying to hold back the tears. She refused to look at John. "I'm doing my duty, just as you are." She paused. "Fine evening we had together."

"Not quite as I planned." John confessed.

"Tell me about Nottingham." Ella suddenly ordered.

"Sorry?" John asked.

"That's where you brought up, yes?" Ella questioned. "Tell me about it."

"Well, it lies on the River Leen, its southern boundary following the course of the River Trent which flows from Stoke to the Humber." John answered. It sounded like it was just reciting it from a book.

Ella felt more tears gathered up. It sounded so much like what she had in her head. "That sounds like a book." Ella pointed out. "Where did you live?"

"Broadmoor Street, adjacent to Hotley Terrace in the district of Radford Parade." John answered. Ella lifted her hands to her face, his tone never changed. It sounded just like he was reading it somewhere.

"More facts, John." Ella said with difficulty. "When you were a child, where did you play? All those little secret hideouts that only a child can know, where were yours? Tell me, John, please." Ella felt herself breaking. She couldn't answer those questions either. She knew this, and it was breaking her apart.

"How can you think I'm not real?" John took Ella's shoulders gently. Ella buried her face into her hands again.

"John, it's not just you!" Ella finally lifted her face to him. John felt his heart tighten at the sight of her face. She was close to crying. "I can only give you facts about where I lived. I can't give you the _details_, the precious details that people remember, not the facts."

"When we kissed, was that a lie?" John asked.

Ella shook her head. "No. No it wasn't."

"But this Doctor sounds like some… romantic lost prince. Would you rather that? Am I not enough?"

Ella felt a tear slip down her cheeks. "No." She took John's cheeks and pressed their foreheads together. "Of course not, John, you're everything I could ask for."

"I've got to go." John confessed.

Ella couldn't stand this. "I still stand by my opinion, John. They're boys – they're children. John Smith wouldn't want them to fight, never mind this Doctor. The John Smith that I was getting to know, the John Smith that I know and love – he knows its wrong, doesn't he?" John looked hesitant.

The Headmaster called to them. "Mr. Smith, if you please!"

John looked back at Ella. "What choice do I have?" He reached down and kissed Ella deeply before he left. Ella felt the tears slowly fall down her cheeks.

-x-

The fight continued to go on. Ella watched from the inside of the school. Something appeared in front of the boys, but it turned out to be scarecrows. Ella watched John. He didn't fire. She watched as he moved his head looking at the boys. They ceased fire. Ella could barely hear them, but they must have heard something because they lifted their guns again. Martha ran over to Ella and watched as Lucy came forward from the gates. Ella felt her gut tighten; something was really off with that little girl.

Ella and Martha ran outside to the boys. "You child," the Headmaster called. "Come out of the way. Come into the school. You don't know who's out there. It's the Cartwright girl, isn't it? Come here. Come to me."

"Mr. Rocastle, please." Martha insisted. "Don't go near her."

"You were told to be quiet." The Headmaster commanded.

"Listen to me; she's a part of it! Ella, tell him!"

Ella took a deep breath. "I think… I'm not sure… But Sir, I believe Ms. Martha has a point, we should probably stay back." Ella said quietly. She could feel the fear curling around in her like a coil. She did everything she could to stop from shaking.

"Mr. Smith?" Martha asked of John.

"She was – she was with – with Baines in the village." John confessed.

The Headmaster was skeptical. "Mr. Smith, I've seen many strange sights this night but there is no cause on God's earth that would allow me to see this child in the field of battle, sir." He turned back to Lucy. Ella felt her gut tighten even more. "Come with me."

"You're funny." Lucy said.

"That's right. Now take my hand." He motioned for the girl to do so.

Lucy didn't take it. "So funny." She reached into her coat and pulled out the same gun that the others had. She pointed it at the Headmaster and killed him. "Now who's going to shoot me – any of you, _really_?"

John turned to address the boys. "Lower your guns." He lowered his own rifle.

"But sir, the Headmaster –" Hutchison tried to speak.

"I'll not see this happen. Not anymore. You will retreat… in an orderly fashion back through the school. Hutchinson, lead the way." John said with finality.

"But sir –" The boy tried again.

"I said, lead the way." John commanded. Baines entered the premises.

"Go on, then, run!" Baines called. He started to fire off his gun. There was much commotion and chaos as the boys retreated to the school.

"Come on!" Martha called.

"Reanimate!" Clarke ordered to his scarecrow army. The boys ran into the school as they got chased with scarecrows. John, Ella, and Martha were leading the boys out via a passage way that was in the stables.

"Let's go! Quick as you can!" John ordered.

"Don't go to the village!" Martha cried. "It's not safe!"

"And you, ladies!" John ordered.

"No," Ella shook her head. "Not until these boys are out." They finally got the boys outside and they retreated themselves.

John paused before turning back. Martha and Ella were there waiting. "Now I insisted," John told them. "The pair of you just go. If there are any more boys inside, I'll find them." John opened the door to the passage. He slammed it shut when he saw scarecrows on the other side. "I think… Retreat." The trio ran away from the school.

They had been running when Clarke spoke up from the woods. "Doctor! Doctor!" He called in a sing-song voice. The trio paused before going towards the voice. They hid behind some bushes. They see Clarke was standing in front of the TARDIS. "Come back, Doctor. Come home. Come and claim your prize."

"Out you come, Doctor!" Baines called this time. "There's a good boy. Come to the Family."

"Time to end it now!" Jenny cried.

"You recognize it, both of you, don't you?" Martha asked softly.

"We've never seen that thing before in our lives." John answered for the both of them.

"Do you remember its name?" Martha insisted. 

"John," Ella spoke up. Her voice was extra quiet and it wasn't because of the madmen near them. "I'm sorry, but you've written about it. The blue box. You've dreamt of it."

"I'm not – I'm John Smith." His voice broke. "That's all I want to be. John Smith, with his life… And his job… And his love." Ella felt her heart break. "Why can't I be John Smith? Isn't he a good man?"

"Of course, John." Ella found it unbelievable that the same things that were running though her head were running through his. "John Smith is a great man."

"Why can't I stay?" John asked Ella desperately.

"But we need the Doctor." Martha insisted.

"So what am I then, nothing?" John asked. "I'm just a story." He picked himself off and ran away. Ella lifted her hand to him but he was gone before she could reach him.

Ella turned to Martha. She narrowed her eyes at the African American. Her feelings were flying over the place, causing her patience to become thin. "Martha," said woman looked surprised at the change of tone. "I know that we need this Doctor. You know this. So does he. But, ya know what? Shut up. You constantly telling him this helps no one. For once, put yourself in his shoes. And for God's sake, _shut up_." Ella lifted herself up and quickly ran back to John. Martha looked at the place where Ella was for a long moment, finally she got up and followed them.

They ran down a country road. They stopped to catch their breaths. Ella looked around, she recognized where she was. "I know where we are. I think I have a place where we can hide."

"We've got to keep running." John insisted.

Ella turned to him and gave him a stern glance. "John Smith, for once, listen to me." Ella walked off, knowing where she was going. Martha looked between the two before following Ella. John paused before he followed the two girls.

-x-

The trio finally entered found an old house on the hill. "There we are." Ella breathed deeply. "I don't think I've ever ran that much in my life."

"But who lives here?" Martha asked.

"If I'm correct, no one." Ella opened the doors to find an empty, dark room. It was a simple cottage type kitchen. "Hello?" No one answered. "See, no one's home, we should be safe."

"What house is this, though?" Martha questioned.

"The Cartwrights, if I remember correctly." Ella answered. "That girl that was at the school that was Lucy Cartwright. Or at least, she's taken the form of Lucy. If she came home and her parents tried to stop her, they're gone." Ella put her hand to a kettle that was on the table. "Completely frozen, how easily I've come to accept this." Ella shook her head.

John fell into a chair. Ella fluttered over to him. He looked like he was carrying the weight of the whole world. "I must go before anyone else dies."

Ella sat down next to the broken and lost man. "You can't." She turned to Martha. "Martha, there must be something that we can do."

"Not without the watch." Martha explained.

John seemed to snap. "You're the Doctor's companion! Can't you help? What exactly do you do for him? Why does he need you?"

"Because he's lonely." Martha answered evenly.

"And that's what you want me to become?" Ella got up and walked over to John. She hugged him gently. He almost fell into her embrace.

There was a knock at the door. "That could be them…" Ella said quietly.

"I'm not an expert, but I don't think scarecrows knock." Martha walked over to the door. It revealed Latimer.

"I brought you this." Latimer held out the watch. Martha took the watch. She held it in her palm out for John.

"Hold it."

John shook his head. "I won't."

"Please, just hold it." Martha begged.

Ella looked over at Latimer. "You've had the watch all this time? Why didn't you return it?"

"Because it was waiting." Latimer answered. "And because I was scared of the Doctor."

"Why's that?" Ella asked gently.

"Because...I've seen him. He's...like fire and ice and rage. He's like the night and the storm in the heart of the sun."

John cut him off. "Stop it."

Latimer continued anyways. "He's ancient and forever. He burns at the center of time and he can see the turn of the universe."

"Stop! I said stop it!" John yelled.

"And he's wonderful." Ella reached into her coat pocket and pulled out the journal.

"I still have this. Your journal." Ella spoke up, quietly.

"Those are just stories." John tried to pass off.

"But we both know that's not true, John. Maybe there's something in here." Ella opened up the journal. Before she could even read the first page again, a loud explosion shook the ground. They all gasped.

"What the hell?" Martha asked.

They all ran to the window. "They're destroying the village." Ella said horrified.

"Watch." John muttered quietly. He went over and picked it up.

"John?" Ella asked.

Ella heard a voice though; it was John's voice, but… Not his. "Come closer." Ella walked over to John.

Latimer spoke up. "Can't you hear it?"

"Closer. Closer." The watched chanted.

"I think he's asleep. Waiting to be reawakened." John muttered.

"Why did he speak to me?" The boy asked.

John started to speak in a strange voice. Ella heard it before though, it sounded so familiar to her. "Oh, low-level telepathic field. You were born with it. Just an extra synaptic engram causing –" The brunette male stopped and took a deep breath. "Is that how he talks?"

"That's him!" Martha cried, excited. "All you have to do is open it and he's back."

Ella spoke up. Her tone was suddenly the familiar tone that Martha had come to know. "Geez," She shook her head. "You do realize no one understands what you just said, I mean really, we're not as smart as –" Ella stopped. John and she shared a look. She slowly looked back at Martha. "Is that… Is that how Alex sounds like?"

Martha nodded, thrilled. "That's exactly how Alex speaks!"

"You knew all along and yet you watched Ella and I –" Martha cut him off.

She strode towards him. "I didn't know how to stop you! He gave me a list of things to watch out for but that wasn't included."

Ella reached out and grabbed the journal. She opened it up quickly and started to scan the book. "Falling in love? That didn't even occur to him?"

"No." Martha answered.

"What kind of man is that?" John snapped. "And now you expect us to die?"

More explosions came from outside. "It was always going to end, though! The Doctor said the Family's got a limited lifespan. That's why they need to consume a Time Lord. Otherwise, three months and they die. Like mayflies, he said."

"So your job was to execute us?" John wasn't in the least bit happy with this.

"People are dying out there! They need him and _I_ need him. 'Cause you've got no idea of what he's like. I've only just met him. It wasn't even that long ago, but he is everything...he's just everything to me and he doesn't even look at me, but I don't care...'cause I love him to bits. And I hope to God he won't remember me saying this." Martha truly did hope he never remember any of this.

The house rocked with more explosions. "It's getting closer." Latimer spoke up.

"I should have thought of it before!" John seemed to have come to a conclusion. "I can give them this. Just the watch. Then they can leave and we can stay as we are!"

"You can't do that!" Martha cried.

"If they want the Doctor, they can have him." John said firmly. He wanted nothing to do with this Doctor.

"He'll never let you do that." Martha answered.

"If they get what they want then – then –"

Ella finally got to the last page of the journal. She read it as they argued. She finished for John. "Then it all ends in destruction. I never read the end, but it says that if those creatures get the watch, then they'll live forever, and will breed and conquer. War across the stars… For every child." Ella looked up to see John was on the verge of tears. She felt the same way. "Timothy, Martha, could you please leave us alone?"

They did so. When they left, John let out a sob. Ella walked over to him. He cried as Ella took him into her arms. Ella felt the tears fall from her eyes. She closed her eyes tightly as they held each other tightly. _It's not fair_, Ella thought. _Why can't they just become different people, why do they have to take our bodies?_ Ella took John and sat him down. She sat down next to him. Both were looking at the watch.

"He won't love you." John finally said.

Ella tried to whip away her tears. It was in vain, for everyone that she whipped away more came. "From what Martha tells me, I'm going to change too." John looked at her. "You'll turn into the Doctor and me into Alex Harper. And even if I didn't, if he's not you I don't want anything to do with him." Ella bit her lip. "I never thought… It was so amazing…" Ella couldn't get it out.

"I was real." John said just as quietly. "I wasn't… I really thought…" He seemed to not be able to get it out either.

Ella took the watch from John. "Allie…" The watch whispered. She felt tears continued to come down her cheeks. "Please don't cry."

Ella blinked. "Do you love her?" John raised an eyebrow. "Do you love Alex Harper?"

The watch was silent for a long moment. Ella felt hear broken. "Yes." Ella looked down at the watch. "I do love her. More than anything." Ella suddenly saw images of them together, Alex and the Doctor; she saw it all through his eyes.

"Oh my God."

"What?" John asked urgently.

Ella turned to John. "He's loves her." Her voice broke as more tears fell. "This Doctor loves Alex." John put his hand over hers. Both of their hands were touching the watch.

Ella took a sharp inhale when different images entered her mind. She realized it was John's and her lives. Their wedding, the birth of their first child, waking in the park with their children, and finally John's peaceful death.

-x-

"_They're all safe, aren't they?" John asked. "They children… the grandchildren… everyone's safe?"_

_Ella smiled at her husband. She stroked his hand gently. "Yes, they're all safe. They send their love, John."_

"_It's done. Thank you." John closed his eyes and his peaceful death came._

-x-

Ella and John looked at each other. "Did you see that?" John asked, amazed.

The brunette girl nodded. "This Time Lord has such adventures, but he could _never _have a life like that."

"And yet we could!" John took the watch again.

"What are you going to do?" It was all up to him. John looked back at her, breathing heavily. He didn't answer for a long moment.

"Ella…" She smiled. She knew what he was going to say. She reached up and gently touched his lips to stop him.

"I understand." John and Ella leaned in. She gently put her hand on top of John's. Both took a deep breath, savoring their last kiss. Finally, the watch opened.

Ella wrapped her arms around John quickly as the memories filled her head quickly.

-x-

Alex's eyes snapped open. The Doctor and her broke apart. They stared at each other. Alex felt tears flow down her cheeks. Alex got up quickly. Ella's memories were fresh in the poor girl's mind. "Allie…"

"No." Alex sobbed. "Please, just leave. Just go away." Alex fell into one of chairs. Her arms were folded together. She put her head into them. Alex sobbed. The Doctor got up and over to her. He touched her shaking shoulders lightly. She leaned away from them. "Go!" She said through her arms. "You have a world to save." The Doctor was very hesitant, he hated to admit it but she was right. The Doctor took one last look at his sobbing Alex. He took off out the door to confront the Family of Blood. Alex sobbed loudly in the darkness of the room.

-x-

Alex had continued to cry her heart out. It felt like everything and nothing was inside of her. She could remember every single one of Ella's memories, every single thought, and every single emotion. Alex bit her lips and continued to cry. Ella was right, it hadn't been fair. Why did they have to die so that Alex and the Doctor could live?

The Doctor slowly opened the door. He saw Alex there. She was sitting near the window, just watching the scene that was before her. "Allie?" He asked quietly.

She didn't move. The Doctor winced. "Is it done?"

"Yes." The Time Lord answered.

"Great…" Alex answered with no emotion. The Doctor walked over to her. He reached out for his Alex. Alex felt her heart break as he hugged her tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Allie." The Doctor breathed into her hair. "I'm so so sorry. I never meant for that to happen."

Alex felt like her tears wouldn't stop. They continued to flow steadily down her cheeks. "She was right."

"Who was?"

"Ella." Alex felt her throat tighten at saying that name. "Ella was right, it isn't fair, Doctor." It felt strange calling the man behind her that. "It's not fair that they had to die in order for us to come back."

"I know, Allie, I know." The Doctor muttered.

Alex broke his grip. "No, I don't think you do!" Alex felt all of her emotions come out. She knew she would regret this later, but the Doctor was a good target for her. He backed up slightly, but his eyes showed that he was ready to take whatever she threw at him. He knew very well she had too much bottled up, he would take it, for her, knowing it would make her feel better in the long run.

"You don't! How come you never thought of that? How come you never thought about the fact that John Smith would maybe fall in love? Why did you tell Ella that you loved me! You and I both know that's not true! You love Rose! You'll always love Rose! You don't love me!" Her rant broke into a sob as she lifted her hands to her face.

The Doctor reached out and grabbed her tightly. He pulled her to him. She fell into his chest, sobbing. The brunette Time Lord held her tightly. He didn't say anything. Her words finally registered into his mind. No, wait; there was one thing that he _had _to tell her. "You're wrong."

Alex started. "What?" She muttered.

"You're wrong." The Doctor repeated. "I never lied to Ella. I _do _love you, Allie. Can't you see that?" He grabbed Alex's face and pressed their foreheads together. "Can't you see the way I look at you, Allie? I can't take my eyes off you."

"Doctor…"

"Allie, please, _listen to me_, I swear I am telling the truth." The Doctor looked into her eyes deeply. "I love you." He spoke those words clearly. He did love her, and he was going to make sure she knew that.

Alex closed her eyes. "I love you too, Doctor." Alex threw her hands around the Doctor's neck. He hugged her tightly. He leaned back to look at her face. He went down to kiss her. Alex leaned away. He raised an eyebrow. "Don't." Alex shook her head.

"Why not?" The Doctor asked. "I do believe that's what two people do when they find out they love each other."

Alex smiled at that. It honestly felt a bit strange to smile. She ignored that. "Don't." Alex repeated.

"Why not?"

The brunette girl looked at the Doctor strangely. "You're really asking that? Don't you remember your time as John Smith?"

The Doctor didn't understand what that had to do kissing her. He responded anyways. "Yes."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "You oblivious idiot!"

The Doctor wheeled back slightly. "Allie!"

"No, you don't get to scold me." Alex cut him off. Alex refused to kiss the Doctor. She certainly remembered what Martha said to John. She wasn't about to have a relationship knowing that. That was just _way _too cruel. "We are not kissing."

"What –"

Alex put a hand to his mouth. "No." She said firmly. "You'll find out." She knew that much. At the end of season 3 – which she knew was coming up – Martha basically gives an analogy to show why she was leaving.

"Allie…" The Doctor whined.

Alex smiled and shook her finger at him. "No!" The Doctor sighed deeply. He leaned down quickly and gave her a quick, chaste kiss. "Hey!"

"I'm not about to agree to not kiss you at all." Alex pouted. He winked.

"Just don't do it in front of Martha." Alex sighed.

He raised an eyebrow. He didn't understand why, but he trusted Alex's words. "Okay." He agreed.

-x-

Alex and the Doctor walked down the field towards the TARDIS. Martha was already waiting there for them. "All right. Molto bene!"

"How are you?" Martha asked.

Alex really did _not _want to talk about it. "I'm fine. Let's just go. Time we moved on."

"If you want, I could –"

Thankfully, the Doctor spoke up. "Time we moved on." He repeated.

"I meant to say back there, last night – I would have said anything to get you to change." Basically, she was just trying to say she didn't mean that she loved the Doctor. The Time Lord's face cleared after a moment of confusion. He looked at Alex. She was thankfully that he now understood why she wanted them to put off starting a relationship just yet.

"Oh yeah, of course you would. Yeah." The Doctor nodded.

"I mean, I wasn't really –"

"Of course not." Alex said.

"Good."

"Fine."

"Alright." Alex could feel the air start to get _very _awkward.

"So here we are then."

Alex nodded. This was getting so uncomfortable. "There we are, yep." Martha nodded.

The Doctor remembered something. "And I never said thanks for lookin' out for us." The Doctor walked over to Martha and gave her a big hug.

"Doctor, Martha, Alex." The brunette trio turned to see Latimer there.

"Tim – Timothy – Timber." The Doctor said. Alex gave him a weird look at the last name.

"I just wanted to say good-bye. And thank you, because I've seen the future and I now know what must be done. It's coming, isn't it? The biggest war ever." Alex looked away. 1913 was the year before World War I happened.

"You don't have to fight." Alex said.

"I think we do." Latimer contradicted.

"But you could get hurt." Martha pointed out.

"Well, so could you two, travelling around with him." Alex pursed her lips thoughtfully, he did have a point. "But it's not going to stop you." An even better point.

"Tim, I'd be honored if you take this." The Doctor gave Latimer the watch.

"I can't hear anything."

"Nope," Alex popped her p. "It's just a watch now. But keep it, ya know, for good luck." Alex smiled at the boy.

Martha hugged Latimer. "Look after yourself." She kissed his cheek. Alex came over and did the same thing.

"Believe in yourself, you can do great things, all you have to do is believe." Alex laughed. "That was so corny." Latimer smiled. "But, remember that." The boy nodded, Alex smiled and ruffled his hair. Both brunette girls walked into the TARDIS.

"You'll like this bit." The Doctor walked inside of the TARDIS. The ship disintegrated before Latimer's eyes. He smiled before walking off.

-x-

"_In June 1914, an archduke of Austria was shot by a Serbian and this then led, through nations having treaties with other nations, like a line of dominoes falling, to some boys from England walking together through France on a terrible day..."_

-x-

Alex started to fuss over the Doctor's jacket. She fiddled with the stupid flower as the Remembrance Sunday service took place. They were there for Latimer. Alex scrunched up her face. The flower just did _not_ want to cooperate. "Ah!" She cried as she finally got the poppy into the Doctor's lapel. "Got it!"

"Finally." Martha shook her head.

"I hate you, flower." Alex didn't care that she was talking to a _flower_. She really did hate it.

"Allie," The Doctor called gently. She looked up and turned around. Alex smiled when she saw Latimer looked their way. Alex reached up and waved her hand. She stood straight and gave Latimer a salute. She warned the Doctor before hand. As much as the Doctor hated salutes, he decided to let it slide this time. Latimer smiled at them.

All that time, the watch was still in Latimer's hand.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

"Cardiff!" The Doctor said. It had been a while since the whole adventure of 'Human Nature' and 'The Family of Blood'. It's been interesting, to say the least. True to his word, the Doctor waits patiently until Alex gives him the okay to start a relationship. But, also true to his word, he's continues to steal chaste, quick kisses with her when Martha wasn't looking. Alex was both annoyed and happy when he did that. It was annoying because she didn't want Martha to see them, which would be bad. Happy, because, obviously the Doctor – the man that she's in love with – kept stealing kisses from her.

"Cardiff?" Martha asked. Alex blinked, also confused. Cardiff was a city in Britain. Honestly, with all the places they could be, Cardiff didn't make any sense.

"Ah," The Doctor lifted up a finger. "But the thing about Cardiff is that it's built on a rift in time and space."

Alex understood. "Like California and the San Andreas Fault!"

"Yes!" The Doctor confirmed. "The rift _bleeds _energy. Every now and then I need to open up the engines, soak up the energy and use it as fuel."

"So it's a pit stop." Martha understood as well.

"Exactly!" The Doctor said. "Should take 20 seconds." The Doctor became thoughtful. "The rift's been active."

"Cool," Alex grinned, talking about the fact that Cardiff was on a rift. "Ya learn something new every day with you, Doctor." The trio shared a laugh.

"Wait a minute." Martha realized something. "They had an earthquake in Cardiff a couple of years ago. Was that you?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Bit of trouble with the Slitheen." The Doctor answered.

"See, see?" Alex laughed. "I'm tellin' ya Doctor; trouble just goes and _finds _you _anywhere _you are."

The Doctor shrugged. "Well," he drew out the 'l' as always. Alex giggled. "That was a long time ago. Lifetimes." The Doctor's eyes grew distant. He was remembering. "I was a different man back then." Alex shook her head and fixed her hair. She had on a long sleeved baby blue shirt. She had the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. With that, she had on some dark wash jeans, and some light purple converse. Alex decided to put her hair up into a braid. She had on the normal jewelry. "Finito." The Doctor finally said. "All powered up."

The Doctor walked over to the monitor. Alex paused when she noticed the look on the Doctor's face. It seemed to be a look of panic. Alex raised an eyebrow at the look. The Doctor suddenly started up the TARDIS. He smiled as the familiar humming sound started. Martha and Alex both shared a look. They looked at the monitor. Whatever was on the monitor that caught the Doctor's attention was now gone.

The valiant ship gave a sudden jerk. The three were thrown to the ground. Alex grunted. She looked over, and, in a moment of teenage hormones, noticed the Doctor's lovely ass. Alex shook her head at herself. She smiled though; the Doctor did have a good looking arse, let's just leave it at that. "Whoa." Martha said.

The TARDIS lit up the room with sparks. Alex waved her hands to fight off the lights. The Doctor shot up and grabbed the monitor. He wheeled it to see what was happening. Alex and Martha clung to the console. "What the heck was that?" Alex asked.

"We're accelerating?" The Doctor muttered, more to himself. "Into the future. The year one billion. Five billion. Five trillion. Fifty trillion. What? The year one hundred trillion? That's impossible!"

"Why?" Martha asked. "What happens then?"

"We're going to the end of the universe." The Doctor responded. Alex raised her eyebrows. That was not good.

-x-

The faithful ship gave a last 'thud' before stilling. It must have meant that they had landed. Alex could feel her heart racing. She could feel excitement. But right now, the nervousness was winning over as her dominant emotion. "Well, we've landed."

"Where are we?" Alex asked quietly.

"I don't know." The Doctor answered. The nervousness curled tightly in her stomach.

"Say that again." Martha seemed to be nervous too. "That's rare."

"Not even the Time Lords came this far." The Doctor explained. "We should leave. We should go. We should really, really… go." The Doctor looked at Alex and Martha. He grinned at them suddenly before running towards the doors of the TARDIS. Martha and Alex grinned as well and took off after him.

They walked outside to see the land baron. The night was black. Alex looked up at it curiously. Where were all the stars? "Oh my God!" Martha's exclamation brought Alex's attention to a young brunette male lying on the ground. Alex froze, with the exception of a twitch in her arm. Martha tapped the Doctor's shoulder as she ran over to Captain Jack Harkness. "Can't get a pulse." Martha muttered. "Hold on – you've got that medical kit thing." She ran back into the TARDIS.

The Doctor took a couple of steps towards Jack. Alex kept herself behind him. When he woke up she did _not _want to be in his range. Now, don't misunderstand Alex, she loved Jack. She felt he was awesome. The only problem was that she had known that he was a man whore. If it was a humanoid, stood on two legs, and _breathed _Jack would be on it faster that someone could say 'snap'. "Hello again." The Doctor greeted Jack. "Oh, I'm sorry."

Martha rushed back out. "Here we go. Out of the way!" She shoved the Doctor. "It's a bit odd though. Not very hundred trillion – that coat's more like World War II."

"I think he came with us." Alex pointed out. None of her could be seen other than her head. She had it hanging around the Doctor. He turned to her with a raised eyebrow. What was she doing behind him? "What?" She whispered. "I don't want to be in his range when he wakes up." The Doctor thought about that for a second. He nodded to himself, he wouldn't want that either. He felt even more protective of Alex when he was dealing with Jack.

"How d'you mean? From earth?" Martha asked. She hadn't heard the little statement Alex had made.

"Must've been clinging to the TARDIS all the way through the vortex. Well that's very him." Alex looked over at the TARDIS. If she remembered correctly – which was rare for her – because Jack can't die, the TARDIS doesn't like him as much as the Doctor.

"What? Do you know him?" Martha asked.

"Friend of mine. Use to travel with me. Back in the old days," The Doctor answered.

"But – I'm sorry, there's no heartbeat. There's nothing, he's dead." Martha explained. Alex rolled her eyes, _just wait, Martha_. Alex had barely any time to think this before Jack gasped, coming back to life. He grabbed Martha's arms. She screamed. Alex jumped, her heart bursting with energy. Even if she expected him to wake up, it still gave her a shock. "Oh well, so much for me." Martha muttered. Alex held her shirt where her heart was as it slowed to a natural pace. "It's alright. Just breathe deep. I've got you now."

Jack seemed to be fine. Why was that? "Captain Jack Harkness. And who are you?" That was why. He was already flirting.

"Martha Jones." Martha introduced. _Don't encourage him, Martha_! Alex whined.

"Nice to meet you, Martha Jones."

The Doctor intervened. "Oh, don't start!" He said annoyed.

"I was just saying hello." Jack deafened.

"I don't mind." Martha said. She helped Jack up.

Alex peaked her head around to see Jack. Jack without missing a beat saw her. "Why hello, I'm Captain Jack Harkness. Who are you?" Alex shot back in her place. She pressed her forehead to the Doctor's back. She gripped his jacket gently.

"Oh, don't start with her." The Doctor growled. Jack looked surprised at the brunette Time Lord. The Doctor was even more defensive than he usually was with him. Jack looked through the Doctor to the smaller brunette. It seemed like her and he had a special relationship. Jack knew he should watch himself even more with her.

Finally the Doctor and Jack met each other's eyes. They stared at the other coldly. "Doctor." Jack said with just as much emotion.

"Captain." The brunette responded.

"Good to see you." Jack said politely.

"And you." The Doctor looked more closely at Jack. "Same as ever… Although… Did you have some work done?" Alex giggled.

"You can talk." Jack responded indignantly.

The Doctor looked confused before he realized what Jack meant. "Oh, yes, the face. Regeneration, how did you know this was me?" If Alex remembered correctly, Jack hadn't seen the 'new' Doctor. The last time Jack saw the Doctor it was when he was the 9th. See? She remembers things… Random things, sure, but that was beside the point.

"The police box kinda gives it away." Jack motioned to the box. Alex turned to look fondly at the TARDIS. She did love that ship. "I've been following you for a long time. You abandoned me."

The Doctor's tone was brisk and short. "Did I? Busy life. Move on." Alex couldn't help but give a small wince at his tone. That was a little rude…

"Just gotta ask. The battle at Canary Wharf. I saw the list of the dead. It said Rose Tyler." Alex couldn't stop the sinking feeling in her heart at the mention of Rose.

"Oh no! She's alive!" The Doctor said.

"You're kidding!" The men shared a laugh.

"Parallel world safe and sound. And Mickey! And her mother!"

"Oh yes!" The men hugged each other. Alex couldn't help but be a tiny bit sad. It didn't last long. The Doctor didn't seem to forget her. He left the hug and picked her up. She laughed as he spun her around. He was grinning. She grinned back at him.

Poor Martha was not so fortunate. She was upset to see how much the name Rose meant to both the men. The feeling worsened when she saw yet another moment pass between the Doctor and Alex. "Good ol' Rose." She muttered to herself.

They finally decided to start walking and see where they were. The Doctor and Alex were in front. The Doctor had a tight hold of her hand. Alex absentmindedly swung their joined hands as she looked around, observing her surroundings. Jack and Martha were behind them, walking side-by-side.

"So there I was in the year 200, 100, ankle deep in Dalek dust and he goes off without me." Jack explained to Martha. "But I had this," Jack tapped the personal teleport that he had on his wrist. "I used to be a time agent. It's called a vortex manipulator. He's not the only one that can time travel."

"Oh, excuse me." The Doctor finally spoke up. "_That _is not time travel. It's like I've got a sports car and you've got a space hopper."

Alex and Martha laughed. "Anyways, Jack." The brunette looked over at her. "He's the only one that can time travel _without _ripping a whole in the universe _and _he does it comfortably and safely." The Doctor lifted his arm to gesture to Alex. His motion was basically saying, 'See, see? Even she agrees with me'.

"Alright," Jack said a little ticked at the mocking. "So I bounced. I thought '21st century, best place to find the Doctor' except that I got it a little wrong. I arrived in 1869 and this thing burnt out so it was useless."

"Told you." The Doctor said without looking behind.

"I had to live through the entire 20th century waiting for a version of you that would coincide with me." Alex did the math in her head, her tongue sticking out just a tiny bit. Alex blinked when she got the results. That couldn't be his age…

"But that makes you more than 100 years old." Martha said.

Jack laughed. Alex blinked, she felt like smacking herself. She forgot about the whole, 'he can't die or age or stuff' part. "And looking good, don'tcha think?" Jack continued with his story. "So I went to the time rift, based myself there 'cause I knew you'd come back to refuel. Until finally I got a signal on this," He jerked to his backpack. "Detecting you and here we are."

"But the thing is how come you left him behind, Doctor?" _Oh because he turned into a fixed point in time and can't die anymore and that goes against _all _of the Doctor's Time Lord Instincts_. Alex thought dryly.

"I was busy." The Doctor said.

"Is that what happens, though?" Martha wouldn't drop it. "Seriously? Do you just get bored of us one day and disappear?" Alex flinched at that statement. The Doctor caught it. He frowned deeply. She didn't really think that he would do that to her… Did she?

"Not if you're blonde." It seemed that Jack agreed with Martha. Alex pushed a piece of brunette hair out of her face. She felt her throat tighten. The Doctor squeezed her hand. She looked over. She met his eyes for a second before looking back to the ground. She didn't want him to see the emotion that she knew he would see.

"Oh, she was blonde?" Martha said bitterly sarcastic. "What a surprise!" Alex flinched again.

The Doctor could feel his will snap. Not only were Martha and Jack attacking Rose when she wasn't even here. But more importantly, he knew the things they were saying was hurting Alex. He couldn't stand to have Alex hurt. "You two!" He snapped. "We're at the end of the universe. All right? We're at the end of knowledge itself and you're busy… Blogging!" The Doctor started to walk again. He tugged Alex along. "Come on."

Alex waited until the Doctor and she were far enough ahead to speak. "You… You wouldn't really do that would you?" The Doctor looked over. "You wouldn't really just… get bored and leave one day would you?"

"You really do think I would do that to you, don't you?" Alex didn't answer him. "No." He said sternly. "No, Allie, I would _never _do that to you." He reached over and put his arm around her small shoulders. "I would never leave you. I would never disappear or abandon you." Alex felt her lips turn into a smile. It was impossible to deny the tone that the Doctor gave her. "That is…" Alex looked up sharply, surprised that there was a condition. "That is, of course, if you want to be with me."

Alex looked at him crazy. "Of course I want to be with you!" Alex shook her head. "I never want to _stop _being with you." The Doctor smiled. The Doctor slipped his hand around Alex's again. He intertwined their fingers. He couldn't stop the smile. It was a perfect fit.

They finally came to the edge of a canyon. They looked down. It seemed like some sort of city or colony. "Is that a city?"

"A city or a hive. Or a nest. Or a conglomeration." The Doctor listed. "Looked like it was grown. But look there." The Doctor pointed to the pathways that connected the city.

"They look like roads… Or pathways or something." Alex pointed out.

"Yes…" The Doctor agreed. "Must have been some sort of life, long ago."

"What killed it?"

"Time. Just time." The Doctor answered. "Everything's dying now. All the great civilizations have gone."

Alex looked back up at the sky. "The sky." She said softly. The three looked at her before looking up. "It's been bothering me… Where are the stars? There's nothing there… Just… Night." Alex felt a little uneasy saying that.

"This isn't just night, Allie." She looked at him. "All of the stars have burned up and faded away into nothing."

"It must have an atmospheric shell. We should be frozen to death."

"Well, Martha, Allie and I maybe. I don't know about you Jack." The Time Lord looked knowingly at Jack.

"What…" The Doctor looked at his Alex. She was looking at the city with unseeing eyes. "What about the people? Has no one survived?"

He thought about this. He knew he should say something to make her feel better. He knew he should say the right words to her. "I suppose we should hope. Life will find a way."

"Well, he's not doin' too bad." Jack pointed past the group and to a young man. He had tan skin with black curled hair. He was running away from a group of people.

Alex looked at the scene horrified. "Is it just me or does that look like a hunt?"

"It's a hunt!" Alex took off.

"Allie!" The Doctor took after her. Jack and Martha ran after them. The Doctor got up to her and ran past her. Alex was getting better at running though. She was able to keep up with him, almost right on his heels.

Jack was laughing. "Oh, I missed this." They reached the man and Jack was the one that got a hold of him. "I've got you!"

"We've got to run!" The man said. "They're coming! They're coming!"

Jack passed the man over to the Doctor. He pulled out a pistol and pointed it at the mob. "Jack, don't you dare!" Jack turned to the Doctor before turning to the mob. He shifted the gun to the air and fired the pistol into the dark.

"What the hell are they?" Martha asked fearfully.

"There's more of them. We've got to keep going." The man said.

"I've got a ship nearby." The Doctor explained. "It's safe. It's not far, it's over there."

"Um… Doctor…" He turned to see what Alex wanted. He saw that more of the mob was coming over the hill, running across the same path that they took.

"Or maybe not." The Doctor muttered.

"We're close to the silo. If we get to the silo then we're safe." The man explained.

"Silo?" The Doctor asked the group.

"Silo." Jack agreed.

"Silo for me."

"Here we come Silo!" Alex said.

-x-

They finally arrive near the gates. The five ran as fast as they could to get to the silo. A guard ran to the gate as they came into view. "It's the future kind! Open the gate!"

Alex had a tight hold on the Doctor's hand as they ran. She squeezed it as she looked around her briefly to see the 'Future kind' behind her. "Show me your teeth!" A guard chanted as they got closer. "Show me your teeth! Show me your teeth!"

"Show them your teeth." The man said. The four brunette time travelers looked at each other before gritting their teeth in wide smiles. The guard got a good look at all of their teeth.

"Human!" The guard announced. "Let 'em in! Let 'em in!" The gates opened and the five ran in. "Close! Close! Close!"

The gate closed with the guard's gun peeking through them. He fired at the ground right in front of the Future kind's feet. The gun fire caused them to halt their assault. Alex felt her heart pound in her chest. The Doctor was squeezing her hand. She swallowed and a tense air surrounded them. "Humans… Humani… Make feast." The leader said.

Alex gripped the Doctor's sleeve. He put his hand on top of hers. With the hand that he was holding hers he intertwined their fingers. Jack saw this out of the corner of his eye. It was strange, watching them react to each other. It was like they were meant to be like that. Jack mentally shook his thoughts and focused on the Future kind for now.

"Go back to where you came from. I said go back! Back!" He lifted the gun to the group.

"Oh, don't tell him to put down his gun." Jack muttered to the Doctor.

"He's not responsibility." The Doctor responded.

"And I am?" Jack scoffed. "That makes a change."

"Stop it children." Alex finally spoke up. "Or do I have to separate you?"

"You wouldn't." Alex narrowed her eyes at the brunette. The Doctor let go of her hands for a moment. He knew what was coming, and knew Jack deserved it. Alex walked over and without hesitation gave a sharp smack to the back of Jack's head. He yelped and rubbed the spot. He looked over at Alex in surprise.

"If I'm not afraid to smack a 903 year old Time Lord than I am _certainly _not afraid to smack you," Alex thought about it. It was true that she has smacked the Doctor before – not many times, but a couple of times – but she's never actually smacked him in the head. _Hmmm… I've never realized that_… It didn't bother her. Alex thought about it and realized that the Doctor actually never gave her the need to smack him. He knew what the consciences would be if he didn't behave.

"Kind watch you." The leader of the Future kind spoke up. "Kind hungry." The leader gave a signal and the group finally disappeared out of sight.

"Thanks for that." The Doctor said to the guard.

"Right. Let's get inside." The guard said.

"My name is Pardafet Shafekane." The man introduced. "Please tell me, can you take me to Utopia?"

"Oh yes, sir. Yes I can." The guard led them into a large tunnel that was carved into the side of a mountain.

-x-

"It's a blue box." Alex tried to explain to the man. He apparently was the leader of the silo. The Doctor and Alex were trying to explain what the TARDIS looked like. Pardafet was trying to find his family. "It's a big, blue box."

"I'm sorry." The Doctor spoke up. "But I really need it back. It's stuck out there."

"I'm sorry but my family was heading for the silo. Did they get here? My mother name is Kistane Shafekane. My brother is Beltone."

"The computers are down but you can check the paper work." Atillo – the captain of the silo – said. "Creet!" A small boy that had to be at least ten years old peeked his head around. "Passenger needs help."

"Right. What d'you need?" Pardafet walked over to the Creet and looked at the clipboard that the small boy had.

"A blue box, you said?" Atillo finally turned to the Doctor and Alex.

"Big. Tall. Wooden." The Doctor explained.

"It has the word 'police' on it." Alex added.

"We're driving out for the last water collection. I'll see what I can do." Atillo walked away.

"Thank you." The Doctor and Alex said. The Doctor turned to smile at Alex. He waggled his eyebrows at her. She giggled at his child-like behavior. He reached down and their faces touched.

"Come on." Alex gave the Doctor a chaste kiss on the lips. She danced away from him as he leaned down wanting more. He shot her a playful look causing her to giggle.

"Sorry, but how old are you?" Martha spoke up to Creet.

"Old enough to work." Creet answered. Alex raised an eyebrow at that. Where she came from, she doubted that. But it was probably different now that the end of the universe came. "This way." He led them corridor after corridor where people where lined up in small camps. "Kistane Shafekane. Kistane Shafekane. Kistane and Beltone Shafekane? Looking for a Kistane and Beltone Shafekane." Creet called.

"The Shafekanes anyone?" Pardafet said.

"Anyone? Kistane and Beltone Shafekane? Anyone know the Shafekane family? Anyone called Shafekane?" Creet continued to call out.

"It's like refugee camp." Martha pointed out. Alex almost tripped when the Doctor caught her.

"Careful." He muttered into her ear. She felt chills run down her spine.

"Thanks." She swallowed with some difficulty. He had been like that ever since 'Human Nature'. Ever since he found out that Alex loved him, he's been even more affectionate and touchy than usually. Of course, Alex couldn't complain.

"Stinking." Jack brought her out of her thoughts. A rather large man passed by the brunette. "Oh, sorry. No offense." Alex cracked a smile at Jack's behavior. She was still hyperactively aware of the Doctor's hands on her small shoulders.

"Don't you see that?" The Doctor said, excited. "The ripe old smell of humans. You survived. Oh, much better than a million years evolving into clouds of gas. And then another million as downloads, but you always revert to the same basic shape. The fundamental humans."

"Kistane Shafekane." Creet continued to call to the humans.

"End of the Universe and here you are." The Doctor shook Alex's shoulders. "Indomitable! That's the word! Indomitable! Ha!" The Doctor laughed. She giggled and shook her head.

"You are so positive." She told him. He grinned at her. In a quick second he reached down and kissed her lips. Alex felt her heart stop as her breath hitched. When she focused on him, he was looking forward like nothing happened. Alex could feel her cheeks reddening.

"Is there a Kistane Shafekane?"

A woman stood up. "That's me." She saw Pardafet. She gasped.

"Mother?" Pardafet asked.

"Oh my God." His mother said.

"Beltone?" Alex smiled as Pardafet ran to his family.

"It's not all bad news." Martha said. The Doctor taped Alex's shoulder. She turned and followed him obediently. Jack saw a good looking man walk by him. His flirty side flared up.

"Captain Jack Harkness. And who are you?" Alex shot him a look.

"Stop it." The Doctor ordered. "Give us a hand with this." Jack reluctantly let go of the man's hand and walked over to the Doctor and Alex. Martha walked over with him. "It's half – deadlocked. See if you can overwrite the code." The Doctor lifted the screwdriver at the doors while Jack messed with the code. "Let's see where we are." The doors finally opened.

The Doctor was about to walk through it, until the ground stopped. Alex squealed and grabbed his coat in unison with Jack. They both pulled him away from the edge. "Gotcha." Jack said.

"Thanks." The Doctor said.

"How did you cope without me?" The Doctor grinned at that.

"He had me." Alex said. She grabbed him too. The four of them squeezed through the opening enough to look at the scene. It was a huge rocket.

"Now _that _is what I call a rocket." Martha said.

"I second that." The ship was _massive_.

"They're not refugees, they're passengers." The Doctor said.

"One of them said that they were going to Utopia." Alex pointed out.

"The perfect place. 100 trillion years into the future, it's still the same old dream. Do you recognize those engines?" The Doctor asked, looking closely at the engines. Alex looked down at the bottom of the ship. She didn't. But that didn't really say much. She wasn't an expert or anything on rockets.

"Nope." Jack said. Mostly likely he was the person the Doctor had directed the question at. "Whatever it is, it's not rocket science."

"It's super hot though." Alex pointed out. She could feel the heat rolling off her face even from this distance.

"Boiling." The Doctor agreed. The time travelers stood back and the Doctor and Jack closed the doors. They turned to each other in a small huddle. "But if the universe is falling apart than what does Utopia mean?"

An old man ran into the group between Jack and the Doctor. He looked back and forth between the men. Finally, with his hand pointing at Jack, he asked. "Doctor?"

"That's me." The Time Lord spoke up. Alex and Jack pointed at him as he said that.

The man seemed very excited. He took the Doctor's hand and led him away. "Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good." The man chanted. Jack, Martha, and Alex walked after them.

"It's good apparently." The Doctor stated looking back at them as he was dragged away.

-x-

The man dragged the Time Lord down different corridors until finally he entered a room. Alex walked in and raised an eyebrow. She got the feeling that it was supposed to be a lab. It was probably where all the power to the rocket and maybe the whole silo came from. "Chan – welcome – tho." Alex blinked. She would have been surprised to see a… human like insect woman standing in front of her. But with what she's seen from the Doctor's world, it wasn't all that surprising.

"Hello." Alex greeted. "Who are you?" The scientist was talking to the Doctor. It seemed like he was showing the Time Lord all of the devices they had.

"Chan – Chantho – tho."

"Captain Jack Harkness." Jack introduced with a flirty tone. Alex raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

The Doctor must have had the same thoughts. He looked over at the group. "Stop it."

"Can't I say hello to anyone?" Jack asked.

"No." He looked over at Alex. "No, you can't say hello to anyone." The Doctor felt his lips turn up into a smile. Jack pouted and threw Alex a look. She ignored it.

"Chan – I do not protest – tho." Chantho said.

"Maybe later, blue." Jack winked. Alex's mouth fell open as he walked past her. Chantho looked offended. Alex looked around until she found a small piece of broken metal. She lifted it. She looked over at Chantho. "So, what have we got here?"

"Is this important in anyway?" When Chantho shook her head, Alex looked back at Jack. She narrowed her eyes. She held her arm back and threw the metal piece forward. It hit its target with an impressive resounding '_thunk_'. Jack reached up to the back of his head. Everyone looked over at Jack. They all turned to Alex and saw that she was brushing her hands looking content.

Jack whirled around and saw Alex's face. He turned to the Doctor. "Doctor," He whined. "Alex threw something at me." Alex stuck her tongue out at him.

"I don't doubt that you deserved it." Alex laughed.

"Ha!" She pointed at Jack. "See, Jack, the Doctor's on _my _side!"

"Always will be." The Doctor added. Alex grinned in triumph. Jack turned to go into a corner to pout. The Doctor turned back to the scientist. "And all of this feeds into the rocket?"

"Yeah, except without a stable footprint we'll never achieve escape velocity. If only we could harmonize the five impact patterns and unify them, well, we might yet make it. What do you think, Doctor? Any ideas?" Alex blinked slowly. She had no idea what the scientist was talking about. When she looked at the Doctor, she realized that he didn't either.

"Well, um, basically… Sort of… Not a clue." The Doctor finally confessed.

"Nothing?"

"We're not from around these parts." Alex explained.

"I've never seen a system like it. Sorry." The Doctor said.

"No, no. I'm sorry. It's my fault. There's been so little help." In the sitting area, Martha finally got a hold of Jack's bag. She opened it up and pulled out a bubbling container that held a hand.

"Oh my God." Alex eyes widened and she jumped over to where Martha was. She set the hand down onto the table. She felt the other's come up next to her. "You've got a hand. A hand in a jar. A hand in a jar in your bag."

The Doctor slipped past Alex and sat down. "That's – That's my hand!" He said. Alex came over, he leaned back and Alex sat comfortably on his lap. His arms wrapped tightly around her.

"I said I have a Doctor detector." Jack said.

"Chan – is this a tradition amongst your people – tho?" Chantho asked.

"Not on my street." Alex tried to hold down the blush as the Doctor started to play with her long black hair. "What d'you mean that's your hand? You've got both of your hands, I can see them."

"He lost it in a sword fight on Christmas day!" Alex said, perky, trying to ignore the Doctor's hands. "It basically got chopped off and he grew another one!" The Doctor chuckled, not surprised that she knew that.

"He grew another hand?" Martha asked with disbelief.

"Um, yeah, yeah I did." The Doctor said. "Hello." He waved his right hand at her. Alex giggled.

"Might I ask what species are you?" The scientist asked.

"Time Lord." Alex mentally shuddered. He gave his 'Time Lord' voice with that too. Ugh… When did Alex become such a school girl? It seemed like everything the Doctor did got a reaction out of Alex without even trying. "Last of them. Heard of them? Legend or anything? Not even a myth?" The scientist looked confused. It was obvious they've never heard of a Time Lord. "Blimey," The Doctor said. "End of the universe is a bit humbling."

"Chan – it is said that I am the last of my species too – tho." Chantho said.

"Sorry, what was your name?" The Doctor leaned closer. His chest was pressed against Alex's back. She pressed her cheek to his neck. She could feel his heartbeats against her cheek. It was a funny – but not unpleasant – feeling.

"My assistant and good friend, Chantho. A survivor of the Malmooth. This was their planet, Malcassairo, before we took refuge." The older man explained.

"That city outside," Alex said. "That's yours?"

"Chan – the conglomeration died – tho." Chantho said.

"Conglomeration, that's what I said!" Alex elbowed the rude Time Lord in the stomach. He grunted and she shot him a look.

"You're _supposed _to say sorry." She corrected.

"Oh, yes." He looked back at Chantho. "Sorry." He said deeply. He looked back at Alex. She nodded, showing that he was good now.

Martha was still in disbelief over the hand. "You grew another hand?" It seemed she was having trouble even saying it.

The group looked back at her. "Hello again." The Doctor waved his fingers at her again. He didn't want get up, but he did. He lifted Alex up for a minute and got closer to Martha. "It's fine. Look. Really, it's me." He held his hand out and wiggled his fingers again. Martha slowly took it and shook his hand.

He turned back to Alex. He held his hand out. She stared at it. "That hand still gives me the creeps." Alex said, unintentionally quoting Rose. The Doctor pressed his hand to her cheek. They smiled at each other.

Martha laughed nervously, trying to ignore the feeling of despair. "After all this time, you're still full of surprises." The group laughed. The Doctor clicked his tongue and winked at her.

"Chan – you are most unusual – tho." Chantho laughed.

"Well…" The Doctor said.

"Unusual is good." Alex said. "Unusual is unique."

Jack decided to change the subject. "So what about those things outside? The beastie boys. What are they?"

"We call them the Future kind." The scientist explained. "Which is a myth in itself, but, uh, it is feared that they are what we will become. Unless we reach Utopia."

"And, Utopia is…?" The Doctor finally asked.

"Oh, every human knows what Utopia is. Where have you been?"

"Bit of a hermit." The Doctor said.

"A hermit… With friends?"

"Hermits United." Alex said with a grin. "We meet up about every ten years."

"Swap stories of caves." The Doctor continued. "It's good fun… For a hermit. So, um, Utopia?" Alex bit her lip to stop from laughing. The Doctor was a genius! He seemed to come up with all of that right off the bat. It was amazing.

The scientist waved his finger for them to follow him. They all went over to a computer. It showed a blinking red dot on what looked like a map. "That call came from across the stars over and over again. Come to Utopia. Originated from that point."

"Where is that?" Alex asked.

"Oh, it's far beyond the Condensate Wilderness. Out towards the wild lands and the dark matter reefs. Calling us in. The last of the humans scattered across the night."

"What do you think's out there?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know. A colony, a city, some sort of haven? The Scientific Foundation created the Utopia Project thousands of years ago to preserve mankind – to find a way of surviving beyond the collapse of reality itself. Now perhaps they found it. Perhaps not. But it's worth a look, don't you think?"

"Oh yes." The Doctor grinned. "And the signal keeps modulating, so it's not automatic. There's a good sign. Someone's out there. And that's… Oh, that's a navigation matrix, isn't it? So you can fly without stars to guide you." Alex looked up at the Professor. Her eyebrows furrowed as her gut squeezed. Something was wrong, she could tell by the look on his face. It was like he was hearing something… His eyes were closed. Alex – without taking her eyes off the professor – tapped the Doctor's shoulder. "Hmmm?" He turned to her. When he saw that she wasn't looking at him, he followed her eyes to see what she was looking at. He noticed the professor's expression. "Professor? Professor?"

The professor seemed to snap out of it. "I – Right, enough talk. There's work to do. Now if you could leave, thank you." He walked away from the group.

"You all right?" The Doctor asked, concerned.

"Yes. I'm fine! And busy!" He responded.

"Except that rocket's not going to fly, is it?" The Doctor asked. Alex looked at him confused. "This footprint mechanism thing, it's not working." Alex eyes widened.

"We'll find a way!"

"You're stuck here." Alex said softly. "They don't know, do they? The people out there… They still think that they're going to fly."

"Well, it's better for them to live in hope." The professor said, as he sat down in a chair.

"Quite right too." The Doctor said. "And I must say, Professor…" The Doctor passed her, taking his jacket off. Alex grabbed it and helped pull it off of him. She hugged it tightly to her chest. Even though he wasn't wearing it anymore, it was still warm. Alex couldn't resist, she lifted it to her face and took a deep breath. The scent that registered in her mind could only be described as the Doctor. She kept the jacket away from her eyes so she could still watch. "Um, what was it?"

"Yana." The professor said.

"Professor Yana. This new science is well beyond me, but all the same, a boost reversal circuit, in any time frame, must be a circuit which reverses the boost. So, I wonder, what would happen if I did this?" The Doctor picked up the circuit. He used the sonic screwdriver on it. He flipped it and suddenly everything came on. Alex laughed as she saw the screens light up.

"Chan – it's working – tho." Chantho said.

"But how did you do that?" Yana asked bewildered.

"Oh, we've been chatting away, I forgot to tell you, I'm brilliant." The Doctor bragged with a heart melting grin. With that now said, they all got down to work. Alex felt a little winded, the Doctor was determined to have the small girl _glued _to his side. The Doctor passed Yana and ran around and grabbed a device. He tossed it to Jack. Alex felt a little giddy as well; she ran over and grabbed a circuit board. She ran over to Martha and Chantho and put it onto their pile. She turned when Jack called her name; she caught another circuit board and added it to the stack.

-x-

The Doctor and Yana were on either side of a clear circuit board that was in the middle of the lab. Alex was in front of him, his arms were around her to reach the board. The Doctor suddenly took one of the wires and took a sniff. "Is this…?"

"Yes, gluten extracts." Yana explained. "Bind the neutralino map together."

"But that's food." The Doctor said. Alex could hear the impressed tone. "You've built the system out of food and strings and staples. Professor Yana, you're a genius." _Hmm, that's rare_. It was very rare for the Doctor to call someone a genius.

"Says the man who made it work." Yana said.

"Oh… It's easy coming in at the end but… You're stellar." Alex giggled at the old fashioned word. "This is… This is magnificent. I don't often say that 'cause… Well, 'cause I'm me." Alex giggled again. The Doctor couldn't stop the smile at Alex's giggle. He leaned his head down and rested it on her small shoulder. Instantly, her cheeks turned red.

"Well, even my title is an affectation. There hasn't been such a thing as a university for over a thousand years. I've spent my life going from one refugee ship to another." Yana explained. Alex frowned slightly. That must have been lonely.

"If you had been born in a different time, you would have been revered." Yana chuckled at that. "I meant it. Throughout the galaxies."

"Oh, those damned galaxies. They just had to go and collapse. Some admiration would have been nice. Just a little. Just once." Yana said.

Alex smiled at the man fondly. "Well, you've got it Professor. You're amazing. You should be very proud of what you've been able to accomplish." The Doctor nodded his head in agreement. Yana smiled back.

"But that footprint engine thing. You can't activate it onboard. It's gotta to be done from here. You're staying behind." The Doctor said. Alex frowned. But he couldn't stay there; the Future kind might get to him if he's all alone.

"With Chantho. She won't leave without me. Simply refuses." Alex pursued her lips. There had to be something that they could do.

"You would give you life so they could fly." Alex said softly. The Doctor sensed her sadness. He leaned forward and kissed her head gently.

"Oh, I think I'm a little too old for Utopia. Time I had some sleep." Yana said.

Suddenly, over the speaker, Atillo came on. "Professor, tell the Doctor we found his blue box."

"Ah!" Alex clapped and laughed. It was good to hear that TARDIS was alright and safe now that it was inside the silo.

"Doctor." Jack called. The Doctor, Alex, and Yana joined him by the monitor to see the TARDIS glitch on the screen.

The brunette Time Lord put a hand on Yana's shoulder. "Professor, it's a wild stab in the dark, but I may have found you a way out." Alex clapped. She reached up and hugged the Doctor tightly. She repeated 'thank you' over and over to him. He chuckled. "I couldn't leave them, especially when I knew this would be what you want." Alex could feel her cheeks turn pink. He gave her a chaste kiss and walked to get the TARDIS.

Alex cleared her throat, her cheeks turned darker. She stuck her tongue out at Jack's knowing look. The Doctor came back out dragging along a long power line. "Extra power." The Doctor inserted it into an outlet. "Little bit of a cheat, but who's counting? Jack, you're in charge of the retro feeds."

Martha and Chantho finally came back; in their hands were more circuit boards. Martha smiled in relief when she saw the TARDIS. "Oh, am I glad to see that thing."

Chantho went to Yana who was sitting down. "Chan – Professor, are you alright – tho?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm fine." His voice got a little stronger. "I'm fine. Just get one with it."

"Connect those circuits into the spar – same as the last lot. But quicker." Jack commanded.

"Yes, sir." Martha said. Chantho and she walked over to the spar. Alex walked over to Yana.

"If you're tired that's okay. We can do it." Alex said softly. Her motherly voice was hinted in her tone.

"It's just a headache. Just – just noise inside my head, Alex. Constant noise inside my head." She felt the Doctor brush against her as he bent down next to her.

"What sort of noise?" He must have heard their conversation.

"It's the sound of drums." Alex's face contorted into one of confused. Drums… That sounded familiar. "More and more as though it's getting closer."

"When did it start?" Alex asked kindly.

"Oh, I've had it all my life. Every waking hour. Still no rest for the wicked." The Doctor smiled. Yana lifted himself up and got back to work. The Doctor got up as did Alex.

"What's wrong?" She wasn't surprised that he didn't miss the look.

"Drums…" She said, distantly, still deep in her thoughts. "I've heard that before… The sound of drums… It sounds so familiar."

"I'm sure it's fine, Allie." He kissed her temple. Even deep in her thoughts, the kiss still brought a blush to her cheeks. The Doctor took her and gently herded her back to work. The Doctor mostly had her in front of him with his arms next to her. He would even sometimes put his hand on hers – locking their fingers together as well – and would guide her hands to do what he needed to get done.

"Professor!" Alex turned back to the monitor. She swore she heard Atillo's voice. "Professor, are you getting me?" Yana walked quickly over to the monitor. The computer screened focused and it showed Atillo just like she thought.

"I'm here! We're ready! Now all you need to do is connect the couplings. Then we can launch." The computer lost connection with Atillo. "God sakes!" Yana threw his hands up in frustration. "This equipment! Needs rebooting all the time!"

Martha came over to see if she could help. "Anything I can do? I've finished that lot."

"Yes, if you could." He got up so Martha could have the seat. "Just press the reboot key every time the picture goes."

"Certainly sir. Just don't ask me to do short hand." Yana smiled at that.

Atillo came back onto the screen. "Are you still there?" He asked.

"Ah, present and correct. Send your man inside. We'll keep the levels down from here."

"He's inside." Atillo said after a minute. "And good luck to him."

"Captain," Yana called to Jack. "Keep the levels below red."

The Doctor and Alex walked over to Yana. "Where is that room?" The brunette girl asked.

"It's underneath the rocket. Fix the couplings and the footprint can work. But the entire room is flooded with stet radiation."

"Stet? Never heard of it." The Doctor said.

"You wouldn't want to." Yana said. That made sense if the people had to go in there with a hazard suit on. "But it's safe enough. We can hold back the radiation back from here." Alex felt a small squeeze in her gut. She looked at Jack for a moment. Something was telling her that it wasn't going to last that way for long.

They watched on the monitor as the man worked on the couplings. An alarm went off. "It's rising… 0.2. Keep it level!" Yana ordered.

Jack turned to address Yana. Chantho was now next to him. "Yes, sir." Her gut tightened inside of her. She took the Doctor's hand. He looked over. He saw her look as she watched the monitor. He looked at it for a moment then at Jack. He could tell by her face that she sensed something bad was going to happen. And with how freakishly accurate her gut feelings were, it was going to happen.

Suddenly, more alarms went off. Things started to shut down. Alex freaked. Her heart jumped into her throat and it thumped in her ears. "Chan – we're losing power – tho!" Jack put a hand on her shoulder. The Doctor, Martha, and Alex looked around. He squeezed his brunette's hand. He could practically feel her emotions radiating off of her in waves. It was a feeling he was getting use to – that is to say, if he hadn't already gotten use to it already. To the Doctor, Alex wore her heart on her sleeve.

"Radation's rising!" The Doctor called.

"We're losing control!" Jack yelled. Alex lifted her hands to her face.

"The chamber's gonna flood!" Alex cried.

"Jack! Override the vents!" The Doctor commanded. Jack took a hold of two live cables. Alex eyes widened.

"Jack! What are you doing?" The other looked over at the captain.

"We can jump start the override!" Jack explained.

The Doctor had other thoughts. "Don't! It's going to flare!" Jack screamed as the power flowed through him. Alex screamed. The Doctor grabbed her and pressed her to his chest. She buried her face into his chest. The others watched helplessly as he fell to the floor.

Alex slowly peaked her head out when Jack's yelps came to a stop. Martha ran over to him. "I've got him."

"Chan – don't touch the cables – tho." She bent down and pushed them aside. Everyone rushed over to Jack. Alex tried to but the Doctor gave her a gentle, patient look that reminded about a little fact about Jack. She stopped and made an 'oh' face when she remembered.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Yana said, thinking that Jack was dead. The Doctor and Alex walked over, completely unperturbed.

"The chambers flooded with radiation, yes?" The Doctor asked.

Martha started mouth-to-mouth with Jack. "Without the couplings, the engines will never start. It was all for nothing!"

"Oh, I don't know." The Doctor walked forward. He left Alex for a moment and grabbed Martha gently. "Martha, leave him."

"You've got to let me try." Martha protested.

"Come on. Come on. Just listen to me. Leave him alone." The Doctor commanded calmly.

"So, Professor." Alex spoke up. "You've got a room that no man can enter without dying, yes?"

"Yes."

"Well," The Doctor removed his glasses as Jack gasped for air coming back to life. "I do believe we have a man that can't die!" Alex said cheerfully. At little weird for the situation, but Alex didn't care.

"Was someone kissing me?" Jack asked, still taking deep gulps of breath.

-x-

Jack and the Doctor ran towards the control room. Two times already the Doctor had let Alex get hurt – granted neither times had been his fault, but Alex knew how the Doctor was. So guess what happened? Well, he wasn't about to let there be a third time. He took her with him. She didn't mind. Alex raced down the corridors with the brunette boys. They ran into the control room.

"Lieutenant, get onboard the rocket! I promise you're gonna fly!" The Doctor commanded.

"But the chambers flooded!" Atillo tried to protest.

"Trust me, we've found a way of tripping the system. Run!" Atillo left the room. Jack started to take off his clothing.

Alex looked at him in disbelief and a slight bit horrified. "What are you doing?" She semi-squeaked.

"I'm going in." Jack said. He smirked at her face. She shot him a look.

"Well by the look of it, I'd say that stat radiation doesn't affect clothing, only flesh." The Doctor said.

"Well, I look good though." Alex rolled her eyes.

"Sorry Jack, I like my men skinny." Both men paused at that. They looked at her. She just gave them a smile. The Doctor shook his head, but he could feel his lips tugging up in a smile. Jack gave a chuckle, knowing exactly how she felt.

Jack paused at the door. He turned to the Doctor. "How long have you known?"

"Ever since I ran away from you." The Doctor said. "Good luck." Jack entered the room. A slight spark causes him to shudder for a moment. But it calmed down and he got down to work. The Doctor walked over to the window. At first, Alex thought she would have to get a chair or something to see, but she saw that the window was low enough that she could see through it. She walked up to it and brushed shoulders with the Doctor.

Martha's voice came over the comm. "Doctor, are you there?"

"Receiving, yeah." The Doctor responded. "He's inside."

"And still alive?" Martha asked with some disbelief.

"Yep." Alex said.

"When did you first realize?" The Doctor asked Jack.

"Earth 1892. Got in a fight at Ellis Island. A man shot me through the heart." Alex winced. "Then I woke up. Thought it was kinda strange. But then it never stopped. Fell off a cliff, trampled by horses, World War I, World War II, poison, strangulation, a stray javelin." This time, both the Doctor and Alex winced. "In the end, I got the message; I'm the man that can never die. And all that time you knew."

"That's why I left you behind. It's not easy even just… Just looking at you Jack, 'cause you're wrong." The Doctor explained.

"Thanks," Jack grunted as he worked on the couplings.

"You are. I can't help it. I'm a Time Lord. It's instinct. It's in my guts. You're fixed point in time and space. You're a fact. That's never meant to happen. Even the TARDIS reacted against you – tried to shake you off. Flew all the way to the end of the universe just to get rid of you."

"So what you're saying is you're…" Jack finished with the third coupling. "Prejudice?"

"I never thought of it like that." The Doctor said. He had a small smile on his lips.

"Shame on you." Alex giggled.

"Yeah." He rubbed his face.

"The last thing I remember when I was mortal… I was facing three Daleks. Death by extermination. And then I came back to life. What happened?" Jack demanded.

"Rose." The Doctor said. Alex felt her heart lurch into her throat. Hearing the girl's name sent different emotions swirling through her. She felt sadness and despair for the Doctor… The girl he loved he could never see again. She was completely gone. But she could also feel anger and – dare she say it? – Jealousy. She hated to think about it like that. But it was the truth. She felt jealous because she loved the Doctor. She couldn't bear the thought of having him taken away from her.

"I thought you sent her back home." Jack said.

"She came back." The Doctor continued. "Opened the heart of the TARDIS and absorbed the time vortex."

"What does that mean exactly?" Jack asked.

"No one's ever meant to have that power. If a Time Lord did that, he'd become a god, a vengeful god. But she was human." Alex looked down at the floor. She remembered how Martha didn't like this story. Alex imagined that her African American friend was jealous too. Though, Alex doubted she was as jealous as she was. "Everything she did was so human. She brought you back to life but she couldn't control it. She brought you back forever. That's something I suppose. The final act of the Time War was life."

Just hearing the words 'Time War' broke Alex's heart. "Do you think she could change me back?"

"I took that power out of her." _Hence the new face_. "She's gone, Jack. She's not just living on a parallel world. She's trapped there. The walls have closed."

"I'm sorry." Jack responded.

"Yep." The Doctor obviously wasn't about to let that get to him. Alex bit her lip to stop the tears. She always got like this. She wanted to cry because he never did.

"I went back to her estate, in the '90s, just once or twice. Watched her growing up. Never said hello, time lines and all that."

"Do you want to die?" The Time Lord asked suddenly.

Jack didn't seem to want to answer. He struggled with the coupling. "Oh, this one's a little stuck."

"Jack." The Doctor pressed his forehead to the glass.

"I thought I did. I dunno. But this lot, you see them out here surviving and that's fantastic." The Doctor was smiling.

"You may be out there somewhere." The Doctor said. Alex kept quiet. She doubted that. Jack Harkness turned into the Face of Bo. The Face of Bo died in the year 5,023 or something like that.

"I could go meet myself." Jack seemed pleased with that.

"Well, the only man you'll be happy with." Alex giggled.

"This new regeneration, it's kinda cheeky."

"Cheeky does _not _cover it." Alex spoke up at last.

Jack gave her a calculating look for the longest moment. "I know how the Doctor knew. But… How did you know? Did he tell you?"

Alex seemed a bit nervous. She looked at the Doctor. He gave her a nod, telling her silently it was okay to tell him. "Well, I'm not… from here…" Jack blinked. He didn't understand. "I'm from a different world, Jack. I'm from a parallel world." She paused, before thinking about something. "A different world than Rose is in. The reason why I know about the whole 'you can't die' thing is because… In that world, there's a British T.V. show called 'Doctor Who'." Jack's face turned from confused to fascination. "I watched it. I liked it. I like the 10th Doctor the best."

"So… You know all about his adventures and such?" Jack asked; his tone matched his facial expression.

Alex nodded. "Yep."

"You're pretty."

Alex laughed. The Doctor shot Jack a dry look. He didn't like how Jack said that. "I don't look like this." Jack blinked again, confused. "I look different in my world. For some reason, I look like Alex Harper. She was a fictional character that I had created myself."

Jack blinked again, bewildered. "Do you know how you got here?"

Alex shook her head. "Nope."

She looked at the Doctor. "I don't know either. I would have thought I would have gotten some sort of indication that you arrived. But there was nothing, you slipped into this world without any signs."

"Shouldn't you go back?" Alex tensed up.

"No." She looked at him. He looked deep into her eyes. "It's strange… But, there're no alarm bells in my head or gut turning feeling. It's like… It's absurd, but it's like you're meant to be here."

"That's confusing." Alex said.

"I know. It's why I haven't really bothered to take you back." That and the Doctor didn't think he could bear to take her back. He couldn't let her go. She was too perfect, too good, and too wonderful to give up.

"You make a cute couple." Alex and the Doctor's eyes snapped towards Jack. He was smirking. "Oh come on, don't think I haven't caught the looks you're giving each other. Or those little chaste kisses." He made kissy faces at them.

Alex resisted the urge to run in there and smack him hard. "Stop it." The Doctor ordered.

Jack laughed. "You really do make a cute couple though. The way you react towards each other. It's like you're _meant _to react that way." Alex looked at the Time Lord for a brief moment. Their eyes met and locked. Alex looked away clearing her throat. Her cheeks were a bright red. Finally, Jack released the last coupling. "Yes!"

"Now get out of there! Come on!" The Doctor ordered. They needed to get this rocket lifted and into the air. Jack re-entered the room. The Doctor went to the phone and called Atillo. "Lieutenant, everyone on board?"

"Ready and waiting." Atillo responded.

"Stand by!" The Doctor commanded. "Two minutes to ignition." He hung up and Jack, the Doctor, and Alex got to work making sure everything was ready for the lift off. Martha ran in. The Doctor looked over at her. "Ah, nearly there. The footprint is a gravity pulse. It stamps down, the rocket shoots up. Bit primitive. It's gonna take the both of us to keep it stable."

Alex felt her gut curl. She paused for another moment and took a deep breath. It curled even tighter than she's felt it before. That wasn't good. Martha moved in front of the Doctor as he got to work. "Doctor, it's the professor. He's got this watch. He's got a fob watch. It's the same as yours. Same writing on it… Same everything."

Alex almost dropped what she was doing. She felt flashbacks of 'Human Nature' flashed through her mind. The fob watch… "Don't be ridiculous." The Doctor said, in disbelief.

"I asked him. He said that he's had it all his life."

"So he's got the same watch?" Jack said, not seeing how important this was.

"No, Jack, this is big." Alex heard her voice was a bit shaky. "It changes the biology of a Time Lord. It can change a Time Lord to a human and back again."

"And it's the same watch." Martha insisted.

"It can't be." The Doctor said. He was confident in that. An alarm went off and the Doctor tried to fix it. Alex got close up to him. With a shaking hand she reached over and touched his elbow. He jerked his arm away. She flinched back. She didn't expect that reaction. He grabbed her hand and put it to his face. He was so jumpy that he jumped away from Alex's touch. That's never happened before. He tried to take a deep breath. He took her other hand and pressed it to his face. He could feel his body relaxing slowly at her touch. Alex's touch always made things better.

"That means he could be Time Lord." Jack said, snapping the Doctor out of his feelings. "You might not be the last one."

"Jack, keep it level!" The Doctor said as he got back to work. Alex could see it though. She could see all the wild emotions circling in his eyes. To her, everything was crystal clear.

"But that's brilliant, isn't it?" Alex's feeling tightened her gut so hard it was to the point of pain. Alex gripped a nearby chair tightly.

"Yes it is. Course it is." The Doctor said. "Brilliant, fantastic, yeah. But they died, the Time Lords. All of them, they died."

"Not if he was human." Jack contradicted.

"What did he say, Martha?" The Doctor ran up to him. "What did he say?" He yelled. Alex snapped out of her deep thoughts. She walked up to the Doctor. His head snapped towards her. He calmed down when he saw her shaking face. He lifted up a hand and pressed it to her cheek. He could feel her trembling. That was never good.

"Martha," Alex turned to her friend. She asked this much more gently than the Doctor asked. "What did he say?"

"He looked at the watch like he could hardly see it. Like that perception filter thing." Alex and the Doctor looked at each other. They knew what that meant.

"What about now?" He asked Martha. "Can he see it now?"

"If he escaped the Time War then it's the perfect place to hide." Jack said. Alex had to sit down, her stomach was churning and her gut was squeeze in a tight ball. She felt her heart was in her throat. The Doctor saw this; he walked over to her and took her face. The Doctor's face became grim. Alex wasn't looking at him, she was looking past him. He saw she was clutching her shirt where her gut was. Was she getting that accurate gut feeling again? By the look of her face, that was a yes. "The end of the universe."

Alex got up and was looking at the door. But her face wasn't looking at it. Her gut tightened even more. "Allie…?" The Doctor called her name gently. She didn't even respond.

"Think of what the Face of Bo said. His dying words. He said…" The Doctor launched the rocket. The control room is filled with light as the rockets take off. Martha gasped. Alex just continued to stare at the door. The Doctor instead was looking at the monitor. He knew what was happening. He remembered clearly what the Face of Bo said. He made the connection.

"_You_." 'Y' was typed on the screen. "_Are_." 'A'. "_Not_." 'N'. "_Alone_." 'A'. 'YANA' blinked on the computer screen. When the lights stopped, Alex looked completely white.

The Doctor ran over to the phone and called the rocket. "Lieutenant, have you achieved velocity? Lieutenant! Have you done it?"

Atillo's voice came over the phone. "Affirmative. We'll see you in Utopia."

"Good luck." The Doctor hung up the phone. He grabbed Alex's shoulders. He got in front of her face. He shook her. "Allie?" She had been worrying him for some time. "Allie, what's wrong? What are you feeling?"

"Something's wrong." Alex's voice was soft. It sounded restrained. "Doctor, oh my God, something is so wrong." The Doctor's own gut squeezed. He didn't like the sound of that.

The Doctor ran towards the door of the control room. He dragged Alex along with him. Martha and Jack followed him. All of a sudden, the door closed. Alex pressed her hands to the door. The Doctor whipped out the sonic screwdriver and pointed it to the top corner of the door. Jack jumped over to the control next to the door and started messing with it. "Get it open! Get it open!"

-x-

They finally got through the door. But the Future kind found them and they ran towards the lab to get to the Professor and Chantho. Jack stopped at an intersection hallway. "This way!" He called and they ran down towards the room. The door was locked. The Doctor looked through the window. He started to pound on the door.

"Professor? Professor, let me in! Let me in!" The Doctor continued to pound on the window.

"Jack, you've got to get this door open." Alex told him desperately. Jack nodded, distracted as he tried to do just that.

"Professor! Professor, where are you? Professor! Professor, are you there? Please, I need to explain! Whatever you do, don't open that watch!" Alex knew from the tightening in her gut that it was too late.

"They're coming!" Martha screamed. The Future Kind was right on top of them.

"Professor!" Alex screamed. The four of them were pressed against the door.

"Open the door, please! I'm begging you, Professor! Please! Listen to me!" The Doctor continued to call. "Open the door, please!" Jack finally gave in and reached into his pocket and took out his gun. With the butt of his gun he broke the keypad. The Doctor rushed in to see the Master leaning against the TARDIS' doors. When the Doctor moved forward, the Master moved into the TARDIS. He closed the doors. The Doctor rushed forward and pulled his key out. The Master locked the door, causing the key to become useless. The Doctor yanked out his sonic screwdriver and tried to open the doors with that. But it seemed that was useless as well.

The Doctor pounded on the faithful ship's door. "Let me in! Let me in!"

Martha ran over to Chantho. "She's dead." Alex felt her heart drop. Alex ran over to the Doctor. She grabbed his arm. He took her hand, but looked desperately at the TARDIS doors.

"I've broken the lock! Give me a hand!" Jack yelled, trying to close the door. Martha ran over to him and helped him.

"I'm begging you! Everything's changed! It's only the two of us! We're the only ones left!" Alex pressed her face into his arm. "Just let me in!" A golden light shone through the door and the Doctor and Alex could hear the Master scream. _He's regenerating_… Alex thought.

The Future kind got to the door and Jack and Martha tried to hold them back. It was hard, since the door wasn't fully closed. "Doctor, you've better think of something!"

The Doctor wasn't paying attention. The speakers turned on. "Doctor," The Master seemed to get distracted. "Oooh, new voice." He tested it out. In a deep voice he said, "Hello." In a high voice he said the same thing. Now, back to normal, he said. "Hello. Anyways," Back to the point. "Why don't we stop and have a nice little chat while I tell you my all my plans and you can work out a way to stop me? I don't think so!"

"Hold on!" Martha gasped. "I know that voice!"

"I'm asking you really properly! Just stop! Just think!" The Doctor begged.

"Use my name." The Master commanded.

"Master." He obeyed. "I'm sorry."

"Tough!" The Master switched off the microphone and started up the controls. The Doctor lifted up his sonic screwdriver with his face set in grim determination.

"I can't hold out much longer, Doctor!" Alex ran over and helped with the door as best as she could.

"Doctor! Stop him!" Martha yelled. Alex, Jack, and Martha continued to hold off the Future Kind. The Doctor could only watch helplessly as the TARDIS, his beautiful faithful ship, desterilize.

_To Be Continued_…


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

The quiet alleyway was suddenly disrupted as a time vortex opened up. The Doctor, Jack, Martha, and Alex all groaned as it disappeared. The Doctor leaned against his knees; Martha was leaning against the wall. Jack had been leaning against the opposite wall. The brunette Time Lord had a tight grip around his Alex as her head was down. Her knees were shaking, and he knew if he wasn't holding her, she would have probably fallen to the floor. "Oh, my head." Martha said faintly.

Alex could barely hear her friend over the ringing in her ears. Not to mention, the pounding her head was producing. "Time travel without a capsule." The Doctor cracked his neck. "That's a killer." He stood up straight and made sure Alex was leaning against him. Alex turned a slight bit and her back cracked.

Martha and Jack cracked their necks before they left the alleyway. They walked down a main street, taking in their surroundings. Alex was now fine, so the Doctor let her free excluding the grip he had on her hand.

"Still, at least we made it. Earth, 21st century by the looks of it. Ha, ha, talk about lucky." Alex rolled her eyes at Jack's statement. That was so _not _luck.

The Doctor voiced her thoughts. "That wasn't luck that was me."

-x-

_The Doctor was using the sonic screwdriver on Jack's vortex manipulator. Alex and Martha tried to hold off the Future kind while he did this. "Hold still!" The Doctor commanded. "Don't move! Hold it still!" _

"_I'm telling you, it's broken! It hasn't worked for years!" Jack tried to say._

"_That's because you didn't have me." The Doctor shot back. "Martha, grab hold!" He motioned for Alex to come over to his side. She did without second guessing him. He held her tightly to his chest. She grabbed a hold of the wrist device with one hand. The Doctor took Martha's hand and put it onto the device. His other hand was wrapped around Alex's waist. "Now!"_

-x-

The group was now sitting in the middle of a pedestrian only street. "The moral is, if you're gonna get stuck at the end of the universe, get stuck with an ex-Time Agent and his vortex manipulator."

"Yeah," Alex rolled her eyes. "_And_ have a Time Lord and his trusty sonic screwdriver there too." She shot back. Jack gave her a look. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"But this Master bloke, he's got the TARDIS. He could be anywhere in time and space." Martha pointed out.

"No, here's here. Trust me." _I always trust you_. Alex said mentally. She always would trust the Doctor. She felt it was kind of impossible _not _to trust the Doctor.

Alex looked around. Her gut tightened again when she saw all of the posters of Harold Saxon. They were campaign posters. "Who is he, anyways?" Martha asked. "And that voice at the end, that wasn't the Professor."

"He's a Time Lord." Alex didn't look at Martha. She felt her throat tighten at the name of the Professor. "He's regenerated."

"What does that mean?" Martha must have been tired of being out of the loop.

"It means that he's changed his face, his voice, his body, literally every cell in his entire body changed. He's a new man." Alex explained.

"Then how are we going to find him?"

Alex heard a tapping and looked over. It was a homeless man that was tapping on a mug. Alex felt that tapping echo in her head… It was like, it was in her head. "I'll know him, the moment I see him." The Doctor's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "Time Lords always do."

"But, hold on." Martha looked around, finally noticing the posters. "If he could be anyone… We missed the election." Alex looked around again. "But it can't be…"

The Doctor and Jack stood up. Alex jumped up and walked next to the Doctor. Martha followed them. They walked up to a big screen that was showing the news. "Mr. Saxon has returned from the Palace and is greeting the crowd inside Saxon Headquarters." The screened showed 'Saxon' walked down elegant stairs with an entourage with him. A blonde woman was next to him.

"I said I knew that voice." Alex stared at the screen in disbelief. "When he spoke inside the TARDIS. I've heard that voice hundreds of times. I've seen him. We all have. That was the voice of Harold Saxon."

"That's him. He's Prime Minister." The Doctor said.

The photographers were going crazy trying to get good pictures of the Master. "That's the Master." Alex said. "He's _Prime Minister _of Great Britain." She was in completely disbelief.

The Master leaned down and kissed the woman that was next to him. "The Master and his _wife_." Alex scrunched up her nose. Who would want to be married to that crazed, psycho, fruit loop? She certainly didn't.

The Master stepped forward to talk to the press. "This country has been sick. This country needs healing. This country needs medicine. In fact, I'd go so far as to say, what this country needs, right now… is a doctor." The Master smiled into the camera. Alex shuddered deeply.

Alex only had one thing to say. "We're screwed…"

-x-

The four time travelers decided to go to Martha's flat. She opened the door and they filed in. "Home." Martha sighed.

"What have you got?" The Doctor said quickly. "Computer, laptop, anything?" Jack had a cell phone to his ear. He was trying to call someone. "Jack, who are you phoning? You can't tell anyone we're here!"

"Just some friends of mine. But there's no response…" Jack said. He hung up the cell phone. Martha came back out with a laptop.

"Here you go. Any good?" Martha handed the Doctor the laptop.

Jack took the laptop. "I can show you the Saxon website. He's been around for ages." Alex was pacing. That sound that the homeless man was doing. That tapping… She knew it was the Master's tune… But, there was something more. She could hear it now… It was in the back of her thoughts, deep within her subconscious.

"Allie!" The brunette girl jumped and whirled around to see the Doctor looking at her worried. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry." She blurted out. "I should have remembered that it was the Master. I should have remembered about this episode and this adventure. I'm sorry, now we're stuck like this and it's all my fault." Alex was babbling. The Doctor got up and reached out and hugged the shaking girl. She wrapped her arms around the Doctor's skinny waist. "I feel horrible." She confessed. "I liked Professor Yana." The Doctor's arms squeezed more tightly. He knew how she felt. He led her over to the computer. He leaned against the desk. She was tightly against his chest. He gave Jack a look to continue so he could see this Saxon website.

"That's so weird though." Martha spoke up. "It's the day after the election. That's only four days after I met you."

The Doctor looked at Martha. He had a hand to the back of his head. "We went flying all around the universe while he was here the whole time."

"You gonna tell us who he is?" Martha asked. Alex didn't need to be told. She already knew who the Master was.

"He's a Time Lord." The Doctor said briefly.

"What about rest of it?" Martha asked sharply. "I mean, who'd call himself the Master?"

"That's all you need to know." The Doctor retorted. Alex snuggled into his warm embrace. He kissed her head gently.

Martha rolled her eyes and went over to check the message machine. One was from Tish. "Martha, where are you? I've got this new job. You won't believe it. It's weird; they just phoned me up out of the blue. I'm working for –" 

Martha cut off her sister's voice. "Oh, like it matters."

Jack finally got to the website. The group was looking at a commercial for Harold Saxon. "I'm voting for Saxon. He can tick my box any day."

"Vote Saxon! Go Harry!"

"I think Mr. Saxon is exactly what this country needs. He's a very fine man. And he's handsome too." Jack stopped the commercial. It just went on and on. These people somehow had all this faith in this man. This man that happened to be a psycho Time Lord.

"Former Minister of Defense. First came to providence when he shot down the Racnoss on Christmas day." Jack turned to the Doctor. He was now sitting on the arm of Martha's couch. Alex was sitting next to him. Her head was leaning into her arm. Her hand was deep within her hair to keep it out of her face. "Nice work, by the way."

"Oh, thanks." The Doctor said.

"He goes back years. He's famous." _Not to me_, but that made sense. Alex wasn't here long enough to know this story. The first day she came here, she met the Doctor and went off with him. Alex tried to focus on her thoughts again; there it was _again_, it was that drumming sound. The same beat that the Master had. "Everyone knows this story. Look, Cambridge University, Rugby blue, won the Athletics things, wrote a novel, went into business, marriage, everything. He's got a whole life."

-x-

Jack went into the kitchen to make tea. The Doctor was now in the chair looking over the website. Alex was twirling back and forth in the chair next to him. Her face was distant. She was still trying to figure out where that drumming was coming from. Jack called from the kitchen. "But he's got a TARIDS. Maybe the Master went back in time and has been living here for decades."

"No." The Doctor said, confident.

"Why not? It worked for me."

"When he was stealing the TARDIS, the only thing I could do was fuse the coordinates. I locked them permanently." The Doctor explained. "He can only travel between the year 100 trillion and the last place the landed. Which is right here, right now."

"Yeah, but a little leeway?" Jack gave the Doctor a look.

"Well… 18 months, tops. The most he could have been here was 18 months. So how has he managed all of this? The Master was always sort of… hypnotic but this is on a massive scale."

"I was going to vote for him." Martha confessed.

The group turned to her. "Really?" He asked.

"Well, it was before I met you. And I liked him." Martha said.

"Me too." Jack agreed.

"What did he say?" Alex spoke up. "Did he say what he stood for? What were his policies he talked about?"

"I dunno." Martha spoke. It was strange. She spoke it a dreamy voice. "He always sounded… Good." Her fingers started to tap. "Like you could trust him. Just nice. He spoke about…" The more Martha tapped her fingers the louder the drumming became in Alex's head. "I can't really remember, but it was good. Just the sound of his voice." Alex lifted a hand to her head as the drumming became super loud. Alex closed her eyes and tried to get it to stop.

"What's that?" The Doctor's voice made Alex – along with Martha – jump.

"What?" Martha asked bewildered.

"That! That tapping, that rhythm! What are you doing?" The Doctor asked.

"I dunno. It's nothing. I – I dunno!" The Doctor turned to Alex. Her hand was still in the same position.

"Allie?" He asked softly.

"Drumming," She said. Her voice was just as soft. "It's drumming, Doctor. It's quiet now, but when Martha was talking, it started to _pounding_. I couldn't stop it." The Doctor slipped out his chair and over to Alex.

"Drumming?" He asked.

Alex nodded her head and opened her eyes. "It's weird. I've been hearing ever since I heard some homeless guy out in the street. It's there… But it's deep within my mind." Alex rubbed her face. "I can't describe it."

"Shhh…" The Doctor lifted his hands to her temple. "Let me see." Alex flinched when she felt the Doctor in her mind. It was an abnormal feeling. Alex closed her eyes. "Yes," He suddenly said. "I hear it too. Where is that coming from?" The two brunettes knew that Alex knew how this worked.

The whole world faded away. Alex's eyebrows pulled together. She saw a door. Alex hesitantly opened it. She winced suddenly. "Sorry." She vaguely heard the Doctor. He must have thought that he did it. Alex stepped through the door. Alex's mental eyes widened. Alex gasped. "Allie, relax. Just imagine a door."

"There's… There's people." She could hear screaming. Images were flying through her head. Her eyes were still closed. "There's fire everywhere…" She saw the bodies of Daleks all over the place. She looked around as fires began to burn everything. There were bodies of people everywhere. Alex finally looked up, and through all the bodies, and blood, and Daleks, and fire there was – what she realized to be – the Doctor.

The Doctor opened his eyes to watch Alex's closed ones. There was no fire in her thoughts. "Allie?"

She gasped again. Her head flinched. The Doctor held it gently. "There's… There's bodies everywhere." She whispered. "…The Time War."

The Doctor's eyes widened and he almost ripped his hands away from her temples. Her eyes snapped out and looked at the Doctor. They just stared at each other for a very long, tense moment. "What did you do?" He asked, breathless. How did she do that?

"I…" She swallowed. The images were still running through her mind. "I saw a door when I closed my eyes. I opened it. And all of a sudden I saw those images."

"Doctor?" Jack spoke up.

"You were in my mind." The Doctor said. Alex felt tears fall from her eyes. "Oh, Allie." He fully realized what she saw. He reached out for her and pulled her into a hug. She cried. The Time War wasn't the prettiest of battles. In fact, it was a horrible battle. Out of everyone in the universe, he wanted Alex to be the _last _person to see that. He spoke to her gently. He knew those images were never going to leave her mind. A tune started to play on the website.

The group turned to see 'SAXON BROADCAST ALL CHANNELS'. The Doctor slipped over to the T.V. It gave Alex time to get herself together. "Our lord and master is speaking to his kingdom." The Doctor turned on the television. The Master was seated in the front of an ornate fireplace in the Cabinet room.

"Britain, Britain, Britain." 'Harold' finally said. "What extraordinary times we've had. Just a few years ago, this world was so small. And then they came, out of the unknown, falling from the skies." A clip from 'Aliens of London' appeared. "You've seen it happen – Big Ben destroyed, a spaceship over London." Clip from 'Army of the Ghosts'. "All those ghosts and metal men." Clip from 'Runaway Bride'. "The Christmas star that came to kill. Time and time again the government told you nothing. Well, not me. Not Harold Saxon. Because my purpose here today is to tell you this – citizens of Great Britain… I have been contacted. A message, for humanity, from beyond the stars." Saxon nodded to someone who was off camera.

The video started to play. A small metal sphere was on the screen. In a feminine voice, the message started. "People of Earth, we come in peace. We bring great gifts. We bring technology and wisdom and protection. And all we ask for return is your friendship." Alex raised an eyebrow at the message. That message was _way _too honey coated. No alien out there was _that _friendly. Well, other than the Doctor, but that was a different case. Something in her gut was telling her that something was up with these little aliens.

"Oooh." Saxon came back onto the screen. "Sweet. And this species has identified itself. They're called the Toclafane."

"What?" The Doctor cried. There was no such thing as the Toclafane.

"And tomorrow morning they will appear. Not in secret, but to all of you. Diplomatic relations with a new species will begin. Tomorrow, we take our place in the universe. Every man, woman and child. Every teacher and chemist and lorry driver and farmer. And every…oh, I don't know…medical student?"

The Doctor whipped around to Martha and Alex. He then turned the television to show a bomb ready to go off. They rushed out of the flat as fast as they could. The Doctor grabbed the laptop. Alex grabbed his precious coat that was lying on the back of the couch. They got out onto the street just as the flat exploded.

"Alright?" The Doctor asked.

"Fine, yeah, fine." Jack said.

"Just peachy." Alex said sarcastically.

"Martha?" She had her cell phone out, but seemed to be fine. "What are you doing?"

"He knows about me. What about my family?" She pulled the phone to her ear and waited for her mum to pick up.

"Don't tell them anything!" The Doctor yelled.

"I'll do what I want." She snapped at him. "Mum," She was relieved when her mother picked up the phone. "Oh my God, you're there." Her mother said something. "I can't! Not now!" Her mother responded to that. "Don't be daft! Since when?" Alex came over and pulled the phone just enough so both of the girls could hear.

"Just come 'round. Come to the house. We can celebrate." Alex heard Martha's mother say.

"You said you'd never get back with him in a million years." Martha said.

Alex felt her gut tighten. "Francine?" Alex called into the receiver. "What's going on?" She asked. "Who's there with you?" Martha and Alex looked at each other.

"No one's here, sweetie." Francine answered. "If you don't believe, ask him yourself." The girls could hear the phone being passed.

"Martha, Alex, it's me." Alex felt her pulse quicken. Something was defiantly not right.

"Dad? What are you doing there?" Martha asked. Her voice was starting to shake.

"Like you mother said, come 'round. We can explain everything." Clive answered.

Alex looked at Martha grimly. "Mr. Jones." Alex said sternly. "_Is there someone there_?"

There was a pause. "Yes!" Alex's eyes widened and they heard a commotion on the other end. She heard Martha's father yell. "Just run!"

"Dad! What's going on? Dad!" Martha screamed into the phone. Alex felt her pulse race. She raced over to her car. "I've got to help them!"

"That's what they want! It's a trap!" The Doctor said.

"I don't care!" It was here family; she was not going to abandon them.

"Martha, get in the passenger seat." Alex instructed. Martha looked at Alex. But Alex shot her a look. Martha did so. "Doctor, Jack, you boys are in the back." She called to them.

Alex got into the car and started it up. She pulled out when everyone was in and drove quickly to Francine's and Clive's house. Alex drove recklessly down the road. She narrowed her eyes at the road in front of her. "Corner!" Alex jerked the wheel sharply. The wheels squealed in protest.

Martha called her sister. She waited for it to pick up. Alex drove as quickly as she could to get to the house. "C'mon, Tish, pick up." Tish finally answered the phone. Alex could barely hear Tish's conversation on the other line. But she could hear her, which was good. "What's happening?" They could all hear the commotion on the other line. It seemed Tish was taken too. "Tish!" Martha glanced at the Doctor. "It's all your fault! It's all your fault!"

Alex finally got to the house. She slammed on the breaks when she saw Francine and Clive being pushed into a police car. "Martha! Alex! Get out of here!" The girl's eyes widened. "Get out!"

"Target identified." The police take their positions.

"Allie, reverse." Alex felt like all of her muscles had locked into place.

"Take aim!" The police took their aim at the car.

"Get out, now!" Alex snapped out of it and put the car in reverse. She reversed the car into a 3 point turn.

"Fire!" The police fired off their guns at the now retreating car.

"Move it!" Jack yelled. The back window shattered as a bullet hit it.

Martha was upset. Alex felt her whole body shaking like a leaf. She gripped the steering wheel tightly. "The only place we could go… Earth. Great." Martha said sarcastically.

The Doctor was behind Alex. He could see her shaking. He leaned up to get as close as he could to her ear. "Careful." He muttered. She tried to focus on the road. The Doctor reached over the seat and put his arms on her shoulders. She jumped.

"Now, Lex," For a moment, Alex didn't know who Jack was talking to. She realized that 'Lex' was apparently his nickname for her. "Listen to me. Do as I say. We've gotta ditch this car. Pull over. Right now!" Alex did what he said.

They all got out. Alex almost collapsed into the Doctor's arms. He held her tightly. He felt her whole body shaking. This had to be the worst thing that's happened to them yet. He kissed her head in an attempt to calm Alex down. His hearts ached when she was in this kind of state.

They left the car on the side of the road. Martha was lagging behind using her cell phone again. The Doctor turned. "Martha, come on!" Alex was tucked safely under his arm.

She sped it up but wasn't paying attention to him. "Leo! Oh, thank God. You've gotta listen to me. Where are you?" Leo gave her an answer. "Leo, just listen to me. Don't go home, I'm telling you. Don't phone mum or dad or Tish. You've gotta hide." Martha explained. She paused as Leo said something. "On my life. You've got to trust me. Go to Boxer's. Stay with him. Don't tell anyone just hide!" Martha paused. "Let them go, Saxon!" The Doctor wheeled around. He left Alex, passing the laptop to Jack as he passed the Captain, and walked over to Martha. "Do you hear me? Let them go!"

The Doctor took the phone from her. "I'm here." Alex started to fidget. He walked up to her. He gave her a gently kiss on the cheek to calm her down. She smiled. The Doctor pressed his free hand to Alex's cheek. She smiled. He smiled back.

She could hear Saxon on the other end. "Doctor…" He breathed. The Doctor smiled and kissed her gently on the lips before walking off to be alone. Alex watched from a distant. She knew that he would try and get the Master to stop this. The brunette girl refused to take her eyes off the Doctor.

The Doctor finally walked over near them. He was watching the glass. He suddenly looked over at a male. She looked over as well. Alex flinched. He was patting his legs in that same beat. Alex felt it become unbearably loud in her head again. Alex winced again. She looked back at the Doctor. His face was a slight bit pale. His eyes snapped over to her and then back to the glass.

She watched as he said something. He was frustrated now. She could see it. It clicked in her head. The only thing that could get the Doctor frustrated.

_Harold Saxon wanted to talk to her._

Alex walked boldly over to the Doctor. She snatched the cell phone from the Time Lord's hands. He gave her a look and tried to get the phone again. "Hello, Mr. Saxon." The Doctor threw his hand to his side in frustration.

"Ah, Hello Miss. Harper." She walked away from the Doctor. "You know, I saw something interesting as my time as a _human_." He spat the name out in disgust.

"What's that?" Alex asked dryly.

"You and the Doctor are close. _Very _close." Alex clenched her fist to stop from saying anything. "You make a cute couple."

"You didn't want to talk to me just because of that, did you?" Alex snapped.

"Oh no." Saxon said. "I've looked up your name, Alex. Until a year ago, you didn't exist." Alex's eyes widened. "Everything is faked, like mine. Which makes me wonder what you are."

"I'm human." She said with confidence in her voice that she didn't feel in herself.

"Really?" Saxon asked, unbelieving. "I doubt that. I will find out what you are, Allie Harper."

Alex narrowed her eyes. How dare he use that name? "Allie," she icily said. "Is a nickname that _only_ the Doctor is allowed to use."

"It doesn't matter, Miss. Harper." She could practically see him waving his hand in an uncaring manner. "I will find out."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She said, just as uncaring.

"You're not human, Alex." He suddenly said. "Or at least, that's not what you're meant to be." Alex eyebrows knitted together. "I saw it. I saw you in Gallifrey before it crumbled. I saw you there. You had that same look that all _Time Lords _have."

Alex's eyes widened. A very distantly memory snapped through her mind. She was leaning against a door. She watched the Master on trail. She frowned at the results. She turned away and walked away. The images snapped across her mind like an old movie.

Alex dropped the phone. The image had been distantly, almost like she couldn't remember it… Or… Maybe, because it hadn't happened yet. The Doctor rushed over to her. He looked into her wide eyes. "Allie? Allie!" She looked at the Doctor. He could see the shock. But he caught the sight of a tiny bit of fear. The Doctor picked up the phone. "What did you say to her?" He growled. "What did you say?"

"Nothing." The Master said dismissively. "Oh, look, you're on the tellie."

"Stop it." The Doctor snapped. His patience was thin from his stunt with Alex. "Answer me!"

"No, really. You're on the tellie!" The Doctor looked over at the glass that was airing the BBC broadcast. "You and your little band, which, by the way, is ticking every demographic box. So, congratulations on that. Look, there you are! Ha!"

"… They are known to be armed and extremely dangerous." There, on the side of the woman's face, was the face of Captain Jack Harkness, Martha Jones, Alex Harper, and the Doctor.

"You're public enemy's numbers, one, two, three, and four." Saxon chuckled. "Oh and you can tell handsome Jack that I've sent his little gang off on a wild goose chase to the Himalayas so he won't be getting any help from them." Martha, Jack, and the now calm Alex joined the Doctor's side. "Now, go on, off you go. Why don't you start by turning to the right?"

The Doctor turned and saw the camera. "He can see us!" He pointed the screwdriver to the camera and disabled it.

"Oh, you public menace!" The Master said, still over the phone. "Better start running. Go on. Run!"

"He's got control of everything." The Doctor said. He slowly lowered the phone from his ear.

"Doctor," He looked over at Alex. "What do we do?"

"We run." The group took off down a shopping arcade.

-x-

Martha had left to see if she could get some food. They finally found a disused warehouse and were there. Alex and the Doctor were on the laptop. Jack was standing off the side, fiddling with his manipulator.

"What did he say to you, Allie?" The Doctor finally asked.

"It's nothing." Alex said tired. She refused to tell the Doctor what the Master said. She wasn't about to tell the Doctor something that didn't even made sense to her.

"Allie," The Doctor warned.

"_No_." She stressed. The Doctor and she had a staring contest. He gave up when he saw that she was clearly not going to tell him.

"Fine." He said. Alex smiled. She reached over and kissed his cheek. The Doctor moved his head and kissed her lips. He couldn't help himself. Whenever there was a chance to kiss her, he would take it. He felt like a school boy. He loved Alex so much it hurt.

Alex leaned away and shot him a playful look. He smiled at her. He opened his arms. She understood the message. She got up and made herself comfortable in his lap. It wasn't hard; he had a _very _comfortable lap. She leaned her head against his chest. She felt and heard his hearts beating. It was calming. "We're going to be okay, Allie." The Doctor said quietly into her hair. "We're going to get out of this."

She nodded and smiled. "I trust you, Doctor. You'll find a way." He kissed her head. He started to fiddle with the laptop again with Alex now in his lap. He somehow felt at easy if she was there. It calmed the Time Lord down more than she would ever know. One touch from this girl could calm him down from anything.

Alex turned her head to look over at the brunette captain. "More importantly, when did you start calling me 'Lex'?"

Jack looked over. "What?" He asked. "I don't get to give you a nickname? The Doctor has one, so I figured it would be fun to give you one myself." Alex laughed and lifted her hands.

"Fine by me, the nickname is very you." Jack stuck out his tongue playfully, she responded by sticking her own tongue out at him. They laughed.

Martha finally came back. She held some takeout food. "How was it?" Jack asked.

"I don't think anyone saw me." Martha answered. "Anything new?"

"I've got this tuned into the government wavelength so we can follow what Saxon's doing." Jack replied, motioning to his manipulator.

"Yeah, I meant about my family." She turned to the Doctor. Jack shrugged and went back to his toy.

"It still says that the Jones family was taken in for questioning. Tell you what, though, no mention of Leo." The Doctor dropped that happy note.

Martha smiled. "He's not as daft as he looks." She finally realized her situation. "I'm talking about my brother, on the run. How did this happen?" Alex snatched her share of food.

"Nice chips." Jack said, sitting down. Alex had to agree, they were pretty good French fries.

"Actually, they're not bad." The Doctor popped one into his mouth.

"Yeah, they're some good fries." Alex tried to ignore the fact that she was the only one that called them that. It was her American pride. Martha sat down. Both Martha and Jack shared a look. Martha nodded towards the Doctor. Jack looked hesitant. He gave Alex a pleading look.

_Wimp_. She thought, her look clearly said that. Jack shot her a look. She turned to the Doctor. The Doctor was never one to turn down her questions. "So, Doctor," He looked at her. "Who is he?" Alex knew he would know who she was talking about. "Why would the Time Lords make a crazed, psycho fruit loop like him?"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at the term. 'Crazed, psycho fruit loop' sounded exactly like something Alex would say. "And what is he to you? A colleague...?"

"A friend, at first..."

"I thought you were gonna say he was your secret brother or something." The three other brunettes stared at her.

Alex laughed. "You watch too much TV, Martha."

Martha chuckled, half-heartedly. "But all the legends of Gallifrey made it sound so perfect." Jack spoke up.

"Well, perfect to look at, maybe. And it was, it was beautiful." The Doctor leaned back. "They used to call it the Shining World of the Seven Systems. And on the Continent of Wild Endeavour, in the Mountains of Solace and Solitude, there stood the Citadel of the Time Lords…" Alex could imagine the beautiful city they had shown in this episode. "The oldest and most mighty race in the universe…looking down on the galaxies below…sworn never to interfere…only to watch… Children of Gallifrey, taken from their families at the age of eight to enter the Academy. And some say that's when it all began. When he was a child… that's when the Master saw eternity. As a novice, he was taken for initiation, it's a gap in the fabric of reality through which could be seen the whole of the vortex. You stand there, eight years old… staring at the raw power of time and space, just a child. Some would be inspired… some would run away… and some would go mad."

"What about you?" Martha asked.

The brunette popped another French fry into his mouth. "Oh, the ones that ran away. I never stopped." Alex giggled.

Jack's manipulator suddenly beeped. They looked over. Jack looked at the file. "Encrypted channel with a file attached. Don't recognize it."

"Patch it through to the laptop." Alex certainly remembered this part. This was the part of the episode where they found out that Captain Jack Harkness was a part of Torchwood. This wasn't going to be pretty.

"Um, since we're telling stories, um, there's something I haven't told you." Jack was nervous for a reason.

Jack got up and walked over to the laptop. The Doctor and Alex moved over. He patched his wrist device to the computer. The Torchwood symbol appeared on the screen. To say that the Doctor was angry was an _understatement_. "You work for Torchwood."

"I swear to you, it's different. It's changed. There's only half a dozen of us left." This news did nothing to calm the Doctor's flames.

"Everything Torchwood did and you're a part of it?" The Doctor's tone was a snarl.

"The old regime was destroyed at Canary Wharf. I rebuilt it, I changed it. And when I did that, I did it for you, in your honour." The Doctor just continued to stare. It was possible he was too angry to speak. Alex rolled her eyes. She loved Jack and she knew how hard it was to face up to the Doctor's hawk like, 'Time Lord' stare. Not only that, but they really needed to see what was on the file. It could be important.

Alex lifted up her hand and snatched the Doctor's glasses off his face. She then covered his eyes. The Doctor tried to back away from Alex's hand but it followed him. "Allie..."

"I love Jack, Doctor." Alex explained. "So, shut up, I understand that you have a problem with the _old _Torchwood. But if Jack says it's different, then ya know what, I believe him. We need to see what's on the file, and that means you just have to suck it up." She turned to Jack. "Go ahead, Jack." She could see that he was happy that at least she didn't hate him or something.

The Doctor was able to slip away from her hand. Thankfully, he wasn't angry anymore. They watched the video. Alex played around and put his fake glasses for fun. It popped up and a news reporter appeared. "If I haven't returned to my desk by 2200 hours, this file will be emailed to Torchwood. Which means, if you're watching this, then I'm…" She paused. It didn't seem like she could get it out. She moved on. "Anyway, the Saxon files are attached. But take a look at the Archangel document. That's when it all started. When Harry Saxon became Minister in charge of launching the Archangel Network."

The screen changed. It showed a graphic Earth with satellites spinning around her. "What's Archangel Network?" The Doctor asked. Alex had the same question.

Martha pulled out her mobile. "I've got Archangel. Everyone's got it."

"It's the mobile network." Jack explained. "'Cause look, it's gone worldwide. They've got 15 satellites in orbit. Even the other networks, they're carried by Archangel."

The Doctor took Martha's phone. "It's in the phones! Oh, I said he was a hypnotist! Wait, wait, wait. Hold on." The Doctor tapped the phone on the table. Suddenly, that tapping of four started. Alex winced as it started in her mind too. "There it is. That rhythm, it's everywhere. Ticking away in the subconscious."

"But... I could hear it." Alex pointed out.

"Maybe you're just special." The Doctor said. He knew that was very possible. "Maybe it's because you're from a different world. Your true subconscious and Alex's subconscious are different. Maybe that caused you to become aware of the rhythm."

"What is it, mind control?" Martha asked.

"No, no, no, no." The Doctor explained. "Any stronger and people would question it. But contained in that rhythm, in layers of code... Vote Saxon. Believe in me. Whispering to the world. Oh, yes!" The Doctor seemed to realize something. "That's how he hid himself from me. 'Cause I should have sensed there was another Time Lord on Earth. I should have known way back."

"But the signal he created drowned him out." Alex said. The Doctor nodded, showing she was right.

"Any way you can stop it?" Jack asked.

"Not from down here. We need to know how he's doing it." The Doctor said.

"And we can fight back." Alex said.

The Doctor grinned at her. "Oh yes!"

-x-

The Doctor completely took a part the laptop and the mobile. She was so thankful that it was Martha's phone he was taking apart instead of her own. She loved her phone. The Doctor lifted his hand to get their TARDIS keys. Jack and Martha easily gave theirs. The Time Lord held a hand for Alex's key. She held it tightly through her shirt and shook her head. "Allie," He warned. She shook her head again and ran off.

He took off after her. Alex squealed as he caught her. He dragged her back and got a hold of the key. He was finally able to get it off the girl and looked at it surprised. It was defiantly not the same key that he had given her. It now had a small blue jewel on the head of the key. The key itself was painted all sorts of funky colours. "What did you to it?" He asked.

"I spunked it up!" Alex defended. "It was so plain and boring before and I made it pretty!" The Doctor shook his head with a smile. It wasn't really that surprising if he thought about it. He went back over to his work. Alex pouted.

He got them all finished up. "Four TARDIS keys, four pieces of the TARDIS with low-level perception properties because the TARDIS is designed to blend in. Well, sort of, but..." The Doctor gave up and moved now. "Now! That Archangel Network's second low-level signal. Weld the key to the network and... Martha," The Time Lord took a step back. "You can see me, yes?"

"Yep." Martha said. Alex mentally nodded.

"What about now?" The Doctor slipped the key on. Alex looked over at Martha. Her head was slowly veering to the side. She blinked. Jack and Alex chuckled. "No, I'm here. Look at me."

"It's like... I know you're there, but I don't _want _to know." Martha tried to explain.

"And back again." The Doctor took off the key. "See? It just shifts your perception a tiny bit. Doesn't make us invisible, just unnoticed." The Doctor gave them their keys back. Alex snatched hers and pressed it to her chest. He rolled her eyes playfully at her. "Oh, I know what it's like." The Doctor said suddenly. "It's like – It's like when you fancy someone and they don't even know you exist."

Alex winced. _A low blow without even knowing it_, Alex sighed. _I think that makes it worse_. Martha looked at Jack. "You too, huh?" Alex looked at them apologetically. She ran over to catch up with the Doctor. He took her hand. Alex felt bad for doing this, knowing full well that Martha liked the Doctor. She took a peek at the Time Lord. She felt her heart sing. She loved him. She loved him so much. The small brunette hated to admit it, but she couldn't stop this for anything.

"Don't run. Don't shout. Just keep your voice down." The Doctor ordered. "Draw attention to yourself and the spell is broken. Just keep to the shadows." Alex was between the Doctor and Jack. Martha was close behind them.

"Like ghosts." Alex said.

"Yeah, that's what we are. Ghosts." They put their keys on and headed into the city.

-x-

They got to the airbase where Winters – apparently the president of the USA – was going to confront Saxon. The group slipped into the area unnoticed. The four watched the scene. Alex couldn't stop the thought from passing her mind. She had often thought this when watching the episodes with the Master. _The actor must have had such a fun time playing a crazy guy_. It was always fun. Being completely psycho and crazy was actually a lot of fun.

They heard a siren off in the distant. Alex watched as a police car came into view. The Jones family were taken out. Alex tensed up. Francine tried to get to Saxon. He ran over to the family like they were old friends. "Hi, guys! All will be revealed!"

"Oh my God." The Doctor was touching Martha's arm to keep her from running over to her family.

"Don't move." The Doctor commanded.

"But –"

"Don't." They watched as Martha's family was transported to a land rover.

"I'm gonna kill him." Martha promised. Alex felt her gut squeeze inside of her. She bit her lip. The Doctor wrapped an arm around her to keep her calm.

"Say I use this perception filter to walk up behind him and break his neck?" Jack said.

"Now that sounds like Torchwood." The Doctor gave Jack a look.

"Still a good plan." Alex shook her head.

"No it's not." She said. "He'll just regenerate."

"There's _got _to be limit on those things." Jack muttered.

"There is... He's cheated it, like," Alex thought. "Three times now."

The Doctor looked over. "How do you know that?"

"Just because I don't watch the classic Doctor Who doesn't mean I don't know _some _things about it." She shrugged. The Doctor shook his head.

"He's a Time Lord, which means he's my responsibility." The Doctor said with finality. "I'm not here to kill him. I'm here to save him."

Jack was messing with his manipulator again. "Aircraft carrier _Valiant_. It's a UNIT ship at 28.2 N and 10.02 E."

"How are we going to get there?" Alex asked.

The Doctor turned his head just the slightest bit to Jack. The Time Lord was talking to him. "Does that thing work as a teleport?"

"Since you've revamped it, yeah. Coordinates set." The Doctor made sure that everyone had their hands on the manipulator before activating it.

Jack, Martha, and Alex groaned. "Ah," Alex moaned as she leaned yet again against the Doctor. "_Man_ that sucks!"

"Oh, that thing is rough." Martha said in the same state as Alex.

"I've had worst nights." Jack cracked his neck. "Welcome to the _Valiant_." Alex straightened. She cracked her back again. Alex felt the Doctor kiss her head gently.

"It's dawn." Martha pointed out. She walked over to the window. "Hold oh, I thought this was a ship. Where's the sea?" The rest of the group walked next to Martha.

"A ship of the 21st century. Protecting the skies of Earth." The _Valiant _was a massive aircraft that was floating in the sky. The ship had three landing strips.

-x-

The group was running through the corridors. Suddenly, the Doctor stopped. "Doctor?" She asked.

"We've got no time for sightseeing!" Jack said impatiently.

"No, no. Wait. Shhh, shhh, shhh. Can't you hear it?" Alex looked around. All she could hear was the machines that were next to her.

"Hear what?" Jack asked, voicing Alex's thoughts.

"Doctor, my family's on board." Martha strode past him.

"Brilliant!" The Doctor said. Alex raised an eyebrow. What was brilliant? "This way!" The Time Lord changed directions and dragged Alex along with him. They ran down a long hallway and reached some doors. The Doctor swung them open to reveal the TARDIS. They were all grinning.

"The TARDIS!" Alex exclaimed. How good it was to see her again!

"Oh, at last!" Finally, the Doctor was with his faithful ship again.

"Oh, yes!" Martha laughed.

"What is it doing on the _Valiant_?" Jack asked. He was just as happy to see the TARDIS. Alex ran over to the doors first and swung them open. Her grin turned too horrified within seconds. The doors revealed a _very _different exterior that was bathed in red.

"What the hell has he done?" Jack muttered. The group walked in carefully. Alex felt her heart clench. The beautiful TARDIS was now completely different. It was a heart wrenching sight.

"Don't touch it." The Doctor ordered.

"We weren't going to." Alex said softly.

"What's he done though?" Martha asked. "Sounds like its... sick." Parts of the TARDIS had been stripped away. The heart of the ship was caged off by glass.

"It can't be." The Doctor muttered. "No, no, no, no, no, no, it can't be."

"What, Doctor?" Alex asked anxiously. "What is it?"

"He's cannibalised the TARDIS." The Doctor said, angry.

"Is that what I think it was?" Jack asked. _What was it_?

"It's a paradox machine." The Time Lord answered grimly. They walked around and the Doctor slumped down. Alex ran over to him and looked to see a dial. Most of it was white. But there was a small part of it that was red. The dial was slowly climbing up to it. "As soon as this hits red," The others gathered around the Doctor. "It activates. At this speed, it'll _trigger_," The Doctor took Jack's wrist. He looked back and forth between the dial and Jack's watch for a moment. "At two minutes pass 8:00."

"First contact is at 8:00." Jack said. "And then two minutes later..."

"What's it for? What's a paradox machine do?" Martha asked.

Jack had more important questions. "More importantly, can you stop it?"

"Not until I know what it's doing." The Doctor answered. "Touch the wrong bit and blow up the solar system." Alex blinked. They didn't want that.

"Then we've got to find where the Master is right now." Alex stated.

"Yeah." Jack agreed. "How do we stop him?"

"Oh, I've got a way." They all looked at him. He hadn't told them sooner. He looked between Martha and Alex. "Sorry, didn't I tell you?" He grinned.

-x-

They walked in as Winters was making a speech. Alex looked over at the Doctor. "Are you going to tell us this plan now?" She asked quietly.

"If I can get this," He held his key. "Around the Master's neck... Cancel out his perception; they'll see him for real. It's just hard to go unnoticed with everyone on red alert. If they stop me... You've got a key."

"Yes, sir." Jack nodded.

"I'll get him." Martha said confidently.

The Doctor was about to make his move. Alex grabbed his arm. He turned around. She walked up so she got close. "Be careful." She muttered. He nodded and smiled at her in comfort. He gave her a short, sweet, quick kiss on the lips and turned back to his job.

Alex didn't notice the sad, knowing look that Martha gave her. Martha had known ever since 'Human Nature' and 'Family of Blood' what had happened. She was thankful that Alex tried to hide it from her. Martha knew that Alex was a good friend. But, that didn't stop it from hurting when she saw it with her own eyes. Martha turned her eyes back to the situation at hand.

Alex watched the scene tensed up. Winters continued his speech. The 'Toclafane' appeared. They begged the man to give them their Master instead of him. Winters didn't understand what they meant and said that he would be their master if 'it was God's will'. This was not appreciated by the aliens.

The Master spoke up. "Oh, alright then. It's me." He jumped up. "Ta-da!" He laughed. "Sorry. Sorry, I have effect. People just get obsessed." _That's because you hypnotise them_, Alex thought bitterly. "Is it the smile? Is it the aftershave? Is it the capacity to laugh at myself? I don't know it's crazy." _Yep, totally, it's crazy_, Alex rolled her eyes.

"Saxon, what are you talking about?" Winters asked, frustrated.

Saxon became serious once again. He turned to face Winters. "I'm taking control, Uncle Sam. Starting with you." He spoke now to the Toclafane. "Kill him."

One of the Toclafane shot him with a laser. Winters disintegrated. Chaos erupted and people ran over to the door to try and escape. The guards with Saxon pull out their guns. Saxon laughed. "Guards!"

A guard ordered to the people. "Nobody move! Nobody move!"

Saxon turned back to the camera. "Now, people of the Earth, please attend carefully." The Doctor rushed forward.

Alex felt her heart stop when the guards rushed towards him. "Stop him!" Two guards grabbed the Time Lord and forced him to kneel in front of the Master off camera.

"We meet at last, Doctor." Saxon said. "Oh ho! I love saying that!"

"Stop this!" The Doctor said desperately. "Stop it now!"

"As if the perception filter's gonna work on me." The Master moved his eyes to Alex, Martha, and Jack. "Oh, and look, it's the two girlies and the freak. Although, I'm not sure which is which?" Jack rushed towards the crazy Time Lord. Saxon held out a screwdriver and pointed it at Jack. He fired and Jack cried before falling to the ground. "Laser screwdriver! Who'd have sonic? And the good thing is, he's not dead for long. I get to kill him again!"

Alex gasped and ran towards the fallen captain. "Jack!"

"Oh look, it's the annoying human girl that I hate so much." Saxon said.

"Oh look," Alex mocked him. "It's that crazed Time Lord that _I _hate so much." Saxon shot her a look. She shot one right back at him. They glared at each other bitterly.

"Master, just calm down." The Doctor said. He had to get the Master's eyes off of Alex. "Just look at what you're doing. Just stop. If you could see yourself..."

The Master sighed. He turned to the camera. "Oh, do excuse me, a bit of personal business. Back in a minute." He walked off camera. He looked at the guards. "Let him go." The guards pushed the Time Lord to the floor.

"It's that sound, the sound in your head. What if I could help?" The Doctor desperately asked.

The Master looked completely uncaring. "Oh, how to shut him up? I know! Memory Lane!" The Master took a seat on the step in front of the Doctor. "Professor Lazarus. Remember him? And his genetic manipulation device?" Alex saw memories of that adventure. "Did you think that little Tish got that job merely by coincidence? I've been laying traps for you all this time. And if I can concentrate all that Lazarus technology into one little screwdriver…But, ooh, if I only had the Doctor's biological code. Oh, wait a minute, I do!" The Master ran over to a silver can. "I've got his hand! And if Lazarus made himself younger, what if I reverse it? Another hundred years?"

Saxon aimed his screwdriver at the Doctor. Alex watched completely horrified. The Doctor screamed as his genetics conversed. Jack revived, but Alex couldn't take her eyes off the Doctor. Jack tugged on Alex's sleeve. She turned. He put the manipulator in her hand and gave both girls a look. "Teleport."

"No," Alex's voice broke. "I can't just leave the Doctor."

"We can't stop him." Jack said. "You've got to get out. Get out." Alex turned when Saxon finally stopped. The Doctor had the body of a very old man. Alex crawled over to him and took him into her arms. She felt a few tears pass down her cheeks.

"I've got you, my Time Lord." She whispered to him. He looked at her, she was happy to still be able to see his beautiful eyes. Martha slowly crawled over to them.

"Aw, they're would-be doctors." Saxon gave a fake coo. "But tonight, Martha Jones and Alex Harper, we've flown 'em all the way from prison." The girls' eyes widened. The doors open to show Martha's family.

"Mum." Martha said softly.

"Francine." Alex spoke quietly. Francine was crying.

"I'm sorry." Francine sobbed.

The Doctor was breathing heavily. Alex slowly slid back down and hugged him gently. "The Toclafane, who are they?" The Master leaned forward, making a gesture like he couldn't hear the Doctor. The Time Lord repeated his question. "Who are they?"

"Doctor, if I told you the truth, your hearts would break." He pressed his hand to the Doctor's chest were his hearts were.

"Is it time?" A Toclafane asked.

"Is it ready?" Another asked.

"Is the machine singing?" A third asked.

Saxon checked his watch. "Two minutes past." The Master mounted the steps and stood next to the blonde. "So! Earthlings. Basically, um, end of the world." The Master held the screwdriver up. "Here... Come... The Drums!" A song filled the ship. Saxon and the blonde started to dance to it.

The paradox machine activated. Saxon looked out the window. Above the _Valiant_, a huge rift opened up. Hundreds and hundreds of Toclafane came flying out of the rift. Saxon and his wife watched from the bridge of the ship. "How many do you think there are?" Saxon asked his wife.

"I don't know."

"Six billion." Saxon answered. He turned on the speakers. "Down you go, kids!" The Toclafane picked random spots before shooting down there. Alex felt tears run down her face. She and Martha can only do that as messages came onto the comm. calling out to the _Valiant_.

"_Valiant_, this is Geneva! We're getting slaughtered down here!" One message stated.

Another came over the comm. Alex took one finally look at the Doctor. Their eyes were locked as she lifted herself up to stand. "Help us! For God's sake, help us! They're everywhere!"

"This is London, _Valiant_! This is London calling! What do we do?" Martha looked over at her family. They looked at her confused. Martha looked at Alex. Both had tears freezing their cheeks.

"They're killing us! The Toclafane are killing us!" The Doctor slowly reached out and gave Alex his jacket. Alex felt more tears fall down her cheeks. She took it and hugged it tightly. She gave him a look telling him that she was going to take good care of it. He gave her a look. It told her to take good care of _herself_. Alex nodded.

With one last look at the Time Lord, the brunette girls activated teleport.

-x-

Martha and Alex landed in a field. They got up and looked at the scene of destruction. Martha and Alex looked at each other. Alex put on the coat. "We're coming back." Alex nodded. With that, they ran away.

_To Be Continued_...


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

It had been one hell of a long year...

Alex Harper walked carefully along the side of the beach. She needed to get to a certain spot. She was finally meeting back up with Martha after one _long _year.

It had been a hard year. Alex had done exactly what the Doctor had wanted her to do. She felt happy about that. It was tough though. The Toclafane were looking everywhere for her. She fixed the Doctor's jacket closer around her. Even though she's worn it this whole year, it's never changed from being the Doctor's coat in her mind. She had been all over the Earth. In any other circumstance, she would have been thrilled. But now, she was just tired.

Alex's whole year had changed her. She knew this. She liked to think that it made her stronger. She was still the same Alex that she was before this shitty situation came upon them. She was just stronger. She wasn't as helpless and weak that she used to be. She knew the true reason for this was because of the Doctor's coat.

It was an excellent reminder of who was waiting for her. The Doctor was waiting for her. She knew that he wouldn't want her to change. He loved her the way that she was. Alex knew that if it wasn't for that, she might actually have given up. Whenever things got tough or hard, all she had to do was hold this coat tight and close her eyes. She would remember the good times she had with the Doctor. She would remember his face, his smile, and his eyes. Everything about him, she would remember.

Alex looked ahead of her to see an old fashioned lantern. She walked over to it. She knew who it was. She finally saw the man that was holding the lantern. He was in his late twenties. He had black hair with dark brown eyes. He had a scruffy beard. "Tom?"

The man jumped and whirled around. He saw the brunette girl standing there. She was wearing a black army style shirt. She was wearing some black jeans and black converse. The only thing that you could consider had color was the Doctor's coat that was over her body. It dragged across the ground. Underneath the coat, he saw that she had a large shoulder bag. "Alex Harper?"

She smiled at him warmly. "The one and only." He seemed a little surprised at her wise but playful nature. It wasn't the first time. She had the feeling that even the Doctor would be surprised. _Doctor_... Even now, that name sent pleasurable chills down her spine. Alex shook those thoughts away.

Alex grabbed the lantern and waved it again. A boat came closer to the shore and answered with their light. A figure dressed in black waded through the water and got onto the beach. Martha and Alex look at each other. Alex gave Tom the light and the two friends ran up and hugged each other tightly. "Martha!" Alex cried so happy to see her friend.

"Alex!" She leaned back and got a good look at the smaller girl. "What happened to your hair?"

Alex reached up and fiddled with a now much short strand of her hair. It now went to her chin instead of her elbows. The streaks had long since faded away. It wasn't a problem, when all of this was over she could easily get some more. "I forgot to put on my key one time, and when I stepped out one of those Toclafane lopped all of it off." Alex shrugged. "I was thankfully it was just my hair and not my _head_. Anyways, it's just hair, it'll grow back." Martha smiled.

She turned to the man. He had a small smile at seeing their little reunion. "What's your name, then?" Martha asked.

"Tom Milligan." Tom answered. "No need to ask who you two are, the infamous Martha Jones and Alex Harper. How long since you were in Britain?"

"365 days." Alex sighed. "It's been one hell of a long year."

Tom, Martha, and Alex walked up to the beach. "So what's the plan?" Tom asked.

"This Professor Docherty. We need to see her." Martha explained.

"Are you sure you can get us there?" Alex asked.

"She works in a repair shed, Nuclear Plant 7." Tom said. "I can get you inside. What's all this for? What's so important about her?"

"Sorry, the more you know the more you're at risk." Martha said.

"We're not about to put that weight on your shoulders." Alex added.

"There's a lot of people depending on you." Tom explained to them. "You're a bit of a legend."

"What do the legends say?" Alex asked with a small smile.

"That you sailed the Atlantic." _Check_, "walked across America." _Check_. "That you two are the only ones to be able to get out of Japan alive." _Check_. "'Martha Jones and Alex Harper,' they say. 'They're gonna save the world.' Bit late for that."

"There's always hope." Alex contradicted gently. The Doctor taught her that. Tom gave her a calculating look as they reached his truck. "How come you can drive? Don't you get stopped?"

"Medical Staff. Used to be in paediatrics back in the old days. But that gives me a license to travel so I can help out that the labour camps."

Both Alex and Martha looked at each other. They raised an eyebrow. "Great. We're travelling with a doctor." Martha said. Alex tugged gently on his coat that had kept her warm. She couldn't stop the small smile that found its way to her lips. Boy, did she miss that Time Lord.

The group got into the truck. "Story goes that you're the only ones on the Earth who can kill him." Alex couldn't stop the slight narrowing of her eyes. She even hated the word, 'kill'. "That you, you two alone, can kill the Master stone cold dead."

"How about we just drive?" Alex asked quietly. She harboured a hatred for killing or anything close to it. God, some days over that year, she swore she was really turning into the Doctor.

-x-

In a rocky valley, the three of them passed a monumental statue of the Master that had been carved from the rocks. "Man," Alex rolled her eyes. "Those things are everywhere! He's even carved his face into Mount Rushmore! Can you believe it? Can you say 'ego'?"

Martha couldn't help but laugh. "It's nice to know that you're still the same, Alex. You should never change."

Alex rolled her eyes with a smile. "Why would I change? I'm too good." The girls giggled as Tom chuckled. "Anyways," Alex winked. "I think I did change. I think I grew strong and stuff."

Martha smiled. They finally got to an upwards hill of rocks. "Best keep down." The girl's did as he said. "Here we go." They peeped over the hill. "The entire south coast of England... Converted into shipyards. They bring in slave labour every morning." The ships in question were rocket ships. There were silos as far as the eye could see. "Break up cars, houses, anything just for the metal. Building a fleet out a scrap."

"You should see Russia." Alex nodded. That had to be the worst of the lot. "That's Shipyard Number One."

"All the way from the Black Sea to the Bering Strait. There's got to be a thousand rockets ready for war." Alex finished.

"War? With who?" Tom asked. Alex realized he must not know about all the other worlds and universes out there.

"The rest of the universe." Martha explained. "I've been out there, Tom. In space. We both have. Before all of this happened. And there's a thousand different civilizations all around us with no idea of what's happening here. The Master can build weapons big enough to devastate them all."

"You've been in space?" He asked the two girls with him.

"Problem with that?" Martha and Alex were focused on the ships.

"No. No, just uh... Wow. Anything else I should know?"

"We've met Shakespeare." Alex said this with a smile. She didn't look at Tom, but she saw him give her a look of pure disbelief.

Two Toclafane came up behind them. Tom turned and faced them. The two brunette girls stayed completely still. "Identify, little man." One of the small metal spheres commanded.

"I – I've got a license. Thomas Milligan, Paediatric Medical Squad. I'm allowed to travel." Tom lifted up the license. "I was just checking f –"

The Toclafane cut him off. "Soon the rockets will fly and everyone will need medicine. You'll be so busy." They laughed before flying away.

He turned back to the girls. "But, they didn't see you?"

"How do you think we travelled the world?" Martha and Alex pulled out their TARDIS keys. They decided to leave and walk back to the truck. "'Cause the Master set up the Archangel, that mobile network, 15 satellites around the planet," Martha explained.

Alex continued for her. "But really, it's transmitting a low-level physic field. That's how everyone got hypnotised into thinking he was Harold Saxon."

"Saxon. Feels like years ago."

"But the keys tuned into the same frequency." Alex continued. "Make us sort of... Not invisible, just unnoticed."

"But I can see you."

Alex laughed. "I called out to you." He looked over at her. "When I called out to you that broke the spell on you."

"As for me, that's 'cause you wanted to." Martha laughed.

"Yeah, I suppose I did." Alex looked between them. Her gut feeling tightened itself again. But this wasn't one for trouble or danger. This was for something different. Alex looked ahead and smirked.

"Is there a Mrs. Milligan?" Martha asked, suddenly.

"No. No. What about you?"

Alex's smirking face turned wary. "There used to be someone." Martha said distantly. "A long time ago. He's in love with someone great though." She saw Martha give her a knowing look. Alex's lifted a hand to play with her hair, when in fact she was just blocking her blushing face.

"Come on." Alex changed the subject. "We've got to find this Docherty person." They got into the car.

"We'll have to wait until the next work shift. What time is it now?" Tom asked.

"Nearly 3:00." Martha answered.

-x-

They finally got to the Nuclear Plant. Tom cut a hole in a chain linked fence that was big enough for them to slip through. The group then turned and ran across the open field of the compound before they reached their destination. Professor Docherty was banging on an old television when they found her.

"Professor Docherty?" Alex asked.

"Busy." She replied quickly.

"They, uh, sent word ahead. I'm Tom Milligan. And this is Martha Jonas and Alex Harper." The woman still didn't look up from her work.

"They can be the Queens of Sheba for all I care. I'm still busy." Docherty answered hotly.

"Televisions don't work anymore." Martha said.

"Oh, God, I miss _Countdown_. Hasn't been the same since Des took over." Docherty seemed to go into her memories. "Both Deses. What's the plural of Des? Desii? Deseen? But we've been told there's gonna be a transmission." The woman banged on the monitor. "From the man himself." Static appeared on the screen. "There!" A grainy black and white shot of the Master appeared.

Alex leaned forward to see the screen better. Her eyes locked with the monitor, she scanned it to see if she could find the Doctor. The Master looked at the camera. "My people. Salutations on this, the eve of war. Lovely woman. But I know there's all sorts of whispers down there. Stories of two children, walking the Earth, giving you hope." Alex felt an electric shock run through her body. The Master walked around to stand behind the Doctor. Alex watched every detail of his face. She drank in the appearance of his eyes. Her heart jumped before singing at the sight of the Time Lord.

"But I ask you... how much hope has this man got?" The Master continued. "Say hello, Gandalf. Except he's not _that _old but he's an alien with a much greater lifespan than you stunted, little apes. What if it showed? What if I suspended your capacity to regenerate? All 900 years of your life, Doctor. What if we could see them?" The Master used his screwdriver again. "Older, and older, and older." Everyone watched as the Doctor withered in agony. "Down you go, Doctor." The Time Lord fell to the floor. "Down, down, down you go."

The Master stopped. There was nothing but silence. "Doctor." Saxon called to him. He bent back to show that the Doctor's brown suit was now empty. Alex swallowed, fearing the worst. She relaxed, however, when a small dome shaped head peaked out of the neck. He turned and Alex watched as he blinked his huge eyes. Alex felt a tiny bit of her that was completely crazy that was actually squealing slightly at the sight. It was telling her that in any other situation, he was actually really cute. The Master turned back to the camera. "Received and understood, Martha Jones? Alex Harper?" The transmission ended.

"I'm sorry." Tom could give them that much.

Both girls were smiling. "No." He looked over at Alex. Her eyes were sparkling at finally seeing her Time Lord again after a long year. "The Doctor's alive. That's good."

"Obviously the Archangel Network would seem to be... The Master's greatest weakness." Docherty pointed out. "15 satellites all around the Earth, still transmitting. That's why there's so little resistance. It's broadcasting a telepathic signal that keeps people scared."

"We could take them out." Tom suggested.

"We could. 15 ground-to-air missiles. Got any on you?" Docherty's sarcasm was obvious. "Besides, any military action and the Toclafane descend."

"They're not Toclafane." Alex was sick of that word. There was no such thing as a 'Toclafane'. "It's just a name that the Master made up."

"Then what are they, then?" The blonde woman asked.

Alex looked over at Martha. "That's why we came to find you. Know your enemy." Alex and Martha shared a looked for a brief second. "I've got this." Martha held up a computer disk. "No one's been able to look at a sphere close up. They can't even be damaged. Except once."

"Apparently," Alex continued to Martha. "There had been a lighting strike that happened to hit one randomly in South America. The readings on are the disk."

Docherty put the disk into the computer. She banged on the computer a couple of times before it decided to work for them. "Oh, whoever thought we'd miss Bill Gates." She muttered to herself.

"So, is that why you travel the world?" He asked them. "To find a disk?"

"Nope." Alex popped her 'p'. "We just got lucky."

"I heard stories that you walked the Earth to find a way to build a weapon." Alex remembered those very words the Doctor told her a year ago. "There!" Alex blinked, snapping out of her thoughts. "A current of 58.5 kilo amperes transferred a charge of 510 mega joules precisely."

"Can you recreate that?" Tom asked.

"I think so. Easily, yes." Docherty responded.

"Alright then, Dr. Milligan, we're gonna get us a sphere." Martha said.

-x-

Tom stood outside the plant. He waited for the right moment. He took out his gun and lifted it to the air. He fired off three shots. It didn't take long for a responding Toclafane to race towards him. He turned and ran. Alex had her legs bent. She was shifting her weight just the tiniest bit, ready to run. Martha was watching her friend. Docherty was at the end of the line. She was making the finally preparations.

"He's coming!" Alex called as she ran towards Martha at the right moment. Martha took off. Alex caught up with her easily. They both ran towards Docherty.

"Are you ready?" Martha cried at her.

"You do your job, I'll do mine." Docherty replied hotly.

"Now!" Tom ran to them. Docherty plugged the device in. The sphere ran right into an electric field. She turned it off and the sphere dropped to the ground with a loud 'clunk'.

The four of them approached it cautiously. Tom had his gun trained on the sphere. "That's only half the job. Let's find out what's inside." Docherty said.

-x-

Docherty was working on opening up the sphere. Alex suddenly felt her gut tighten. Her gut instinct had been one of the best things she relied on when she was out in the world. Alex swallowed. Her pulse started to race.

"There's some sort of magnetic clamp." Docherty fiddled with the thing. "I'll just trip the –" The blonde opened the sphere like the petals of a flower. "Oh my God!"

Martha, Tom, and Alex peered inside the ball. Alex's eyes widened. She looked horrified. There was a wizened human head attached to the sphere on the inside. Lights suddenly turned on as it opened its eyes. The group jumped back. "It's alive."

"Martha. Martha Jones." The sphere turned its eyes to Alex. "Alex. Alex Harper." The horrified expression grew. How did this... this... thing know her name? How did it know Martha's _and _her name?

"It knows you." Tom pointed out.

"Sweet, kind, Martha Jones. Sweet, kind, Alex Harper. You helped us fly." Alex blinked slowly.

"Helped you fly?" She whispered to herself. "What do you mean?"

"You lead us to salvation." The sphere said.

"Who are you?"

"The skies are made of diamonds." Martha's eyes widened.

"No." She backed up. "You can't be him."

"Martha?" Alex asked. Martha looked at her. Alex looked deep into Martha's eyes before her own widened. Her blue eyes snapped towards the sphere. She looked at it shocked.

"We share each other's memories. You sent him to Utopia." The sphere continued.

Alex felt sick. "Oh my God." She muttered.

"What's it talking about? What's it mean?" Tom demanded.

"What are they?" Docherty asked.

"Martha, Alex, tell us. What are they?"

"They're us." Alex chocked out. The shock felt like it was suffocating her.

"They're human. The human race from the future." Martha furthered explained. "We sort of worked it out, with the paradox machine. Because the Doctor said, one the day before the Master came to power, he said..."

Alex remembered his words. _"When he was stealing the TARDIS, the only thing I could do was fuse the coordinates. I locked them permanently. He can only travel from the year 100 trillion and the last place the TARDIS landed. Which is right here, right now."_

"The Master had the TARDIS." Alex continued. "It's this time machine. The only other place he could go was the end of the universe. 100 trillion years into the future. He must have found Utopia."

"The Utopia Project was their last hope." Martha followed. "Trying to find a way to escape the end of everything."

"There was no solution, no diamonds." The sphere spoke up. "Just the dark and the cold." Alex shuddered. What a horrible sight it must have been. "But then the Master with his wonderful time machine came to bring us back home."

"But that's a paradox." Docherty pointed out. "If you're the future of the human race and you've come back to murder your ancestors, you should cancel yourselves out. You shouldn't exist."

"That's what the Paradox machine does. It allows paradoxes to form and continue." Alex explained.

"What about us?" Tom asked angrily.

"Because it's fun!" The sphere laughed. Tom lifted his gun and shot the sphere. Alex flinched back.

-x-

Docherty, Martha, Tom, and Alex were now in scientist's living quarters. "I think it's time we had the truth, Ms. Jones, Ms. Harper." The blonde spoke up. "The legend says you've travelled the whole world to find a way to kill the Master. Tell us, is it true?"

"Just before we escaped, the Doctor told us..." Alex explained what happened when he whispered something into their ears. "The Doctor and the Master have been coming to Earth for years. And they've been watched." Both Alex and Martha pulled out a box from their bags. "There's UNIT and Torchwood, all studying Time Lords in secret. And they made this," The girls opened the boxes. "The ultimate defence."

The case revealed a special gun. Martha had two cylinders. Alex had a special, silver gun with one more cylinder. "All you need to do is get close. I can shoot the Master dead with this." He revealed his gun.

"Actually, you can put that away, thank you very much." She pushed his arm down.

Alex shook her head. "A regular gun won't work on the Master. Since he's a Time Lord he'll just regenerate."

"Ah, the Master's immortal. Wonderful." Docherty said sarcastically.

"Except for this," Martha held the gun. "Four chemicals, slotted into the gun, inject him..."

"It'll kill a Time Lord permanently." Alex finished.

"Four chemicals?" Tom asked, picking one up. "You've only got three."

"Still need the last one 'cause the components were kept safe, scattered across the world. And we found them. San Diego, Beijing, Budapest, and London."

"Then where is it?" Tom asked.

"There's an old UNIT base in north London. I've got the access codes. Tom, you've got to get us there." Alex stated.

Tom, Martha, and Alex were taking their leave. "We can't across London in the dark. It's full of wild dogs; we'd be eaten alive. We can wait 'till morning, then go with the medical convoy."

"You can spend the night here if you like." Docherty offered. Alex gave her a gentle smile.

"No, we can get halfway, stay at a slave quarters in Bexley." Tom explained.

"Thank you, Professor." Alex thanked kindly.

"Martha, Alex," The girls turned to Docherty. "Would you do it? Would you actually kill him?"

Martha and Alex shared a looked. "Got no choice." Martha said.

"You might be many things. But you don't look like a killer to me." The Professor stated.

-x-

The three brunettes creped down a deserted street. Alex talked in a low voice. "I'm going to go to a different house." Tom nodded and pointed her in the right direction. She gave a wave to Martha and Tom and jogged towards the room. She knocked the rhythm that Tom told her and the door opened for her.

"You're not Tom." A woman said. She was the one that opened the door.

Alex smiled, gently. "No. I'm Alex. I'm a friend of Tom's." There was uproar when they heard who she was.

A boy spoke up. "Can you do it? Can you kill him? They said you can kill the Master, can you? Tell us you can do it. Tell us you can kill him."

"Who is the Master?" Another asked.

Soon the room was filled with questions that flew towards Alex. The woman who opened the door called out. "Alright, alright. Stop it. I'm sure she's tired from her trip."

"No, no, no." Alex smiled. "They want me to speak, I'll speak." Alex got up and sat down on the stairs next to the boy who had been asking her questions. Everyone gathered her around her. She smiled at them kindly.

"I travelled across the whole world." Alex started. "From the ruins of New York city, to the fusion mills of China. And everywhere I went, I found people that were just like you, living like slaves. But, if Alex Harper became a legend than, ya know what? That's completely wrong. My name isn't the one that's important. There was one man that was the one that told me to walk the Earth. His name... His name is the Doctor. He's saved your lives _so _many times. But you never knew that he was there. He never stops. He never stays for long. He's never asked to be thanked." The group was listening intently to her story. "But, ya know, I've seen him. I know him... I..." Alex closed her eyes imaging the Doctor with a sweet smile on her lips. "I love him. And I know what he's capable of."

The woman that opened the door pushed past the group. "It's him! It's him! Oh my God, it's him! It's the Master! He's here!" The woman panicked.

Alex stood up in alarm. The boy next to her just like everyone in the room freaked. "But he never comes to Earth. He never walks upon the ground."

"Hide her!" The woman pointed at Alex. They all turned.

"Use this!" Someone threw a blanket to the people near her. Alex got back down and she was covered.

"He walks among us, our Lord and Master." The boy muttered.

"Martha. Alex. Martha Jo-hones. Alex Har-per." He used a high pitched tone. "I can see you!" He went back to normal. "Out you come, little girls. Come and meet your master. Anybody? Nobody? No? Nothing?" Alex felt her heart speed up when she heard his voice through the wooden door. "Positions!" She could hear the sound of guns being ready. "I'll give the order if you don't surrender. Ask yourself – what would the Doctor do?"

The Master waited. Alex felt her heart burst. She knew exactly what he would do. She lifted herself up, pushing the blanket off of her in the process. They all looked at her. She passed them. She turned her head and gave them one last smile before she slipped out and closed the door.

She turned and saw Martha had the same thing. They turned to the Master. "Oh, yes!" He clapped. "Oh, very well done! Good girls! He trained you well." Martha and Alex walked onto the street. "Bags." The Master said simply. "Give me the bags." When they went to give it to him, he stopped them. "No, stay there. Just throw it." The girls looked at each other. They took off their bags and threw them to the ground. The Master fired his laser at both of them, frying the contents. "And now, good companions, you're work is done."

The Master lifted his laser to Martha first. Alex clenched her fists tightly. Suddenly, the door burst open and Tom ran out. Alex's eyes widened. "No!" _No!_ It was too late. The Master didn't hesitate as he pointed the laser at Tom and shot him. Tom fell to the ground. Martha looked shocked at Tom before glaring at the chuckling Master.

"But you..." The Master seemed to think about it. "When you two die, the Doctor should be witness, hmmm?" He inhaled deeply. "Almost dawn, girls. And planet Earth marches to war."

-x-

They were now on the _Valiant_. The door of the conference rooms opened up. Alex and Martha were being escorted by two guards. On one side of the room was Martha's family. On the other side, Captain Jack Harkness stood. He tried to take a step towards the girls but his guard stopped it.

Alex's eyes slowly slide forward until she saw the Doctor. She bit her lip at seeing him. He gripped the bars of his cage when he saw Alex. Alex smiled gently at him. Her heart was pounding at seeing her beautiful Time Lord. He smiled back just as gently.

They got to the base of the bridge. The Master was serious. "Your teleport device. In case you thought I forgotten." Martha reached down and pulled it out. She tossed it to the Master. He caught it. "Now... kneel." Martha does. Alex gritted her teeth but she did as well. "Down below, the fleet is ready to launch. Two hundred thousand ships set to burn across the universe." He went to a comm. link. "Are we ready?"

"The fleet awaits your signal. Rejoice!" A voice responded.

"Three minutes to align the black hole converters. Counting down!" A clock on the wall started clicking. "I never could resist a ticking clock. My children, are you ready?"

They responded with enthusiasm. "We will fly and blaze and slice! We will fly and blaze and slice!"

"At zero, to mark the day, the children, Martha Jones and Alex Harper, will die." The Master announced. "Ha, my first blood. Ha, any last words? No?" Alex bit her tongue resisting the urge to stick it out at him. He looked over at the Doctor. "Such a disappointment, these ones. Days of the old, Doctor, you had companions who could absorb the time vortex. These ones are useless!" He turned back to Martha and Alex. "Bow your heads." They did so. "And so it falls to me, the Master of all, to establish this day, a new order of the Time Lords! From this day forward –" Martha and Alex looked at each other. Alex couldn't hold it in and let out a giggle. Martha chuckled. "What? What's so funny?"

Alex finally looked up. When she looked at the Master she burst out laughing. Alex grabbed her gut as she hunched over and laughed deeply and loudly. The Master became upset. "A gun?" It was a miracle Alex was able to speak through her laughter.

"What about it?" The Master asked, hotly.

"A gun in four parts?" Martha asked.

"Yeah, and I destroyed it." He wasn't seeing what was so funny.

"A gun in four parts scattered across the world?" Martha asked.

"Oh come on!" Alex laughed. "You actually _believed _that?"

The Master still didn't understand. "What do you mean?"

"As if I would ask them to kill you." The Doctor said.

"Oh, well, it doesn't matter. I've got her exactly where I want her."

Martha spoke up again. "But we knew what Professor Docherty would do. The resistance knew about her son."

"We told her about the gun," Alex said, whipping the tears that gathered from her eyes away. "So she'd get us here at the right moment."

"Oh, but you're still gonna die!" The Master pointed out.

"Don't you want to know what we were doing? Travelling across the world?" Martha asked.

The Master sighed. "Tell me."

Alex told this one. "We told them a story. That's it! A story! No weapons, no nothing, just _words_. We did just what the Doctor told us to do. We went from continent to continent all on our own. And everywhere we went, we found people, and we told them our story."

"_I travelled across the whole world. From the ruins of New York City, to the fusion mills of China. And everywhere I went, I found people that were just like you, living like slaves. But, if Alex Harper became a legend than, ya know what? That's completely wrong. My name isn't the one that's important. There was one man that was the one that told me to walk the Earth. His name... His name is the Doctor. He's saved your lives so many times. But you never knew that he was there. He never stops. He never stays for long. He's never asked to be thanked. But, ya know, I've seen him. I know him."_

"We told them about the Doctor." Martha said.

"_I love him." _

"And we told them to pass it on, to spread the word so that everyone would know about that Doctor."

"Faith and Hope? Is that all?" The Master was not impressed.

"No." He still wasn't seeing it. "We gave them an instruction. Just as the Doctor ordered." The girls stood up.

_The Doctor's final words that day on the Valiant: "Use the countdown."_

"We told them that if everyone thought of one word at one specific time –"

The Master cut them off. "Nothing will happen! Is that your weapon? Prayer?"

Alex smirked. She continued like he hadn't spoken. "Right across the world. One word, one thought, at one moment... _But_, with 15 satellites!"

"What?" The Master asked.

Jack spoke up. "The Archangel Network."

"A telepathic field binding the whole damn human race together, with all of them, _every single person on the Earth_, thinking the same word at the same time. And that word is... 'Doctor'!"

The countdown reached zero. A glowing blue field surrounded the Doctor. The Master realized what was going on. "Stop it! No, no, no, no you don't!"

Jack closed his eyes. "Doctor."

Francine closed her eyes. "Doctor."

"Do –" The Master turned and saw on the plasma screen millions of people, every single person in the whole world, gathered in public places. They were all screaming 'Doctor'.

"Stop it right now! Stop it!" The Master panicked.

Even his wife closed her eyes. "Doctor." She whispered.

"Doctor." Jack.

"Doctor." Martha.

"Doctor." Alex.

Still surrounded by the glowing flied, the Doctor broke cage. He was now an old man, growing younger with each second. "I've had a whole year to tune myself into the physic network and integrate with its matrices."

"I order you to stop!" The Master tried.

But it was in vain. More shouts echoed on the plasma screen. It even included the shelters that helped Martha, Tom, and Alex. The Master's wife spoke up again. "Doctor."

The Doctor had returned to his normal self. "The one thing you can't do is stop them thinking."

Martha, Jack, and Alex laughed. Alex was bouncing up and down clapping. The Master looked shell shocked. Using the telepathic field, the Doctor's lifted himself from the floor. "Tell me the human race is degenerate now when they can do this." Martha ran over to her family. She hugged her mother. Tish came over and hugged them both.

Alex jogged over. Francine lifted her arms and hugged Alex tightly. Alex hugged her back. She was honestly so thankful that they were alright. Tish and Alex hugged as well. Martha gave her father a hug.

"No!" The Master fired the laser at the Doctor, but the field deflected it.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor said.

"Then I'll kill them!" He turned his laser on Martha's family, her and Alex. He pointed it at Alex first. That was the wrong move. Telekinetically, he threw the laser across the room. Now unarmed, the Master panicked. "You can't do this! You can't do – It's not fair!"

"And you know what happens now." The Doctor said, coming closer to the Master.

"No!" The Master backed up as the Doctor came closer. "No!" He started to grovel. "No! No!"

"You wouldn't listen." The Doctor came forward.

"No!"

"Because you know what I'm going to say."

"No!" The Master curled into a ball. The Doctor landed. The blue light faded away. The Doctor walked over to a whimpering Master and wrapped his arms around him.

"I forgive you." He whispered.

"My children!"

The Doctor got up and looked at Jack. "Jack, the paradox machine!"

"You men!" He called to the soldiers in the room. "Come with me! You stay here!"

The Master pulled out the manipulator that he stole from Martha and Alex. The Doctor turned to see him about to use it. "No!" The Doctor grabbed a hold of it, and they both disappeared.

Alex ran up to the bridge and looked out the window. "Oh shit!" She cried. "We've got like 6 million spheres coming towards us!" The Jones family and Alex watched in horror as the spheres got closer. There was nothing they could do. The spheres suddenly disappear. The ship rocked as the paradox was now destroyed. Martha was thrown back only to collapse into the Doctor's waiting arms. He smiled at her.

"Everyone down! Time's reversing!" The Doctor landed face-to-face with Martha. He laughed. He reached an arm up as Alex rolled right into his body. He grabbed a tight hold of his small brunette. Alex blew her short hair out of her face.

Once the turbulence finally stopped the Doctor slowly got up. He ran over and checked the controls. "The paradox is broken. We've reverted back, one year and one day. Two minutes pass 8:00 in the morning." He turned on the com.

A male voice came over the com. "This is UNIT central. What happened up there? We just saw the President assassinated!"

"You see? Just after the President was killed, but just before the sphere arrived. Everything's back to normal. Planet Earth restored. None of it happened. The rockets, there terror. It never was."

"What about the spheres?" Martha asked.

"Trapped at the end of the universe." The Doctor answered.

"But I remember it." Francine pointed out.

"We're at the eye of the storm. The only ones that will ever know." The Doctor saw Clive. "Oh, hello!" He ran over and gave Clive a firm handshake. "You must be Mr. Jones! We haven't actually met."

Alex slowly got up. She walked over to the Doctor. Her Time Lord was okay. She finally was with her Time Lord again. The Doctor smiled at her as she came over. Alex stared at him for a long moment. The Doctor raised an eyebrow. He could see that she was exhausted. He couldn't blame her. Suddenly, the Doctor felt slightly winded. Alex's arms were thrown around him tightly. He gasped slightly before smiling. He reached down and hugged his small girl tightly. They rocked back and forth. "Oh, Doctor!" She felt like crying. "I missed you so much! It's not even funny!"

He breathed deeply. He took in that scent that he had missed for so long. It felt like an eternity since he last saw her, held her, and smelled her. He leaned back. He refused to let her go. They were only far enough away so they could see each other. "What happened to your hair?" The Doctor reached up and played with her short black hair. She looked almost like a different person.

Alex sighed. "One of those spheres cut my hair off." She shrugged. "As for the streaks, I wasn't exactly living in the life of luxury. I figured once this was all sorted out I could go get some more so I could fix it."

The Doctor smiled. "Hey Allie?" Alex felt a thrill go through her. It was _wonderful_ to hear his nickname from his lips again. "I missed you too."

They launched into another tight hug. The Master decided that it seemed like a good time to run for it. Just as he got to the door, Jack opened it up. He grabbed the Time Lord. "Whoa, big fella! You don't want to miss the party!" He spoke to the guard. "Cuffs." The guard handed them over. Jack clicked the cuffs on tightly to the Master's hands. "So what do we want to do with this one?"

"We kill him." Clive answered quickly.

"We execute him." Tish answered with finality.

"No!" The Doctor said. "That's not the solution."

Alex heard a gun click. Her eyes widened when she saw Francine pointing a gun at the Master. "Oh, I think so. 'Cause all those... things; they still happened because of him. I saw him."

"Go on!" The Master goaded her. "Do it."

"Francine, you're better than him." The Doctor walked carefully up to the shaken woman. He reached out and took her hands. She dropped the gun almost instantly. The Doctor pulled her into a hug. Martha came down and took Francine into a hug.

"You still haven't answered the question. What happens to me?" The Master pointed out.

"You're my responsibility from now on." The Doctor said, with firm finality. "The only Time Lord left in existence."

"Yeah, but," Jack went over to the Doctor's side. "You can't trust him." Jack had a good point.

"No." The Doctor agreed. "The only safe place for him is the TARDIS." Alex slowly walked down and over to the Doctor's side.

"You mean you're just gonna... keep me?" The Master said slowly.

"Hmmm." The Doctor nodded. "If that's what I have to do." He looked over at Jack. "It's time for a change. Maybe I've been wondering for too long. Now I'll have someone to take care of."

Jack looked at Alex. "What about, Lex?"

The Doctor looked down at the brunette girl he loved so much. She looked back at him with complete trust. "You could... stay with me, if you wanted. It's up to you." It was always up to her. It was always her choice. "Would you mind, Allie? Even if I didn't travel, would you stay?"

Alex shook her head and smiled. "No. I wouldn't mind. I'd stay, Doctor." She promised. She didn't care if they were travelling or staying in one place. If she was by the Doctor's side, that was all she wanted.

A gunshot suddenly broke the peaceful air. Alex jumped and whipped around to see Lucy holding the gun. She snapped over to the Master and watched as he staged back. Jack ran over and took the gun from the blonde. The Doctor ran over to the Master. "Put it down." Jack ordered. She did it without any resistance.

"There you go. I've got you. I've got you." The Doctor lowered the other Time Lord gently to the floor.

"Always the women." The Master said dryly.

"I didn't see her." The Doctor stated.

"Dying in your arms. Happy now?" The Master asked, bitterly.

"You're not dying, don't be stupid. It's only a bullet. Just regenerate."

"No." The Master said.

"One little bullet. Come on." The Doctor acted like the Master hadn't said that.

"I guess you don't know me so well." The Master chuckled. "I refuse."

Alex saw the Doctor was breaking. "Regenerate. Just regenerate. Please! Please! Just regenerate! Come on!"

"And spend the rest of my life imprisoned with you?" The Master would rather die.

"You've got to." The Doctor was breaking down. Tears were welling up in his eyes. "Come on. It can't end like this. You and me, all the things we've done. Axons? Remember the Axons? And the Daleks? We're the only two left, there's no one else. Regenerate!" The Doctor cried desperately.

"How 'bout that? I win." He paused. "Will it stop, Doctor? The drumming. Will it stop?" And with that... The Master died.

The Doctor held the Master close as he cried. He rocked back and forth. The Doctor cried out in despair. Jack went over to Alex. He knew she was the only person that could even start to help the Doctor. He gently bumped her forward. She stumbled and turned around to look at him, confused. He nodded towards the completely broken Time Lord.

Alex understood. She took a deep breath, carefully; she walked over to his side. She hesitated for a long moment. Finally, Alex touched the Doctor's shoulders. He flinched at first. Alex paused. He looked over when he recognized the touch. It was the one touch that he needed now more than anything. Alex wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She rested her head on his shoulder. Alex didn't say anything. She just held him tightly as he cried. The others simply looked on.

-x-

Back in Cardiff, the group were standing at the rails of the Pierhood Building that looked over the bay.

"Time was, every single one of these people knew your name." Martha pointed out. "Now they've all forgotten you."

"Good." The Doctor really was one that didn't like attention to himself.

"Back to work." Jack said.

"I really don't mind, though." The Doctor smiled. "Come with me."

"I had plenty of time to think that past year, the Year that Never Was. And I kept thinking about that team of mine. Like you said, Doctor, responsibility."

"Defending the Earth." Alex shook her head. She was still getting use to having short hair. There was so much less weight on her head. "We can't argue with that."

The Doctor seemed to realize something and pulled out his screwdriver. He grabbed Jack's wrist. He exposed the manipulator and started messing with it. Disarming it, Alex assumed. "Hey, I need that!"

"I can't have you walking around with a time travelling teleport." The Doctor said. "You could go anywhere – twice. The second time to apologize." Alex giggled.

"What about me, Doctor?" Jack asked. "Can you fix that? Will I ever be able to die?"

"Nothing I can do." The Doctor said. "You're an impossible thing, Jack."

Jack laughed. "Been called that before." He started to leave but turned back around. He saluted. "Sir. Ma'am." He turned to leave but stopped yet again. "But I keep wondering... What about ageing?" Jack asked. "'Cause I can't die but I keep getting older. The odd little grey hair, you know?" Alex giggled. "What happens if I live for a million years?" _Oh Jack, _Alex was mentally laughing. _You'll live far longer than that_.

"I really don't know." The Doctor said.

Jack chuckled. "Okay, vanity. Sorry. Yeah, can't help it. Used to be a poster boy when I was a kid back on Boeshane Peninsula. Tiny little place. I was the first one to ever be signed up for the Time Agency." Martha, the Doctor, and Alex looked impressed. "They were so proud of me. The Face of Bo they called me." Alex bit her lip when she saw the Doctor's and Martha's face drop. They now looked stunned. "Hmmm, I'll see you." With that, Jack finally left.

Alex took one look at the Doctor and Martha and burst out laughing. The Doctor looked at her. "I told you you'd find out!" She laughed.

"Can't be." Martha said.

"No, defiantly not." The Doctor was just as stunned. "No." Martha started to laugh with Alex. "No." The brunette Time Lord joined in on their laughter.

-x-

Alex finally got out of the shower and shook her head. She looked in the mirror and smiled in triumph. Her short hair now had beautiful Brandeis blue highlights in them again.

The small brunette finally came out of her room and went to the main room of the TARDIS. "Ah, there were are, much better!" The Doctor smiled when he saw the highlights were back in her hair.

Alex winked at him. She was wearing a long sleeved white shirt with an epic, colorful design on the arms. Over it, she had an orange short-sleeved shirt. She wore light wash jeans and dark blue converse.

Martha opened the door and walked in. The Doctor jumped up. "Right then! Off we go! The open road!" He was bouncing around the TARDIS controls. Alex walked quietly over to Martha. Martha and her look at each other. She smiled and nodded. Alex understood. "There is a burst of star fire right now over the coast of Meta Sigmafolio. Oh, the skies are like oil on water. Fancy a look? Or… back in time. We could… I don't know, Charles II? Henry VII? I know! What about Agatha Christie? I'd love to meet Agatha Christie! I bet she's brilliant!" When the Doctor finally looked at Martha's and Alex's face he saw that they weren't smiling. He sobered up. "Okay."

"I just can't." Martha said.

"Yeah." The Doctor said quietly.

"Spent all those years training to be a doctor. Now I've got people to look after. They saw half the planet slaughtered and their devastated. I can't leave them."

"Of course not." He smiled. "Thank you." He hugged her. "Martha Jones, you saved the world."

"Yes, I did. I spent a lot of time thinking with you thinking I was second best." Martha explained. "But you know what? I _am _good. You gonna be alright?"

"Always. Yeah." The Doctor brushed it off.

"Of course he is!" Alex laughed. "He's got me. I'll _try _and keep him out of trouble." The Doctor shot her a playful look. Martha and Alex gave each other a hug.

"You take good care of her." She wagged her finger at the Doctor.

"I will." He chuckled.

"Right then." She reached up and kissed the Doctor's cheek. Alex wasn't affected by it. Martha walked out the doors. Alex turned to the Doctor. She was about to tell him that she wanted to see that star fire and then go to Martin Luther King Jr. since he still hadn't taken her. The doors burst open. Martha came walking back in. "'Cause the thing is," she started. "It's like my friend Vicky, she lived with this bloke, student housing, there were five of them, packed in, and this bloke was called Sean. And she loved him, she did. She completely adored him. Spent all day talking about him."

Alex looked away. She had a good feeling she knew where this was going. The Doctor, however, didn't. "Is this going anywhere?" He asked.

"Yes!" The Doctor straightened himself up and crossed his arms. "'Cause he never looked at her twice. I mean, he liked her, but that was it. And she wasted years pining after him, years of her life, 'cause when he was around, she never looked at anyone else. And you know. Sean liked this other girl, loved her so deeply. And when anyone and everyone looked at them, they always told them they were the cutest couple ever. That they were just meant for each other." The Doctor and Alex looked at each other. "And even Vicky could never deny the fact that they _were _so perfect for each other. The girl's name was Raya. Vicky and Raya loved each other like sisters. Vicky loved her. But at the same time, she hated Raya so much. And I told her, I always said to her, time and time again, I said: 'Get out'. So, this is me, getting out." The Doctor's face cleared. He now understood what she was saying. His face grew sad.

Alex finally looked down on the floor. She felt bad that this had to happen for Martha. Martha reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. She tossed it to the Doctor. "Keep that. 'Cause I'm not having you disappear. If that rings, _when _that rings, you better come running. Got it?"

"Got it." He smiled.

She turned to Alex. "You better keep your phone on you always too." Alex gave her a two finger salute.

"I'll see you again, you two." They smiled and Martha finally left the TARDIS.

Alex and the Doctor turned. "That was why?" That was why she told him they shouldn't show their love just yet.

Alex looked away. "Yeah." She confessed quietly.

"How long did you know?"

Alex sighed. "Well… Basically… The whole time."

He raised an eyebrow. "The whole time?"

"Yep." She smiled hesitantly at him. "It was why I didn't want to be too affectionate around her, I knew it would hurt." The Doctor's eyes cleared with understanding. Alex took a deep breath. She wanted to say something. "I love you Doctor." It felt like such a relief to speak those words to him. "I have for a while."

The Doctor let out a breath he didn't know he was holding out. "I love you too, Allie." Alex and the Doctor got closer together. Finally, the Doctor took the final movement. Their lips connected. Alex felt her whole world spin. She wrapped her arms around the Time Lord's neck.

The Time Lord felt breathless. He felt ecstatic. He was finally able to kiss Alex after a long while of harbored feelings. The Time Lord kissed her harder.

They kissed the breath out of each other. Alex slipped her hands into his deep, chocolate brown hair. The Doctor's arms tightened around Alex's waist. His tongue slowly met hers and they played together.

They finally pulled away. Alex and the Doctor's breath still mingled together. He reached up and kissed her forehead. "I love you, Doctor."

He sighed in bliss. "Please, Allie, say that again."

"I love you." She repeated it before he could ask again. "I love you. I love you. I love you!"

"I love you too." They kissed each other again. "I've loved you since we fought Lazarus."

Alex laughed between the kisses. "Ha. I have you beat." The Doctor raised an eyebrow, looking at her. "I loved you since Manhattan."

"I love you, Allie." Alex smiled. They kissed again. "This is better than anything in the universe." He muttered. "I would never give this up for anything."

"Aw," Alex cooed. "Doctor, you're so sweet."

"Always for you, Allie, always for you." They kissed again. They stood there kissing until a ship's horn blew. Something crashed into the TARDIS. It sent Alex and the Doctor flying to the ground. The Doctor coughed and sat up. Alex got up and they both saw that the bow of the ship was the cause the sudden commotion. "What?" The Doctor coughed again. "What?" Alex reached over and flipped over a life preserver. On it, it said 'Titanic'. They looked at each other. "What?" They said in unison.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

All was quiet in the TARDIS. Alex fiddled her fingers as she continued to peek at the Doctor. He was obviously sad, not that he would ever admit it. It was obvious to her that he blamed himself for Martha leaving. Alex really couldn't see how he was so easily able to direct the blame to himself.

Alex wanted to say something, really, but she wasn't sure what. She realized maybe she didn't need to say anything. She noticed that whenever she touched him when he was upset, he relaxed. Alex took a deep breath and got up.

The Doctor peeked at her curiously. She walked over and wrapped her arms around his. She leaned her head against his shoulder. He sighed. He knew what was going through her head as well as she knew what was going on in his.

He reached up and gently took one of her hands and squeezed gently. He was about to say that he was fine, to stop her from worrying, when he was cut off. The loud blare of a horn met their ears. Something crashed into the TARDIS causing the two brunettes to fly to the ground roughly. The Doctor is the first one to move. He lifted himself up, but kept Alex between his arms protectively.

Alex blinked, thoroughly confused, and looked up to the see the bow of the ocean liner peeking through the TARDIS' now broken walls. "What?" The Doctor didn't seem to understand much of it either. They coughed at the dust the accident had caused. "What?"

The smaller brunette finally slipped under the Doctor's arms. She reached out, when she noticed a life preserver. She flipped it over and almost dropped it. On it, in capital bold letters, it said, 'TITANIC'. She heard the Doctor shuffled around her to see it as well. They looked at each other. "What?" They asked to no one.

The Doctor got up and fiddled with various buttons. Alex turned and watched in amazement as the bow backed up and the whole it had made disappeared. She then heard the familiar buzzing and figured the Doctor was materializing them onto the ship. The Doctor walked over to her and put a hand out for her. She smiled, hesitantly, and took it. They walked out of the TARDIS. It seemed they ended up in a supply closet. It wasn't surprising, and it was actually a good hiding place. No one would look for a 1950's police box in a supply closet.

The Doctor tugged her out of the closet. Alex's eyes widened and she gasped. They were in a wood-panelled room decorated with potted palms and Christmas decorations. People were dressed in early 20th century clothing walked around as waiters passed them, handing out fancy drinks. There was a band that was playing a slow version of 'Jingle Bells'. Alex couldn't believe it. It was gorgeous.

They walked over to two golden angels grabbed in white. They moved mechanically, and she realized they were robots. The Doctor tugged gently on her arm when he noticed a window. They walked over to it. Alex's eyes widened when she saw the outside…

"Right…" The Doctor mumbled, drawn out.

An announcer came over the speakers. "Attention all passengers, The Titanic is now in orbit above Sol 3, also known as Earth. Population: Humans." Alex got close to the windows, still not believing it. They were in space… It was a giant boat, which was floating in space. Even with all of the things that she had seen, this was still amazing. "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Christmas."

-x-

Alex fiddled with her dress as she looked in the mirror. It was lavender that grew lighter until it became white at the bottom. It had a flowing design to it, with a Palatinate Purple belt. It had a deep V which gave Alex room to put a simple crystal – almost diamond-like – necklace on. It had been a gift from the Doctor. He got it from a planet that was entirely made of crystals, the name of the planet she couldn't remember. The gem glittered in any light, making it gorgeous. Alex had fallen in love with it the minute she saw it.

She slipped on some black flats. After experience from the 'Lazarus Experiment' she knew better than to wear heels when with the Doctor. The dress was the perfect length. Short enough that she could run if need, but long enough that it hid her choice of shoes. Alex looked back into the mirror, if she had her fully long hair then she probably would have put her hair up in a stitched up French twist – she always wanted to try that kind of hairstyle out. Since her hair was too short, she just decided to pull it out of her face by putting some pretty hair clips in.

With one last fleeting look in the mirror, Alex decided that she was ready. She walked out of the TARDIS and sought out for her Time Lord. She found him watching a small screen. He was wearing his tux, looking dashing as always. She cleared her throat when she got close enough. When he turned, she asked. "How do I look?"

The Doctor was about to say something to Alex when his words failed him. He was vaguely aware that his mouth was hanging open, but he couldn't help himself. She looked gorgeous. The color was fantastic against her skin and eyes. Her hair was out of her face, and as much as he loved it down, it gave a new view of her face he wasn't sure he saw before. He opened his mouth and closed it several times, before giving up.

He reached up, grabbing her face and pressed his lips to hers. He sighed against her, loving her so much. He put his feelings into the kiss, hoping she would get it. He knew she would. She was always able to tell what he was thinking, what he was feeling. One of the Doctor's hands slid down and wrapped around her tiny waist, pressing her to him.

Alex closed her eyes, and let the blissful feelings course through her. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. She understood exactly what he was silently telling her. They kissed each other for what felt like forever, before finally ending it. Alex gasped. "I take it you like it."

He trailed his fingers across her tingling lips in a soft intimate gesture. "I love you Allie." He breathed. Alex suddenly felt lightheaded as her breathing seemed to fail her.

"I love you too, Doctor." She said just as breathy.

They kissed again. Alex was so happy. After what felt like forever, she was now able to kiss the Doctor as much as she, or he, possibly wanted. The Doctor felt just as happy about this.

-x-

They were now walking back to the room that they came from. The band was now playing 'Winter Wonderland' in the background. The brunettes walked past the reception.

"Merry Christmas." The steward greeted.

"Merry Christmas." Alex repeated as the Doctor tugged her along.

Once they got into the same room, the Doctor and Alex started to mingle. Alex was eager to try new foods. The Doctor stayed by her side, happily. He showed her all sorts of foods and she tried every single one. The Doctor peeked around and saw men looking – leering – at Alex, in that damn gorgeous dress.

The Doctor got closer to her, and almost hovered around her. It was a silent warning that she was with him. That she was taken. Alex noticed the Doctor's closer proximity, but as always, felt safe. His presence was powerful, and she felt it always. It was a safe and comforting feeling, being near him.

A man walked near them, talking obnoxiously into a 'cell phone'. "It's not a holiday for me, not while I've still got my vone. Now do as I say and sell."

Alex frowned at how rude the man was being, but the Doctor walked towards one of the robotic angels. Alex habitually followed him. "Evening. Passengers 57 and 58. Terrible memory. Remind me, uh, you would be…?"

The angel picked up for him. "Information: Heavenly Host supplying tourist information."

"Good, so, um… tell me – 'cause I'm an idiot – where are we from?"

The angel obediently answered the Doctor's question. "Information: the Titanic is en route from the planet Sto in the Cassavalian Belt. The purpose of the cruise is to experience primitive cultures."

"I have a question," Alex spoke. The angel turned to her. Something about it gave Alex's goose bumps. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end. She continued. "Who came up with the name, 'Titanic'?"

The Doctor looked at the angel as well, finding this question important as well. "Information: it was chosen as the most famous vessel on Earth."

Alex and the Doctor shared a look. "Have they said _why _it's so famous?" Alex asked.

"Information: All designations are chosen by Mr. Max Capricorn. President of Max – Max – Max…" The host continued to repeat the name, its voice going higher in pitch each time.

Alex and the Doctor shared another look. "Ooh, bit of a glitch." The Doctor reached into his pocket, to pull out his sonic screwdriver but was interrupted. The Chief Steward rushed over when he spotted the malfunctioning machine.

"Sir, Ma'am, we can handle this." He reassured. He waved over two other for assistance. The stewards came over quickly, turned off the host, and hauled him off. "Software problems, that's all. Leave it to us, Sir, Ma'am. Merry Christmas," He turned and followed the stewards, muttering to himself. "That's another one down. What is with these things?"

-x-

Alex turned when she heard a commotion. She watched as a waitress dropped her tray after bumping into the rude man that had been on the cell phone. "For Tov's sake, look where you're going! This jacket's a genuine Earth antique." The man rudely said.

"I'm sorry, sir." The waitress apologized. It was all she could do. The waitress was quiet pretty. Short blonde hair, that was in nice curls. Nice, sweet blue eyes with a nice oval face. She was wearing the usual black and white waitress outfit. She got down picking up the broken glass.

"You'll be sorry when it comes off your wages, sweetheart. Staffed by idiots. No wonder Max Capricorn is going down the drain." He stormed off. Alex huffed. She walked over to the woman, the Doctor following her and got down to help the girl.

"Careful. There we go." The Doctor muttered as they picked the glass up carefully.

"Thank you sir, ma'am. I can manage." The blonde said.

"We never said you could." Alex smiled. "Oh, I'm Alex Harper and this is the Doctor." She introduced.

"Astrid, ma'am. Astrid Peth." Astrid greeted.

"Nice to meet you Astrid Peth, Merry Christmas." The Doctor smiled at her.

"Oh yes," Alex clapped her hands. "Merry Christmas."

Astrid seemed surprised by the two of them. "Merry Christmas sir. Merry Christmas ma'am." Alex scrunched up her nose, not liking 'ma'am'. It honestly made her feel old.

The Doctor caught the look, and spoke for both of them. "It's 'Doctor' and 'Alex', not 'sir' and 'ma'am'."

"You enjoying the cruise?" Astrid asked.

"Oh yes." Alex laughed. "It's a gorgeous ship. With so much fun stuff on it." The Doctor smiled. Even though he didn't purposefully pick this place, he was happy that Alex was having fun. That was important to him, that she was happy.

"Is this your first time?" Astrid asked.

Alex nodded. "Yep." She was speaking about herself; she had no idea for the Doctor. "Although, I can't say it's not more fun when you're with someone else." She peeked a glance at the Doctor as they stood up. He grinned at Alex, agreeing with her.

"It must be wonderful." Astrid said. They shared a smile.

"What about you?" The Doctor asked. "Long way from home, Planet Sto."

"Doesn't feel that different. I spent three years working at the spaceport diner, travelled all the way here...and I'm still waiting on tables." The blonde walked off.

The Doctor and Alex followed her. "No shore leave?" The Doctor asked.

Astrid started to clean near a window. "We're not allowed. They can't afford the insurance. I just wanted to try it, just once. I used to watch the ships heading off to the stars and I always dreamt of... It sounds daft."

Alex knew exactly what she was talking about. "You dream of a new sky." Alex smiled, thinking about how she feels every time she travels. "A new sun, a new land, a new air, a whole new life. A whole universe with all new creatures and life, so exciting, everywhere you look you see adventure and excitement. Why stand still when there's a _whole new universe _out there just waiting to be explored?"

Astrid's eyes became distant as she imagined Alex's words. She noticed that she held experience in her voice. Astrid focused again, and saw that by the look in the Doctor's eyes, he had even more experience than her. "So… You two travel a lot?"

Alex smiled, _more than you can guess_. "All the time." The Doctor answered. "Just for fun. Well, that's the plan, never quiet works." Alex leaned her head against his shoulder. He took her hand with a small smile.

"Must be rich, though." Alex snorted at this. They didn't have a lick of money.

"Haven't got a penny," The Doctor confessed. He whispered to her. "Stowaways."

"Kidding…" Astrid said.

"Completely serious." Alex grinned.

"No!"

"Oh yeah."

"How did you get on board?" It was impossible to get on board unless you bought a ticket.

"Accident." The Doctor explained. "I've got this, sort of, ship thing. I was just rebuilding her. Left the defenses down, bumped into the Titanic. Here we are. Bit of a party, we thought 'Why not?'"

"I should report you two." Astrid confessed.

"Then go on," Alex smiled.

Astrid smiled back. "I'll get you two a drink… On the house." She whispered and walked away. Alex giggled.

Alex let her eyes drift and noticed that a small group of first class people laughing and pointing. Alex followed their fingers and saw a large couple sitting a table near them. They were dressed in purple country-western style outfits. They were just sitting there and eating.

"What do they find so funny?" Alex grumbled. When she looked at the couple, they looked like some nice, fun people.

"Come on." The Doctor got up and walked over to the couple. Alex followed him obediently. The Doctor, without hesitation, sat down. "Something's tickled them." He said, talking about the laughing – and rude – first class people behind him.

Alex sat down next to him. She ran her hands down her dress to straighten it. "They told us it was fancy dress," The woman explained. "Very funny, I'm sure."

"Don't mind them," Alex reflexively stated. "You look better than them, anyways."

The woman cooed. "Aw, thank you sweetie." Alex smiled.

"They're just pickin' on us 'cause we haven't paid." The man continued. "We won our tickets in a competition."

"I had to name the five husbands of Joofie Crystalle in 'By the Light of the Asteroid'." The woman stated. "Did you ever watch...?"

Alex had never seen it. "Is that the one with the twins?" The Doctor asked.

"That's it. Oh, it's marvelous."

Alex smiled and nudged the Doctor. "We should watch it sometime." The Doctor's eyes twinkled, and she knew it was because she was offering to curl up with him on a bed in the dark. Time Lord or not, he was such a guy.

"Probably not good enough for that lot." The man shook his head. "They think we should be in steerage."

The Doctor reached into his pocket. "Can't have that, can we?" Alex smiled, knowing what he was going to do. She smirked as she peeked back at the laughing crowd. They so deserved it.

The Doctor held the sonic screwdriver by his side, and pointed it behind him. The champagne on the table suddenly popped it cork, spraying the group in wine. Alex laughed, enjoying the scene and kissed the Doctor's cheek. "Have I mentioned how much I love you?"

He grinned. "Maybe." The brunette girl laughed.

"Did – Did you do that?" The woman asked.

The two brunette travelers shared a smile. "Maybe." The Doctor repeated.

"We like you two." She stated.

"We do." The man agreed. He reached over the table to shake their hands. "I'm Morvin van Hoff." He shook the Doctor's and Alex's hand. "And this is my good woman, Foon."

"Foon." The Doctor shook her hand. Alex took it next. "Hello, I'm the Doctor and this is Alex Harper."

"Please to meet such fine people." Alex greeted.

"Oh, I'm gonna need a doctor by the time I'm finished with this buffet. Have a buffalo wing. They must be enormous, these buffalo, so many wings." The Doctor and Alex took some wings. Alex had to admit, she was impressed, they were really good.

"I love your dress, Alex." Foon commented. "It's gorgeous on you."

Alex smiled. "Thanks."

"I could never get away with wearing something like that; I'm not a skinny little thing like you!"

"Ah, nonsense, Foon. You look just as stunning."

Foon cooed again. "Oh, you're such a sweet thing. I don't know how you can stand it, Doctor." The brunettes grinned. "But, goodness, you're such a cute couple!"

That got them to pause. They looked at each other before looking back at the other couple. "W-What?" Alex stuttered. She couldn't stop the red from coloring her cheeks.

"Oh, you're blushing, Alex!" Alex pressed her hands to her cheeks. The Doctor smiled, but there was just a barely noticeable flush on his cheeks as well.

"You really are. The way you two look at each other. It's like you were always meant for each other." Morvin stated. Foon and Morvin laughed as the brunettes' cheeks burned red even more.

An announcer came onto the speakers. "Attention please. Shore leave tickets Red 6-7. Red 6-7."

Foon took out a ticket. "Red 6-7. That's us." She stood up. "Are you Red 6-7?"

Alex gave the Doctor a pleading look. He smiled at her; he couldn't resist her even if he wanted to. "Might as well be." The Doctor stood. He offered his arm to his Alex, and she gladly took it.

"Come on." Morvin stood as well and put an arm around his wife. "We're going to Earth."

-x-

Foon and Morvin rushed over to an older man, wearing a tweed suit. He held a red sign bearing, '6-7'. "Red 6-7. Red 6-7. This way fast as you can." The man called.

Astrid approached Alex and the Doctor. "I've got you two those drinks."

Alex didn't think twice. "And we got you a treat." She quickly put the tray down and locked arms with Astrid and the Doctor. The Doctor grinned, loving the idea. "Come on."

"Red 6-7 departing shortly." The man stated.

The Doctor got out the physic paper and held it up for the man to see. "Red 6-7, plus one." He stated.

"Uh, quickly, sir, and please take three teleport bracelets if you would." The Doctor grabbed three of them. He gave it to Alex, who put it on without hesitation. He then passed the third one to Astrid.

"I'll get the sack." She whispered.

"Brand new sky." The Doctor answered, just as lowly.

"To repeat, I'm Mr. Cooper." The man stated. "The ship's historian and I shall be taking you to old London town in the country of U.K. ruled over by good King Wenceslas. Now human beings worshipped the great god Santa, a creature with fearsome claws, and his wife Mary. And every Christmas Eve the people of U.K. go to war with the country of Turkey. They then eat the Turkey people for Christmas dinner... like savages."

Alex looked at the man strangely. She turned to the Doctor. She could see he had the same look on his face. "… _What_?" She whispered to him. His explanation made _no _sense whatsoever.

"Excuse me, sorry, sorry, but, um...where did you get all this from?" The Doctor asked, voicing Alex's thoughts.

"Well, I have a first class degree in Earthonomics. Now standby..." Alex stared at the man in disbelief. She finally shook her head, giving up.

A high pitched voice thankfully distracted her. "And me! And me! Red 6-7!" The owner of the voice was a small red-skinned alien with short spikes across his head in replace of hair.

"Well, take a bracelet, sir." Mr. Cooper stated. The short alien took one.

"Uh, but, um, hold on, hold on. What was your name?" The Doctor interrupted again.

"Bannakaffalatta." Small alien saw what? Alex looked bewildered at the name.

"Ok, Bannakaffalatta." The Doctor had no problems stating that name. Alex was honestly impressed. "But it's Christmas Eve down there. Late-night shopping, tons of people. He's like a walking conker." Bannakaffalatta turned around and shot the Doctor a look. "No offense, but you'll cause a riot 'cause the streets are going to be packed with shoppers and parties..." The Doctor was cut off, _yet again_, as the teleports worked. They arrived on an empty street. The Doctor looked around. "Oh."

"Now, spending money – I have a credit card in Earth currency if you want to by trinkets or, uh, stockings or the local delicacy, which is known as 'beef' but don't stray too far, it could be dangerous. Any day now they start boxing."

As Mr. Cooper was talking, the Doctor was looking around, concerned. Alex and Astrid were giggling together, their arms still locked. "It should be full. It should be busy. Something's wrong." The Time Lord muttered.

"But it's beautiful." Astrid said, in awe.

"Really?" Alex grinned. Astrid reminded herself so much of herself when she first came to an alien planet. The excitement was still there whenever she stepped foot on any sort of different planet.

"But it's a different planet. I'm standing on a different planet. Th–there's concrete...and shops, alien shops, real alien shops! Look, no stars in the sky. And it smells. It stinks!" Astrid gasped. "This is amazing! Thank you!" She threw her arms around Alex's neck, knocking the girl into the Time Lord. He took his Alex's shoulders to steady her.

Alex laughed. "I'm glad you like it, Astrid."

"Come on then, let's have a look." The Doctor said. Astrid stopped hugging Alex, but they continued to keep their arms locked together. The Doctor smiled at that. It seemed even in the little time that the girls had known each other, they were already fast friends. He wasn't surprised. Alex was amazing with people. Something about her drew them in.

The Doctor, Astrid, and Alex cross the street to a newsagent's booth. Inside, was an elderly man that was bundled up in winter clothing. "Hello there," The Doctor greeted cheerfully. "Sorry, uh, obvious question, but where is everyone?"

"Oh-ho, scared." The man answered.

"Oh?" Alex picked up. "Scared of what?"

"Where have you been living?" _Oh just an alien spaceship that travels through space and time_. Alex answered mentally; she made sure not to voice her thoughts. "London at Christmas? Not safe, is it?"

"Why?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, it's them, up above." He gestured to the sky. "Look, Christmas before last we had that big bloody spaceship, everyone standing on the roof." He pointed to his small T.V. that showed a clip of it. Alex remembered that episode, it was '_The Christmas Invasion_', the very first episode the 10th Doctor stared in. "And then last year, that Christmas Star electrocuting all over the place, draining the Thames." '_Runaway Bride_', the one where Donna Noble stared for the first time.

"This place is amazing." Astrid said.

"And this year, Lord knows what." The man continued. "So everybody's scarpered, gone to the country. All except me... and Her Majesty."

He stood proudly and turned to the screen. Alex turned as well, to see a reporter right outside what looked to be the palace. "Her Majesty the Queen has confirmed that she will be staying in Buckingham Palace throughout the festive season to show the people of London, and the world, that there's nothing to fear."

"God bless her." He saluted. "We stand vigil."

"Well, between you and me, I think her Majesty's got it right. Far as I know, this year, nothing to worry about." The Doctor looked like he was about to say more, but all three of them were suddenly transported back to the ship.

Alex blinked at the sudden teleport. The Doctor was annoyed. "I was in mid-sentence!"

"Hope the guy was alright." She mumbled. It wasn't exactly easy to have someone tell you everything's going to be fine and then suddenly they disappear.

"Yes, I'm sorry about that. A bit of a problem. If I could have your bracelets –" Mr. Cooper was cut off as the Chief Steward came over. Astrid hid behind Alex and the Doctor so that she wouldn't be seen by him.

"Apologies, ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta, we seem to have suffered a slight power fluctuation. If you'd like to return to the festivities. And on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruise liners, free drinks will be provided." The ticket holders departed.

"That was the best, the best!" Astrid said to the brunette travelers excitedly. She left, probably to go back to her job. Alex turned to the Doctor to say something, but she noticed his look.

"Doctor?" She asked him. He looked at her for a moment, before approaching the Chief Steward.

"What sort of power malfunction?" He asked.

-x-

They didn't get an answer. Alex stayed close to the Doctor. At first, she had walked over to the buffet to try out some more food, but she had been bombarded by various men asking her to dance. Sadly – for them – they didn't come anywhere _close _to the Doctor's looks or personality. She declined them gently, but after a while got fed up with them. She knew one way of getting them to leave. So, making sure she had the guys that had asked her to dance were watching her, she walked over to the Doctor and kissed him with intensity. Of course, the Doctor knew why she was doing it, and was more than happy to comply.

After a while, both forgot why the kiss had been started in the first place, and it just ending up being a kissing fest for them. But, they finally were able to rip themselves away from each other. Of course, the Doctor refused to let her go, so, she now sat on his lap. Alex smiled at Astrid as the blonde peeked over at them while serving drinks.

The Doctor turned and saw a framed screen showing a video loop of Max Capricorn himself. "… And I should know because my name is Max." The Doctor stood Alex up. She looked at him curiously, but he just tugged her over to the frame.

He put on his dorky, adorable glasses and pulled out the sonic screwdriver. He used it on the screen. "Doctor, what are you doing?" Alex asked curiously.

The video repeated the same message again. "The fastest, the furthest, the best… My name is Max." The Doctor finally got the screen to open. He changed some settings to show the Titanic and her surroundings. He saw that the shields were offline. The Time Lord peered out the window and saw the oncoming meteors heading towards the ship.

The Doctor pressed some more buttons. He then spoke into it; Alex figured he got the comm. "Is that the bridge? I need to talk to the captain. You've got a meteoroid storm coming in West 0 by North 2."

Alex looked out the window to see the same thing. She didn't understand, what was the big deal? But her tightening gut made her second guess that it was nothing. Always trust her gut that was important when she and the Doctor were out. "Who is this?" A man, Alex assumed he was the captain, asked.

"Never mind that. Your shields are down. Check your scanners, Captain. You've got meteoroids coming in and no shielding!" Alex's heart dropped. But if their shields were down… And meteors were coming … That meant…

"Oh God…" She muttered.

"You have no authorization." The captain answered flatly. "You will clear the comms at once."

"Oh yeah?" Alex snapped, almost growling into the comm. She was offended by the tone. "Just look out the friggin' window!"

Two stewards came over to escort Alex and the Doctor out of the reception. "Come with me, Sir, Ma'am." They took the two brunettes. Of course, this didn't stop the two from arguing with the stewards.

"You've got a rock storm heading for this ship and the shields are down!" The Doctor cried.

"If someone doesn't do something, millions of people can die!" Alex struggled against them men. Her gut curled tightly in her. The Doctor struggled as well, and finally broke loose. He took off towards the stage where the band was playing. He grabbed a microphone to warn the people.

"Everyone, listen to me! This is an emergency! Get to the lifeb –" A Host cut the Doctor off by covering his mouth and pulling him away.

Alex finally freed herself and went to another microphone. "Everyone!" She cried out. "You have to get off this ship _now_! Get to the lifeboats! Any –" Another Host came up and did the same to her. Alex struggled against the robot. There had to be hundreds of people on this ship, and if someone didn't do something they were all going to die. Astrid, Foon, Morvin, and Bannakaffalatta looked over in surprise.

The two brunettes were now being removed more forcibly. They passed a small gathering that had Rickston in it. "Just look out the windows!" The Doctor cried to anyone who was listening to him.

"Please! Just look out the windows!" Alex pleaded.

Astrid, Rickston, Foon, and Morvin all slowly went over to the window. Bannakaffalatta excused himself from a conversation. "Them, friends." He stated simply.

"If you don't believe me, check the shields yourself!" The Doctor stated. Alex continued to struggle.

Astrid came over. "Sir, I can vouch for them." She stated.

"Look, Steward, they've just had a bit too much to drink." Morvin tried to help.

Mr. Cooper came over next. "Sir, something seems to have gone wrong. All the teleports are down."

The Chief Steward was sick of the interruptions. "Not now!" He snapped.

-x-

The Chief Steward was taking Alex and the Doctor through maintenance corridors. Astrid, Mr. Cooper, Bannakaffalatta, Foon, and Morvin followed them. "The shields are down; we're going to get hit." The Doctor and Alex continued to insist. After that, everyone started to talk all at once.

Rickston finally caught up with the group. "Oi! Steward! I'm telling you the shields are down!"

"Listen to him! I'm begging you, please _listen to him_!" Alex begged. Within seconds after she said that, the whole ship jerked as the meteors hit the ship. The Doctor grabbed both Alex and Astrid and protected them as they were thrown to the floor.

The Doctor was the first to get up. Alex slowly sat up, and helped Astrid up as well. Alex blinked slightly, her brain trying to catch up with what happened. The Time Lord shushed everyone and listened. "It's stopping." Alex looked around. She heard the ship creek and groan loudly before quieting down.

He turned and helped Astrid and Alex up. "Are you alright?" He asked them.

"I think so." Alex brushed her dress and was beyond relieved to see that it wasn't torn in any places.

The Doctor looked over at his Alex. "Allie?" She looked up and smiled, showing she was okay.

"Bad name for a ship." Alex muttered. "Really, _really _bad name for a ship."

"Either that or this suite is really unlucky." The Doctor added. He knelt down to examine one of the stewards. He was dead.

Alex could hear Max Capricorn's voice and frowned. She was starting to hate it right now. "My name is Max. My name is Max. My name is Max."

"Ev – Everyone." The Chief Steward called attention. "Ladies and gentlemen, Bannakaffalatta, I must apologize on behalf of Max Capricorn Cruise liners. We seem to have had a small collision." The Doctor found a comm. panel, the source of Max's voice.

Morvin was indignant. "Small?"

"Do you know how much money I paid for my ticket?" Rickston asked.

"If I could have your silence, ladies and gentlemen…" The group ignored him and continued to argue. "Quiet!" They stopped and turned to him. "Thank you. I-I'm sure Max Capricorn Cruise liners will be able to reimburse you for any inconvenience. But first I would point out that we are very much alive."

Alex looked over at Mr. Cooper. She noticed that he had a cut on his head. She leaned down, and put a gentle hand on his. "Are you okay?" She asked concerned.

Astrid also bent over. She gave Alex a hanky to help dab the cut. The Doctor walked back over to the group. "She is, after all, a fine, sturdy ship. If you could all stay here while I ascertain the exact nature of the – the situation."

He went over to open a hatch. The Doctor had other ideas. "Don't open it!" He cried, but it was too late. The hatch opened and the Chief Steward was sucked out into space by the vacuum. Alex screamed as everyone grabbed hold of something – anything – to stop that from being their fate as well.

The Doctor got over to the comms and he used the sonic screwdriver to replace the shield. "Oxygen shield stabilizing."

"Everyone alright?" The Doctor asked. He started to call their names to make sure everyone was okay. First one on his mind, "Allie?"

Alex gasped and nodded breathlessly. "Yeah, I'm good."

"Astrid?"

"Yeah." She panted.

"Foon? Morvin? Mr. Cooper? Bannakaffalatta?"

"Yes." The small alien answered.

"You," The Doctor paused. "What was your name?"

"Ah, Rickston Slade." The man answered.

"You all right?" The Doctor asked.

"No thanks to that idiot." Alex's mouth dropped that the absolutely horrible nature of this man.

"The steward just died." Astrid stated.

"Then he's a dead idiot." Alex felt her will snap. The Doctor tried to grab her arm, knowing what she was thinking, but she moved too quickly. He sighed, but knew that Rickston deserved it.

Alex's punishment was sharp and quick. She slapped the man's arm loudly. He yowled and looked at the woman like she was insane. "If you keep that up, Mr. Slade, I'll slap you into next year." She growled at him. Rickston was about to say something, but the Doctor's look told him he wasn't going to win if he tried to go up against her. Thankful, that got him to shut his mouth as he huffed.

The Doctor came over and put his hands onto her shoulders and backed her away from Rickston. "Alright, calm down. Just stay still, all of you. Hold on." The Doctor turned Alex around and herded her to the opening of the hatch.

Astrid joined them. "What happened? How come the shields were down?"

"I have a feeling they weren't on accident." Alex stated. No captain should act like that, something was definitely up. Alex finally focused on the space before her and closed her eyes and bit her lip as she saw the dead bodies of other passengers among the flotsam and jetsam floating above the Earth.

The Doctor wrapped his arm around her shoulders, knowing what she was feeling. "How many dead?"

"We're alive, just focus on that. I will get you out of here, Astrid. I promise. Look at me. I promise."Astrid nodded. He turned to Allie and looked deep into her shinning eyes. He knew that he could pass on that same message without words. Alex smiled, understanding his silent message. She nodded, trusting him, he smiled at her. "Good. Now," he looked around. "If we can get to Reception, I've got a spaceship tucked away. We can all get on board..."

Alex felt her heart drop. "Doctor…" He turned to look at her, questioningly. He followed her gaze to see the TARDIS floating out into space.

"Oh…" The Doctor trailed off.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Astrid asked.

The Doctor gestured to the valiant ship. "That's our spaceship over there." Alex felt a small high at the fact that the TARDIS was no longer 'The Doctor's ship' but it was '_their _ship'. Alex mentally shook her head, now was not the time to focus on that.

Astrid looked out into the space, probably looking for a stereotypical spaceship. "Where?"

"There," Alex pointed at her. "That little blue box."

"That's a spaceship?" Astrid couldn't hide her disbelief.

"Oi, don't knock it." The Doctor said. He always became defensive of his ship.

"It's a bit small." Astrid pointed out.

"It's a bit distant." The Doctor corrected. "Trouble is, once its set adrift, it's programmed to lock onto the nearest centre of gravity and that would be...the Earth."

"Really, Doctor?" Alex asked dryly. "_Really_?" The Doctor shot her a look. At the time, it had been a good idea.

The Doctor walked over to the comms and talked into them. "Deck 22 to the bridge. Deck 22 to the bridge, is there anyone there?" Alex walked over to her Time Lord and held his hand. He squeezed gently to reassure her.

Finally, a young man answered. The voice had been different to the captain's. "This is the bridge."

The two time travelers shared a smile. They were relieved to know that someone was still there. "Oh hello, sailor. Good to hear you. What's the situation up there?"

"We've got air. The oxygen field is holding. But the captain..." There was a short, tense pause. "He's dead. He did it." His voice broke. "I watched while he took down the shields. There was nothing I could do. I tried. I did try."

"Hush, its okay, just take a breath." Alex stated gently. Without knowing it, her sweet voice calmed the young man down. "It's okay. Everything's gonna be okay, now what's your name?" The Doctor couldn't stop a smile from framing his lips. He was so proud of his Alex. She always knew how to calm people down, always knew how to get them to trust her.

"Midshipman Frame." He answered.

"Nice to meet you, Sir." The Doctor answered. "What's the state of the engines?"

"They're um…" There was a pause. "Hold on…" Alex heard the Frame move, but she also heard him groan in pain.

"Have you been hurt, Mr. Frame?" She asked softly.

"I'm all right." He tried to pass it off. It just assured her that he was hurt. "Oh my vot. They're cycling down."

By the look of the Doctor's face, that wasn't good. His look made her gut curl tightly in her. "That's a nuclear storm drive, yes?"

"Yeah."

"That's bad, isn't it?" Alex asked, quietly. The Doctor didn't answer her question, but she saw her answer clearly in his clear liquid brown eyes.

"The moment they're gone, we lose orbit." The Doctor said.

"The planet." Frame muttered.

"Oh yes. If we hit the planet, the nuclear storm explodes and wipes out life on Earth." Alex's heart dropped. "Midshipman, I need you to fire up the engine containment field and feed it back into the core."

"This is never going to work." Frame said.

"Trust me; it'll keep the engines going until I can get to the bridge." The Doctor turned off the comms and turned back to the rest of the group. They were in going crazy right now.

Foon was close to crying. "We're going to die!"

"Are you saying someone did this on purpose?" Mr. Copper asked.

"We're just a cruise ship!" Astrid protested.

"Okay, okay." The Doctor called for order. They all quieted down to listen to him. "Tch, tch. First things first. One: we're going to climb through this ship. B… No…"

"Two." Alex offered patiently.

"Ah, right, two: we're going to reach the bridge. Three – or C: we're going to save the Titanic. And, coming in a very low Four or D or that little "iv" in brackets they use in footnotes...why. Right then, follow me."

Rickston spoke up. "Hang on a minute. Who put you in charge and who the hell are you anyway?"

The Doctor turned around. Alex recognized his 'Time Lord' face. She felt chills run down her spine. "I'm the Doctor. I'm a Time Lord. I'm from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I'm 903 years old and I'm the man who's gonna save your lives and all six billion of the people on the planet below. You got a problem with that?" Alex bit her lip but couldn't stop the grin. God, she loved him!

"No." Rickston stated.

"In that case, Allons-y!" Alex jogged up to the Doctor's side.

"Have I mentioned how much I completely love you?" He grinned at her. "That was awesome! You are _so _cool, Doctor!" He leaned down and kissed her cheek. They nuzzled their faces together, the Doctor having a silly grin on his face and Alex giggling.

-x-

The Doctor slowly pushed open a metal door that lead to a staircase with littered with debris and sparking cables. "Careful, follow me." He was the first one in the line, clearing the way for the rest. Alex was behind him. He had her hand tightly in his, helping her get through it without ripping something. Astrid was behind Alex, Mr. Cooper after her, Rickston and then Foon and Morvin.

"Rather ironic when this is very much in the spirit of Christmas. It's a festival of violence. They say that human beings only survive depending on whether they've been good or bad. It's barbaric." Mr. Cooper said. Alex shook her head; she had no idea where he was getting this from.

"Actually, that's not true. Christmas is a time of – of peace and thanksgiving and...What am I on about? My Christmas is always like this." Alex squeezed his hand. He turned back to her and lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles gently. As the Doctor turned back around, he couldn't help but think. Maybe it wasn't so bad anymore, he had Alex with him, she always made things better.

His thoughts were cut off when he found a dormant Host. "We've got a Host. Strength of ten. If we can mend it, we can use it to fix the rubble." Alex paused, looking over the Host. She couldn't stop her gut from turning. The hair on her neck stood up and she suddenly got chills. She tried to pass it off, but something in the back of her mind continued to nudge at her.

"We can do robotics, both of us." Morvin offered.

"We worked on the milk market back on Sto. It's all robot staff." Foon added.

"See if you can get it working." The Doctor turned to the two girls. "Let's have a look." Everyone but the Van Hoffs climbed up the stairs, only to find that it was blocked.

"It's blocked." Astrid pointed out.

"So what do we do?" The Doctor turned to the two girls.

"We shift it." Alex answered with easy. The two brunettes grinned at each other.

"That's the attitude. Rickston, Mr. Copper, and you, Bannakaffalatta..." The Doctor paused. "Look, can I just call you Banna? It's gonna save a lot of time."

"No!" The small alien protested. "Bannakaffalatta!"

"All right then, Bannakaffalatta, there's a gap in the middle. See if you can get through." He gestured to it.

"Easy. Good." Bannakaffalatta slid easily through the small whole. The ship lurched dangerously, sending loose debris down.

"This whole thing could come crashing down any minute!" Alex felt her eye twitch. Let's just say, Alex didn't like Rickston _at all_ – and that was putting it lightly.

It seemed the Doctor was losing patience with him as well. "Oh, Rickston, I forgot. Did you get our message?"

"No. What message?" Rickston voiced Alex's thoughts.

"Shut up!" Alex raised an eyebrow at him. He turned to her and said quickly. "That's not directed at you, Allie."

"I hope not." She stated dryly. He winced, probably thinking she was upset, but he relaxed when she grinned and giggled. "I'm teasing you, Doctor; I know you would never say something like that to me."

"Bannakaffalatta made it." The red alien responded when he got to the other side.

"I'm small enough, I can get through." Astrid went through next.

"Careful!" The Doctor called.

Alex pushed the debris aside a little. "I'll go through next." The Doctor nodded, and reluctantly let go of her hand. He clenched up his hand afterwards, it felt weird not having Alex's hand in his. "Just one thing, Doctor," He looked over. "Don't look up my skirt."

The smile on her face told her she was teasing. He smiled back. "Wouldn't dream of it." In all honestly, that wasn't entirely true. Alex gave him a look, knowing what he was thinking.

Alex got through and turned. "We better get this whole big enough from our side." Astrid nodded, agreeing. She bent down to see the Doctor. "Doctor," He bent down as well, and their eyes locked. "We're gonna start moving it up here, just tell us if it starts to move." The Time Lord nodded, and after one last look they went back to work.

Astrid turned around and saw that Bannakaffalatta was lying on the ground. The blonde gently tapped the brunette's arm. Alex looked over and looked back at the alien. "Ah, Bannakaffalatta," Alex mentally pumped her fist that she was able to pull off the name. "What's wrong?"

"Sshhh…" Bannakaffalatta said.

"What is it?" Astrid asked.

"Can't say." They went over to his side.

"Are you hurt?" Alex asked, worried. If he was, she was sure she could tell the Doctor, and he would know what to do. She knew first-hand that his name wasn't just a title. He really was a doctor.

"Ashamed." The girl's shared a look. Why would he be ashamed?

"Of what?" Astrid questioned.

"Poor Bannakaffalatta." He answered. He lifted up his shirt, to show cybernetic components. Alex's eyes widened slightly.

"You're a cyborg." Astrid stated.

"Had an accident long ago. Secret." He told.

"No, but everything's changed now. Cyborgs are getting equal rights. They passed a law back on Sto. You can even get married."

"Mary you two?"

The girls shared a smile. "How about you buy us a drink first?" Alex giggled.

"Come on. Let's recharge you." Astrid pressed a button on his torso. "Just stay there for a bit." The two girls got up and went back to the clearing.

"Tell no one." Bannakaffalatta said.

"We promise." Alex spoke for both of them.

"What's going on up there?" Alex rolled her eyes at how nosy the Doctor could be.

"My God, how nosy can a Time Lord be?" Astrid giggled. Alex bent down again. "Nothing, you nosy Time Lord!" The Doctor's eye twitched at the name. He pouted. "Astrid and I just got engaged to Bannakaffalatta!" Said alien grinned.

The Doctor paused and blinked. "What?" The two girls giggled and went back to working, not answering him.

-x-

Astrid and Alex were working hard to get the debris out of the way, trying to make the whole bigger. Alex stopped, her gut curling, the lurch it gave her almost made her gag. "Lexa?" Astrid asked. 'Lexa' was Astrid's nickname that she had come up for Alex.

She gasped. "Doctor!" She cried to him. "I'm getting that feeling!" The Doctor looked over, knowing which feeling that was. Frame had just told the Time Lord how the life signs of other passengers were going out.

"No. One of them said it's the Host. It's something to do with the Host." The Doctor looked over through the debris at where Alex was. He then turned to where the Van Hoffs were working, just as the Host resumed function.

"It's working!" Alex rushed over to the side of the staircase.

"No! Don't!" Alex cried. She got over to the edge just in time to see the Host grab Morvin by the throat. The Doctor rushed down.

"Kill. Kill. Kill." The Host kept repeating this.

"Turn it off!" The Doctor ordered.

Foon tried, but it wouldn't work. "I can't, Doctor!" Alex rushed back over to the gap.

"Work! _Now_!" She hissed. They had to get this whole bigger as quickly as they could. Astrid and she threw as much debris away as they could as the commotion continued beneath them. Suddenly, Rickston came through the whole.

"Some help you are, asshole!" She snarled at him, ticked. Rickston shot her a look, but his look deteriorated at her fearsome glower.

"Rickston!" Mr. Cooper called to him.

"He's no help, Mr. Cooper!" Alex called.

"I'll never get through there." Foon muttered.

"Yes, you can. Let me go first." Mr. Cooper came through next. Alex pushed the some of the gap apart, helping the elderly man get through. Once he was through, Foon tried to go through. Mr. Cooper, Astrid, and Alex were trying to help her.

"No, I'm stuck!" Foon cried.

"Come on, Foon," Alex grunted. "You have to get through!" Mr. Cooper was using a metal pole as a lever to make the space bigger.

"It's going to collapse!" Mr. Cooper yelled. "Rickston, vot damn it, help me!"

"No… Way." Rickston replied. Alex snarled at him viciously. He backed away from her. Alex ran over to Mr. Cooper and pushed the pole upwards. Alex grunted; she wasn't any good with arm strength. All her strength was in her legs, hence why she could keep up with the Doctor so well. Thankfully, Foon got through. Problem was, there were two more people after her. One of them was Alex's Time Lord.

"Morvin, get through!" The Doctor ordered.

Morvin was having a tougher time than Foon. The Host was still following them up the stairs, repeating 'Kill'. The Doctor came up behind Morvin. "Doctor, he's stuck!" Astrid cried as Mr. Cooper and Alex struggled to keep the metal pole up.

The Doctor put his hands on Morvin's rear. "Mr. van Hoff, I know we've only just met but you'll have to excuse me." The Doctor gave the man a large shove, and Morvin was able to get through. The Host was now right behind the Doctor. The Time Lord turned to the Host. "Information override! You will tell me the point of origin of your command structure!"

Mr. Cooper and Alex were straining against the pole. "We can't hold it!"

"Doctor," Alex screeched. "_Hurry up_!"

"Information: Deck 31." The Host replied.

"Thank you." The Doctor answered. "Let's go!" The Time Lord scrambled through the whole. Mr. Cooper and Alex couldn't hold it any longer and they let go of the metal. Alex whirled around with wide eyes, did the Doctor get through?

Her heart was hammering painfully in her heart. She put her hands onto her mouth, but she felt a familiar touch on her shoulders. She whirled around to see the Doctor behind her, out of breath but alive and smiling. "Hello." He grinned at her.

She threw her arms around him and sobbed. They hugged, but Alex broke it and smacked him in the chest. He jumped at the sudden act. "Don't you ever do that again!" Her snarl turned into a relieved sob and she threw her arms around him again. The Doctor smiled. He would never do that to her. He kissed her head gently.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Astrid, the Van Hoffs, Mr. Copper and Rickston found themselves in another open room. Foon looked to a table. "Morvin, look, food."

"Oh great. Someone's happy." Rickston stated sarcastically. Alex growled, still not happy with him about not helping back then. The Doctor took her shoulders quickly and walked her over with him to the comm. He kept one arm around her waist, tightly, making sure she didn't tear the man into two – not that he wouldn't deserve it.

"Don't have any then." Morvin answered.

"Mr. Frame, you still there?" The Doctor asked into it.

"Yes, sir, but I've got Host outside. I sealed the door." Frame answered. Alex was happy to know that he was safe.

"They've been programmed to kill. Why would anyone do that?" The Doctor asked.

"That's not the only problem, Doctor. I had to use a maximum deadlock on the door, which means... No one can get in. I'm sealed off. Even if you can fix the Titanic, you can't get to the bridge." Frame answered. The Doctor rubbed his face at this dilemma. Alex took his hand, this time her reassuring him. He smiled down at her.

"Alright, one problem at a time." It wouldn't help if they got overwhelmed by problems; they needed to focus on one problem at a time.

The Doctor nodded, agreeing. "What's on Deck 31?"

"Um, that's down below. It's nothing. It's just the Host storage deck. That's where we keep the robots." Frame answered.

The Doctor got the scanner on. Alex and he peered at it. "Well, what's that?" He put on his dorky, cute glasses. "See that panel? Black. It's registering nothing. No power, no heat, no light."

"Never seen it before." Frame said.

"100% shielded. What's down there?" The Doctor muttered.

"I'll try intensifying the scanner." Frame stated.

"Let me know if you find anything." The Doctor took off his glasses. "And keep those engines going!"

Astrid brought the two brunettes some food. "Saved you some. You might be a Time King from Gaddabee but you need to eat." Alex bit her lip. 'Time King from 'Gaddabee'' sounded hilarious.

"Yeah, thanks." Alex took hers as well. The Doctor sat down, and beckoned Alex. She sat down onto his comfortable lap. Alex fiddled with her dress, making sure there were no tears or rips. She was thankful that she couldn't see any. Astrid sat across from them.

"So, you look good for a 903 year old." Astrid stated.

Alex giggled. "He looks better than good, Astrid." The girls grinned at each other. The Doctor shook his head and kissed her head.

"You should see me in the mornings." The Doctor said his mouth full. Alex rolled her eyes. He looked stunning at any time of the day.

"Okay." Astrid answered reflexively. The two looked at each other, realizing what they had said. Alex bit her lip to stop from giggling. They looked away from each other. Mr. Cooper came over to them.

"Doctor, it must be well past midnight, Earth time. Christmas Day."

"So it is, Mr. Cooper. Merry Christmas." Alex answered.

"This Christmas thing, what's it all about?" Astrid asked.

Alex leaned back against the Time Lord. He held her waist loosely. "Long story. We should know, we were there. We got the last room."

"But if the planet's waking up, can't we signal them? They can send up a rocket or something." Mr. Cooper explained.

The Doctor and Alex looked at him for a moment. "They don't have spaceships." The Time Lord answered slowly.

"No, I read about it. They have shuffles, space shuffles."

The two brunettes paused again. They shared a look. "Mr. Copper, this degree in Earthonomics… Where is it from?"

"Honestly?" Mr. Cooper asked.

"Just between us." Alex nodded.

"Mrs. Golightly's Happy Travelling University and Dry Cleaners." Alex smiled sadly, now she understood. He mopped his brow with a hankie and sat down.

"You – you lied to the company... to get the job?" Astrid asked.

"I – I wasted my life on Sto. I was a travelling salesman, always on the road and I reached retirement with nothing to show for it. Not even a home. And Earth sounded so exotic." Mr. Cooper explained.

"Yeah, I suppose it is." Alex murmured. She looked out a small window to see her planet, suspended in space.

"How come you two know it so well?" Astrid turned her attention onto the two time travelers.

"I was sort of...a few years ago, was sorta made... well, sort of homeless, and, um there was the Earth." The Doctor explained.

"Well," Alex smiled sheepishly. "I'm from Earth."

Astrid's and Mr. Cooper's eyes widened. "You mean your home planet is Earth?"

Alex chuckled. "Yeah, it is."

"Oh wow."

"Thing is, if we survive this, there will be police and all sorts of investigations. Now the minimum penalty for space-age fraud is ten years in jail. I'm an old man. Well, I won't survive ten years." Alex reached out and took Mr. Cooper's hand. He smiled at her.

Suddenly, there was a banging on the door. The Doctor dropped his food and lifted Alex up quickly. He rushed over to the opposite door. "A Host! Move! Come on!" The pounding continued on the door, which dented from the force. Astrid screamed and they all followed The Doctor to the opposite side. The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the door and it opened to reveal a space that ran the height of the ship. The only way across was a makeshift bridge – created by a fallen strut – below which were the engines.

Alex felt her heart drop drastically. "Is that the only way across?" Rickston asked. It should be noted that he was as far away from Alex as he could be.

"On the other hand, it is a way across." It would be worse if there wasn't any sort of way across.

"The engines are open." Astrid pointed out. Alex leaned forward and her stomach churned.

"Nuclear storm drive. Soon as it stops, the Titanic falls." The Doctor said.

Alex finished for him. "And when this ships falls, the whole Earth goes 'boom'."

"But that thing, it'll never take our weight." Morvin stated.

"You're going last, mate." Rickston said. Alex threw him a look.

"Its nitrofine metal. It's stronger than it looks." The Doctor pointed out.

"All the same, Rickston's right. Me and Foon should –" He stepped on a weak piece of metal near the edge, the railing gave away and Morvin fell towards the engines with a scream.

"Morvin!" Foon cried.

"No!" Alex screamed. The Doctor grabbed her, and threw her away from the edge. He trapped her within his arms as she gave a shuddering sob. The Doctor weaved his fingers into her hair and pressed her face into his chest.

The others watched in horror and shock. "I told you! I told you!"

"Shut up, Rickston!" Alex screeched at him. Tears were running down her cheeks. "Just shut up! Shut up! _Shut up_!" Her rant dissolved into a sob as she buried her face back into her Time Lord's chest.

Foon was hysterical. She turned to the Doctor. "Bring him back! Can't you bring him back? Bring him back, Doctor!"

"I'm sorry, I can't." The Doctor told her. He had his arms tightly around Alex as she sobbed.

"You promised me!" Foon snapped.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." The Doctor replied. His hearts were breaking. He hadn't just promised Foon, he promised Alex. He pressed his face to her hair and took a deep breath. He continued to say 'I'm sorry' in his mind. Alex clenched his shirt.

"Doctor, I rather think those things got our scent." The Doctor gripped Alex's small shoulders and forced her to look at him. He felt his hearts break more when he saw her distraught face, streaks of her tears clear on her porcelain face. He locked eyes with her, holding her face in his hands. He watched as she calmed down, his eyes always having that effect on her.

He kissed her forehead. "I am _going _to get you through this safely, Allie. Remember what I promised you." The Doctor would never let anything hurt his precious Alex.

"I'm not waiting." Rickston moved across the bridge.

"Careful!" The Doctor ordered. "Take it slowly!"

There was a rumbling as the ship rocked. Rickston was nearly knocked off. "Vot help me." He muttered.

"You're okay. One step at a time. Come on, you can do it." The brunette Time Lord encouraged.

"They're getting nearer!" Mr. Cooper announced.

The Doctor turned back to the door. "Seal us in." He whispered. He used the sonic screwdriver on the door to do just that.

"But, that means we're trapped." Alex pointed out.

"Never say trapped, Allie, just inconveniently circumstanced." Alex smiled.

"Of course." Alex laughed.

Rickston was halfway across. "I'm okay!" Like Alex could bring herself to care. _No, that's not true_. Even she couldn't bring herself to hate the man so much she wanted him dead. Sure, she hated him, but she knew she still wouldn't be able to wish death upon him.

Alex rushed over to Foon. The smaller girl took the woman's hand. Foon was looking down at where her husband fell. "Maybe he's all right. Maybe – Maybe there's a gravity curve down there or something. I don't know. Maybe he's unconscious." She said, hopefully.

Alex felt tears come back to her eyes. "I'm sorry, Foon," she choked out. "But he's gone."

"What am I going to do without him?" The women embrace as both started to cry again.

Rickston reached the other side. "Yes! Oh yes! Who's good?" _Not you_, Alex stated bitterly.

"Bannakaffalatta, you go next." The Doctor motioned him to go.

"Bannakaffalatta, small." The alien replied as he moved slowly across the bridge.

"Slowly!" The Doctor reminded him. The Hosts are pounding on the door on the other side.

"They've found us." Mr. Cooper yelled.

"Astrid, get across right now." The Doctor commanded.

"What about you?" Astrid objected.

"Just do it. Go on." The Doctor watched Alex. Knowing her – and he knew her _very _well – he knew how she would be when he told her to go. "Mr. Cooper, we can't wait. Don't argue." Mr. Cooper followed. "Allie, you've got to go now."

"No." She protested. "I'm not going anywhere without Foon."

"Allie…" He sighed; he knew she would react like this.

"No!"

"Allie," he grabbed her shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "_I am not going to lose you_." The possibility that he even _might _be putting her into danger was something that he refused to do.

Alex bit her lip. She found it hard to protest to that logic or that tone, but she opened her mouth to do it anyways. "Alex," They turned to Foon. "Go on, dear."

"Foon." Alex started.

"Go on." She repeated. Alex took a deep breath and turned to go. The Doctor gave her a quick, intense kiss – thankful she was going. Alex breathed deeply, her breath stolen from her by the Time Lord as she slowly made her way across the bridge.

The brunette man turned back to Foon. "Foon, you've got to get across right now."

"What for? What am I gonna do without him?" Foon sobbed.

"Doctor! The door's locked!" Rickston yelled.

"Just think… What would he want, eh?" The Doctor tried to persuade her.

"He don't want nothing, he's dead!" She sobbed again.

Rickston persisted. "Doctor, I can't open the door. We need the whirring key –" _Sonic screwdriver_ "– thing of yours!"

"I can't leave her!" The Doctor protested.

Alex's eye twitched. "Oh, so I have to leave her, but you won't?" She hollered back to him.

"Keep moving, Allie!" He ordered. She turned back around, grumbling. He turned to look at Foon. "Mrs. van Hoff, I am coming back for you, all right?" Foon nodded.

The Doctor turned and started to walk across the bridge. The metal creaked ominously at the weight of the five of them. "Too many people!" Bannakaffalatta objected.

"Oi! Don't get spiky with me!" In any other case, Alex would have laughed at that. But right at the moment, she was more worried about the creaking bridge beneath them. "Keep going!"

"It's gonna fall!" Astrid said.

"It's just settling! Keep going!" The Doctor repeated. He caught up to Alex with ease. He grabbed a hold of her waist, and kept her close to him. Alex was thankful for that, and took one of his hands gratefully. It suddenly became quiet as the pounding stopped.

"They've stopped." Alex looked around. Her gut tightened in her almost to the point of pain. Alex winced. She squeezed the Doctor's hand gently, sending the message to him silently. He got it and frowned.

"Gone away?" The small alien asked.

"Why would they suddenly just give up?" Alex asked. That made no sense. With how strong a Host was suppose to be, the door behind them should have been easy to open.

"Never mind that!" Rickston broke through Alex's thoughts. "Keep coming!"

"Where have they gone? Where are the Host?" The Doctor muttered to himself.

Alex wobbled for a bit – she never did have good balance – and the Doctor steadied her. "I'm afraid...we forgot the tradition of Christmas – that angels have wings!" Mr. Cooper pointed upwards. They all looked to see Hosts gliding down towards them, encircling them.

"Oh," Alex muttered. "Shit."

"Information: Kill." A Host stated. All of the Hosts reached for their Halos.

"Arm yourselves! All of you!" The Doctor grabbed a piece of metal. He held Alex tightly to him, and held the pipe like a baseball bat. Alex pressed herself to him. They all reached for pipes or bits of metal to defend themselves as the Hosts threw their halos. They kept batting them away. One grazed The Doctor's arm and another Mr. Cooper's leg.

Alex turned just in time to have a halo sliced across her side. She grabbed her wound and clenched her teeth to stop from making a sound, although she couldn't stop from hissing through her clenched teeth.

"Allie!" The Doctor gasped. He reached down and pressed his hand to hers as blood slowly seeped through.

"Ow, ow, ow…" Alex whined. Astrid fell to her knees.

"I can't." She said.

"Bannakaffalatta stop! Bannakaffalatta proud! Bannakaffalatta, cyborg!" He lifted his shirt and discharged some energy, disabling the Host and all but one fell toward the engines. That one fell onto the strut behind The Doctor.

"Electromagnetic pulse took out the robotics. Oh, Bannakaffalatta, that was brilliant!" Alex slipped out of her Time Lord's arms and rushed – as much as she could – to Bannakaffalatta.

Astrid and she got to him just as he fell. "He's used all his power!" Astrid stated.

"Did good?"

"You saved all our lives," Alex smiled sadly. "Thank you."

"Bannakaffalatta happy."

"We can recharge you, get you to a power point and just plug you in!" Astrid said.

"Too late." Alex bit her lip.

"No, but, remember? You promised that you'd buy us a drink." Alex was barely holding it together.

"Pretty girls." He died. Astrid went to button his shirt when Mr. Cooper reached for his power source. Alex sobbed, first Morvin and now Bannakaffalatta. This was horrible. The Doctor walked over, and waved his Alex over. She got up and clung to the Doctor the moment he was in reach. He held her tightly to him as she cried.

"I'm sorry. Forgive me." Mr. Cooper said. The Doctor couldn't say anything to Alex. There was nothing to be said. He just buried his face into her hair and held her tightly.

"Leave him alone." Astrid protested.

"It's the EMP transmitter. He – he'd want us to use it." He removed it. "I used to sell these things. They'd always give me a bed for the night in the cyborg caravans. They're good people. But if we can recharge it, we can reuse it as a weapon against the rest of the Host. Bannakaffalatta might have saved us all."

"Do you think?" Rickston spoke up. "Try telling him that!" He pointed behind them. They all turned around to see that the Host that landed behind them was now getting up. The Doctor pushed Alex behind him, and held his arms out slightly to protect his Alex. She looked around his shoulder.

"Information: reboot." The Host said.

"Use the EMP!" Rickston yelled.

"It's dead!" Mr. Cooper replied.

"It's gotta have emergency –" Astrid took the EMP from Mr. Cooper. The Doctor confronted the Host.

"No, no, no. Hold on. Override loophole security protocol... Ten! 666! Oh. 21, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. Um, I dunno, 42!" None of them were working as the Host started to reach up for his halo. "Uh, one!"

The Host stopped in mid action and stood passively. "Information: State request."

"Good...right. You've been ordered to kill the survivors, but why?" The Doctor questioned.

"Information: no witnesses." The Host replied.

"But this ship's gonna fall on the Earth and kill everyone. The human race has nothing to do with the Titanic so that contravenes your orders, yes?"

"Information: incorrect." Alex blinked, confused.

"But why do you want to destroy the Earth?" The Doctor asked.

"Information: it is the plan."

"What plan?"

"Information: protocol grants you only three questions. These three questions have been used." The Host started to lift for his halo again.

"Well, you could have warned us ahead of time." Alex stated a little ticked.

"Information: now you will die." The Host prepared to strike The Doctor with its halo when a lasso was thrown over its head and tightened around its body by Foon.

"Foon!" Alex cried. What was she doing?

"You're coming with me." Foon closed her eyes and jumped over the side of the bridge.

"NO!" Alex screamed. The Doctor grabbed her again to keep her away from the edge. Everyone watched as Foon fell to her doom.

The Doctor's face became determined as he watched Alex sobbed. "No more." He was going to have _no more_ deaths. He couldn't _stand _to see Alex upset.

-x-

They made it out and into another set of maintenance halls. "Right. Get up to Reception One. Once you're there, Mr. Copper. You've got staff access to the computer. Try and find a way of transmitting an SOS. Astrid, you're in charge of this," He held up the EMP. "Once it's powered up, it'll take out Hosts within fifty yards but then it needs sixty seconds to recharge. Got it? Rickston, take this," He gave the man his sonic screwdriver. "I've preset it. Just hold down that button. It'll open doors. Do not lose it! You got that? Now go and open the next door. Go on! Go!"

"Alright!" Rickston said, taking the device.

The Doctor took down a First Aid kit and gave it to Mr. Cooper. "Mr. Cooper I need you fighting fit." He said and then turned to Astrid. "Astrid, where's the power point?"

"Under the comms." They walked over to it. The Doctor showed her how to recharge the EMP.

"When it's ready, that blue light comes on there." The Doctor explained.

"You're talking as if you're not coming with us." Astrid pointed out. Alex knew by the look on his face that he wasn't.

"There's something down on Deck 31. I'm gonna find out what it is."

"I'm going with you." Alex said, quickly.

The Doctor shot her a look. "No, Allie, you're not."

Alex crossed her arms and they had a staring contest. "How many times have you tried to convince me to go from your side? And how many times have you won?" Alex could only recall one time, excluding The Year that Never Was; that had been a special exception.

The Doctor stared at her for a long hard moment. He finally sighed, coming to the same conclusion. "You're going to be careful, you hear me?"

"Of course." Alex answered. She was always careful. It was obvious the Doctor still was not pleased, but he took what he got.

"What if you two meet a host?" Astrid asked.

"Well, then we'll just...have some fun, eh?" The Doctor said.

"Sounds like you do this kind of thing all the time." Alex smiled, oh yes, they did.

"Not by chance. All we do is travel. That's what we are, just travelers. Imagine it. No tax, no bills, no boss, just the open sky." Alex's grin grew, it was amazing. There were no words to describe it.

"I'm sort of...unemployed now and I was thinking the blue box is kinda small, but I could kinda squeeze in. Like a stowaway."

"It's not always safe." The Doctor said, seriously.

"So you need someone to take care of you. I've got no one back on Sto, no family, just me. So what do you think? Can I come with you?" Alex tugged on the Doctor's sleeve, silently begging him to say yes.

He smiled. "Yeah, we'd like that. Yes." The ship lurched again and the Doctor stood up to talk into the comm.

"Mr. Frame, you still with us?" The Doctor asked.

"It's the engines, sir. Final phase. There's nothing more I can do. We've got only eight minutes left!" _That's not good_.

"Don't worry, we'll get there." The Doctor reassured.

"The bridge is sealed off!" Frame protested.

"Yeah, yeah, working on it. We'll get there somehow, Mr. Frame." The EMP beeped, it was ready. "All charged up? Mr. Copper, look after her. Astrid, look after him. Rickston, um..." The Doctor paused, almost at a loss of words for a moment. "Look after yourself. And I'll see you again, promise."

They started to leave. "Hold on, there's an old tradition on Planet Sto…" Astrid said.

He turned around to her. "I really got to go." Alex turned as well, curious as to what this 'old tradition' was.

"Just wait a minute!" She grabbed the First Aid kit from Mr. Cooper, and set it on the floor in front of the Doctor. The brunette girl saw that her Time Lord was confused as to what Astrid was doing. Alex started to get a feeling of what she was doing, on the other hand.

Astrid stood on it and grabbed the Doctor by the jacket and kissed him. Alex's eyes widened, but instead of feeling jealous or anything, she bit her lip to stop from the storm of laughter bubbling up her throat. Astrid finally released the Doctor, and he was bemused. "Yeah, that's a very old tradition, yeah."

He started to run the opposite way with Alex in tow. "See you later!" Astrid said, speaking to both of them.

Alex turned around and grinned. "See ya later, Astrid!" They turned and ran off. Once they were out of ear shot the Time Lord abruptly turned to Alex.

She finally let loose her laughter. She clutched her stomach and bent over. "Oh my God! That was _hilarious_!" Her laughter was cut off when the Doctor took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers.

Alex melted into him. For at least a minute, their lips were locked before finally the Doctor ripped himself away from her. Man, she was addicting. "Had to do that," He said breathlessly.

Alex smiled. "I love you." His hearts sang.

"I love you too, Allie." He got his sensed together and grabbed her hand. They grinned at each other before they ran off to Deck 31.

-x-

The two brunettes ran into a kitchen. They were soon surrounded by four Hosts. The Doctor quickly grabbed a pot, ready to use it as a weapon. He pulled Alex so that she was off to the right, with him in front of her. "Wait, wait, wait, wait! Security protocol one! Do you hear me? One! One!" The Hosts stop advancing. Alex's gripped his jacket tightly. "Okay, that gives me three questions. Three questions to save my life, am I right?"

"Information: correct." A Host answered.

"Doctor!" Alex hissed.

"No, that wasn't one of them. I didn't mean it. That's not fair. Can I start again?" Alex felt like smacking her forehead.

"Information: no."

She whacked his back. "No, no! No, no, no. That wasn't one either. Blimey. One question left. One question. So, you've been given orders to kill the survivors but survivors must therefore be passengers or staff, but not us. We're not a passenger. We're not staff. Go on, scan us. You must have bio records. No such persons on board. We don't exist therefore...you can't kill us. Therefore, we're stowaways and stowaways should be arrested and taken to the nearest figure of authority. And I reckon the nearest figure of authority is on Deck 31. Final question: am I right?"

The Doctor threw his pot away. "Information: correct." Alex relaxed. The Doctor wrapped an arm around her waist and kept her pressed against him.

"Brilliant. Take me to your leader." The Doctor grinned and turned to his brunette. "I've always wanted to say that." Alex giggled.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex were escorted to Host storage facility on Deck 31. There was a lot of structural damage as well as some small fires. "Now that is what you call a fixer-upper. Come on then, Host with the most," Alex rolled her eyes, but a smile was on her lips. "This ultimate authority of yours, who is it?" Two doors open behind them, and they spin around to watch. "Ooh, that's clever. That's an omnistate impact chamber. Indestructible. You can survive anything in that, eh?" Alex watched the door carefully. A vehicle started to roll out towards them. "Sit through a supernova or a shipwreck. Only one person can have the power and the money to hide themselves onboard like this and I should know, 'cause..."

The vehicle was revealed to be a giant life-support system for Max Capricorn who was now just a head. Alex's eyes widened as her eyebrows shot up. "My name is Max." He grinned, showing his golden tooth. The tooth glinted.

"Wow," Alex muttered. "His tooth really does that."

"Who the hell is this?" Max asked.

"I'm the Doctor and this is Alex Harper."

"Hello." Alex offered.

"Information: stowaways."

"Well…" The Doctor said.

"Kill them." Max said quickly.

"Oh, no, no! Wait, but you can't. Not now. Come on, Max...You've given me so much good material like...How to get ahead in business. See 'head'? 'Head in business'? No?" Alex snorted and reached up to stop her from laughing. The Doctor grinned, happy that at least Alex found it funny.

"Oh, ho ho, the office joker. I like a funny man. No one's been funny with me for years."

"I can't honestly think why." The Doctor grinned again at Alex's sarcasm.

"176 years of running the company have taken their toll." Max ignored her tone.

"Yeah, but… Nice wheels." The Doctor stated.

"No, a life-support system in a society that despises cyborgs. I've had to hide away for years. Running the company by hologram."

Alex shook her head. "But I heard that cyborgs got equal rights now on Sto." The Doctor looked over with a raised eyebrow, how did she know that? "What?" She asked. "Astrid said so."

Max snorted. He ignored her and turned his attention to the Hosts. "Host, situation report."

The Hosts obediently answered him. "Information: Titanic still in orbit."

"Let me see." Max moved forward. The Doctor tugged Alex and they moved out of his way. "We should have crashed by now. What's gone wrong?" He looked over the edge to the engines. "The engines are still running! They should have stopped!"

"When they do," The Doctor spoke up. "The Earth gets roasted. I don't understand. What's the Earth got to do with it?"

"This interview is terminated." Max said.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" Astrid arrived and peeked around from a corner. "Hold on! Hold on! Hold on! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! I can work it out. It's like a task. I'm your apprentice. Just watch me. So... Business is failing and you wreck the ship so that makes things even worse. Oh yes! No. Yes." Alex blinked, what was going through that Time Lord brain of his? "The business isn't failing, it's failed. Past tense."

"My own board voted me out. Stabbed me in the back." Max explained.

"If you _had _a back." Alex muttered. Astrid moved closer to the group, unnoticed.

"You scupper the ship, wipe out any survivors in case anyone's rumbled you and the board find their shares halved in value. Oh, but that's not enough. No, 'cause if a Max Capricorn ship hits the Earth, it destroys an entire planet. Outrage back home. Scandal! The business is wiped out." The Doctor continued.

"And... the whole board thrown in jail for mass murder." Max smiled again. He seemed impressed that the Doctor figured his plan out so quickly.

"While you sit there, safe inside the impact chamber." The Doctor finished.

"I have men waiting to retrieve me from the ruins and enough off-world accounts to retire me to the beaches of Pentaxico Two where the ladies, so I'm told, are very fond of...metal."

"So that's it? That's your big plan?" Alex asked. Her voice was in a snarl. "Two _thousand _people on this ship and six _billion _people down on Earth, and you're going to kill them all! And all because _Max Capricorn is a __**loser**_!"

"I never lose." Max frowned. Alex clenched her fists together and growled at him. The Doctor's look wasn't any better.

"You can't even sink the Titanic." The Doctor stated.

"Oh, but I can, Doctor." Max contradicted. "I can cancel the engines from here."

Alarms went off. "You can't do this!" The Doctor cried.

"Host, hold them." Four Hosts came up and grabbed a hold of Alex and the Doctor.

"Not so clever now, Doctor. A shame we couldn't work together. You're rather good. All that banter yet not a word wasted. And you're not bad, either. Time for me to retire. The Titanic is falling. The sky will burn. Let the Christmas inferno commence. Oh! Oh, Host! Kill them." Two Hosts that aren't hold the brunettes lift their hands up to take their halos off.

"Mr. Capricorn!" Alex's head snapped over when she heard Astrid's voice. She saw the blonde in a forklift. "I resign." She started the lift and rushed towards Max.

"Astrid, don't!" The Doctor called. Astrid lifted the front of Capricorn's life support just enough so the tires had no purchase. His rear tires had enough traction to cause a standoff. The Hosts who were about to kill The Doctor and Alex threw their halos at Astrid but missed, hitting something else. "He's cutting the break line!"

Everything seemed to slow down in Alex's mind. Astrid turned to the two brunettes – her two friends. Alex saw out of the corner of her eye that the Doctor was mouthing 'no', but she couldn't hear anything. Astrid locked eyes with the Doctor for a long moment before turning to look at Alex. Astrid smiled, she thought of Alex as such a good friend, and wished that there was another way. Alex shook her head, silently begging the blonde not to do it.

Astrid turned back to Mr. Capricorn. She raised the forklift higher, lifting the 'man' off the ground. She stepped on the gas, causing them both to fly off the edge. "Astrid!" The brunettes scream. Alex got to the edge first, her hands over her mouth. The Doctor got over to the edge within a second later. They watched as Astrid fell to the engines, her hands reaching out for them.

Alex could hear a scream, and it took her a long moment to realize that it was her. The Doctor grabbed her and pulled her into her, causing her scream to be muffled by him. Her scream dissolved into a loud sob. She got his jacket wet with her tears. She was shaking in the Doctor's arms. Her body slowly slid down, threatening to collapse. He fixed her so that all of her weight was against him.

The Doctor lifted Alex up, cradling her in his arms, bridal style. The Doctor walked away as sparks fell behind him. The Hosts came up next to him, and locked arms with him as the Time Lord kept a hold of his sobbing girl. The Doctor nodded, and the Hosts flew upwards, gaining speed. With arms raised they broke through the floor of the bridge causing Frame to shout. The Doctor set Alex down, tears still running down her cheeks. Her eyes were blood shot from crying so much. The Doctor held her cheek and smiled at her sadly. Alex leaned into his touch.

The Doctor got up and turned to Frame. "Ah, Midshipman Frame at last!"

"Uh, but – but the Host!" Frame stuttered. It seemed like he was still caught off guard by the Doctor coming through so unexpectedly.

"Controller dead they divert to the next highest authority and that's me," the Doctor explained.

"There's nothing we can do. There's no power. The ship's gonna fall." Frame said. Alex whipped away her tears, trying to get herself together. Crying wasn't going to get Astrid – or any of them for that matter – back. She should make herself useful, instead of just sitting there crying.

"Titanic falling." The computer announced. Alex got up and walked next to the Doctor. He looked over at her and looked her up and down. He could see that she was still very affected by what had happened, but he knew her well enough to know that she wanted to make herself useful instead of just wallowing in tears. The Doctor took her hand and squeezed reassuringly. Alex smiled at him, thankful.

The Doctor took the wheel. "What's your first name?" He asked.

"Alonzo." Alex blinked, her eyes went wide. The Doctor shared a look with Alex before looking over at the man in surprise.

"You are kidding me." He stated, his tone matching his face.

Alonzo was puzzled by the look. "What?" Was there something wrong with his name?

"That's something else I've always wanted to say. Allons-y Alonzo!" The Doctor grinned. "Whoa!" The ship lurched dramatically as the Doctor tried to control the steering. They were falling straight towards Earth's atmosphere and Alonzo screamed. Alex looked out the window to see that the front of the ship started to burn up on entry. The Doctor fights the steering.

An alarm sounds and the Doctor gestured Alex to check what it is. Alex went over and the computer showed where the impact zone was going to be. Alex's eyes widened. "Um… Doctor…" He leaned over to see it and groaned when he saw where it was.

He sighed. "Ah, Allie, press that button," He gestured to it on the comm. "to 'dial out'. Have them give you Buckingham Palace." Alex nodded and did just that.

"Yes, Hello," Alex said when someone came onto the phone. "I need Buckingham Palace, please."

Alex looked over at the Time Lord questioningly when she was rooted to the Palace. "Security Code 771." The Doctor told her. She nodded.

When she got someone on the phone, she spoke quickly. "I need you to listen to me, right now! This is not a prank call, Security Code 771! Now get out of there!" She hung up the phone. The two brunettes shared a look. They were hoping that they listened to her.

"Engine active. Engine active." The computer declared. The Doctor pulled the wheel back as far as it would go. The movement sent both Alonzo and Alex back against the wall. Straining and bent backwards, the Doctor regained control. The ship barely missed Buckingham Palace. The Doctor gasped as Alex's and his eyes lock together, unable to believe their luck.

Out of danger now, the Doctor laughed as he started to enjoy steering. Alonzo rang the ship's bell. "Whoo-hoo!" Alonzo laughed.

"Yeah!" Alex pumped her fist into the air.

"Whoo-hoo-hoo!" The Doctor laughed.

-x-

Sometime later, Alonzo and Alex were sitting on the floor. The Doctor came over and sat between them. Alex laid her head on his shoulder, exhausted. He leaned his head against hers. "Used the heat of re-entry to fire up the secondary storm drive. Unsinkable, that's me." The Doctor stated.

"We made it." Alonzo stated.

"Not all of us." The Time Lord muttered. He paused. "Teleport!" Alex just had enough time to save herself from falling as the Doctor jumped up. A light bulb could almost be seen appearing over his head. "She was wearing a teleport bracelet!" Alonzo and Alex shared a confused look before they rushed to get up and go after the face-paced Time Lord.

-x-

The Doctor ran into reception with his hand out. "Rickston! Sonic!" The man turned and tossed him the screwdriver. The Doctor caught it in a rush and ran past them to the command center for the teleport bracelets. "Mr. Cooper, the teleport bracelets, have they got emergency settings?"

"I don't know." Mr. Cooper answered. "They should have." Alex and Alonzo finally caught up with the Doctor.

"Doctor," Alex ran over to him. "What are you doing?" He ignored her for now, letting his actions explain themselves.

"She fell, Mr. Cooper. She fell. What's the emergency code?" The Doctor asked desperately. Alex realized what he was doing and shook her head hesitantly. She knew that the Doctor could do many things. But she knew deep down that there was one thing that _no one _could do, and that was bring someone back to life.

"Uh, let me see…" Mr. Cooper thought about it.

"We can bring her back." Alex closed her eyes. She knew that was impossible, even for the Doctor.

He began to work on the teleport. "What the hell are you doing?" Alonzo asked.

Mr. Cooper turned to him to explain. "If a passenger has an accident on shore leave and they're still wearing their teleport, their molecules are automatically suspended and held in stasis so that we can just trigger the shift."

The Doctor was finished. "There!" He turned to grin at Alex but her face was solemn. His grin slowly disappeared. He frowned deeply and looked away. He could clearly hear what she was saying. But no, he could do it! He could bring her back! Alex closed her eyes and shook her head sadly. He stood and turned around. A glowing, transparent Astrid appeared.

"I'm falling." Astrid said. She was looking off with unseeing eyes.

"Only halfway there. Come on." The Doctor tried to ignore the way Alex's eyes on him felt like they weighed a ton. He adjusted the inner workings of the teleport.

"I keep falling." Astrid said.

"Feedback the molecule grid, boost it with the restoration matrix." The Doctor muttered to himself. The teleport sparked at him in response. "No, no, no, no! Need more phase containment." He waved away the small amount of smoke that gathered there.

"Doctor –" Mr. Cooper tried.

Alex took a couple of steps towards him. "No! If I can just link up the surface suspension..."

Finally, Alex reached out and grabbed the Doctor's arm. His head snapped over. Tears were in her eyes, making them shine, she shook her head. "No, no, no I just need to override the safety. I can do it."

"Doctor," Alex's voice was raspy. "Let her go." The Doctor turned to face Astrid's ghost-like figure. He kicked the teleport in frustration.

"I can do anything!" He yelled.

"No," Alex sobbed. "You _can't_. You can save hundreds of planets, many times more than once. You can defeat terrible foes. _But you cannot bring someone back to life_. That's something that even _you _can't do." He turned to his Alex. A look of pure desperation and utter sadness was on his face. Alex bit her lip as another sob broke through her lips. "Life and Death are something that you can't control. You can't decide it, you can't change it. You live and then you die. That's how the whole cycle works. You can't reverse it, Doctor. _It's impossible_."

The Doctor turned back Astrid's ghostly figure and walked up to her. "Astrid Peth... citizen of Sto... the woman who looked at the stars and dreamt of travelling. There's an old tradition." Alex felt her stomach twist – its one thing that she kisses him, but a whole different thing if _he _kisses _her_ – but instead of kissing her like she had him, he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. "Now, you can travel forever." The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to open up a small window behind Astrid. She turned into motes of light and flew out the window. "You're not falling, Astrid, you're flying."

Alex bit her lip, feeling the faint tingles of tears in her eyes. She walked up to the Doctor. Her shaking hand hesitated, so close to his arm. He turned, making her jump, and he almost collapsed into her arms. Alex caught him and bit her lip. He closed his eyes, and she could feel it. She could feel his sadness, and pain, and anger – some of it she felt was towards himself. She could feel everything. That broke the damn, and she sobbed and buried her face into his shoulder. This time, it wasn't just the Doctor holding Alex; it was the both of them holding onto each other.

Alex knew this, because she felt it. A lone tear slid down the Doctor's cheek and feel onto Alex's shoulder as the Time Lord buried his face into her hair. Another sob past her lips, it broke her heart even more that he actually cried, even if it was only one tear, he actually cried.

-x-

Some time afterwards, The Doctor leaned against a table. He stared straight ahead, his face expressionless. Alex was tucked tightly under his arm, her face buried in his chest. She had tear streaks on her cheeks that she just hadn't bothered to wipe away.

Alonzo came over to them, giving them an update. "The engines have stabilized. We're holding steady 'till we get help and I've sent the SOS. A rescue ship should be here within twenty minutes. And they're digging out the records of Max Capricorn. It should be quite a story."

"They'll want to talk to us, I suppose." Mr. Cooper suggested.

"I'd have thought so, yeah." Alonzo answered.

Mr. Cooper walked over to the Doctor and Alex. "I think, uh, one or two inconvenient truths might come to light. Still, it's my own fault, and then years in jail is better than dying."

Rickston came over. Alex was so out of it that she didn't even bother to give Rickston any sort of glare. "Doctor… I never said… Thank you." He hugged the Time Lord. The man didn't make any sort of movements. His face never changed. "The funny thing is...I said Max Capricorn was falling apart. Just before the crash, I ...sold all my shares, transferred them to his rivals. It's made me rich. What do you think of that?"

The Doctor's look at this comment seemed to say 'How can you still be thinking of money after what just happened?' Alex's eyes slowly slide towards him. He looked down at her and she gave him such a chilling blank stare that he shuddered. "By the way, you're girlfriend freaks me out." He actually had the nerve to throw her a look. His vone started to ring. He picked it up. "Salvain? Those shares, I want them triple-bonded and locked."

"Of all the people to survive, he's not the one you two would have chosen, is he? But if you two could choose, Doctor, Alex, if you decide who lives and who dies..." Mr. Cooper shrugged. "That would make you two monsters." Both brunettes looked over, curious at the insight.

The Doctor sighed. "Mr. Cooper," He turned to the teleport and took three bracelets. "I think you deserve one of these." Mr. Cooper smiled and took the bracelet to put it on. Alonzo saw this and mouthed 'Hey' as he stood up. Mr. Cooper chuckled.

"Take care of yourself, Midshipman Alonzo Frame." Alex said with a smile. It didn't reach her eyes, but it was the best she could do. The Doctor started the machine. Before they disappeared, Alonzo saluted them. The Doctor saluted him, forefinger to the forehead.

-x-

Somewhere in an open space in London, the TARDIS was waiting patiently. The Doctor, Alex, and Mr. Cooper walk across it what appeared to be falling snow. "So, Great Britain is part of, uh, 'Europee' and just across the British Channel you've got Great France and Great Germany." Mr. Cooper said.

"No, no, it's just – it's just France and Germany. Only Britain is great." Alex snorted. The Time Lord turned to Alex, confused.

"And what exactly would America be?" Alex crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at the _British _man.

The Doctor knew the right answer to that question. "America is just as great." He answered with easy. He relaxed still when Alex smirked, showing that he got the answer right.

"Oh, and they're all at war with the continent of Ham-erica?" Mr. Cooper asked.

"No, well...not yet, uh...could argue that one." They arrived at the TARDIS. "There she is." Alex ran her hands down the familiar wood, happy that they were with her again. The Doctor patted his beautiful ship. "Survive anything."

"You know, between you and me, I don't even thing this snow is real. I think this is the ballast from the Titanic's salvage entering the atmosphere." Mr. Cooper said, gesturing to the 'snow' falling from the sky.

The Doctor looked up at the sky. "Yeah. One of these days it might snow for real."

"So, I – I suppose you'll be off." Mr. Cooper said.

"The open sky." Alex answered.

"And, uh, what about me?" The elderly man asked.

"We travel alone." Alex felt a rush from his statement. "It's best that way."

"What – what am I suppose to do?" Mr. Cooper questioned.

The Doctor paused. He held his hand out. "Give me that credit card." The man obediently gave it over.

"Well, it's just petty cash, spending money. It's all done by computer. I – I didn't really know the currency so I thought a million might cover it." Alex's eyes went wide and she looked over to that credit card in shock.

The Doctor was feeling something of the same thing. "A million? Pounds?"

"That enough for trinkets?" He asked.

"Mr. Copper, a million pounds is worth 50 million credits." The Doctor answered.

Mr. Cooper was quiet for a moment. "How much?" He asked.

The Doctor was mentally calculating. Alex could hear the gears in his head turning quickly. "50 million and 56."

"I – I've got money!" Mr. Cooper laughed.

"Yeah, you do." Alex smiled as the Doctor handed back the card.

"Oh my word. Oh my vot! Oh my goodness me! I – Ya-ha!" He laughed louder.

"It's all yours – Planet Earth. Now that's a retirement plan. But just you be careful, though." The Doctor warned.

"I will. I will. Oh, I will." Mr. Cooper said.

"No interfering. I don't want any trouble. Just...just have a nice life." The Doctor insisted.

"But I can have a house, a proper house, with a garden, and – and a door, and...Oh, Doctor, Alex, I will made you proud." He hugged each of them. "And – and I can have a kitchen with chairs, and windows, and lace..." He skipped off laughing.

Alex paused as the Doctor unlocked the TARDIS' doors. "Um… Where are you going?" She asked.

He turned back to her, chuckling. "I have no idea!"

"No, we don't either." The Doctor muttered.

"But, Doctor, Alex," They turned to Mr. Cooper. "I won't forget her." At the door, the two brunettes nod and look towards the sky. They see a blue streak zigzag across the sky. They look back at Mr. Cooper skipping away.

"Merry Christmas, Mr. Cooper." The Doctor said softly, for the both of them. As they go into the TARDIS, Alex had to say something.

"Doctor," He turned to her, "I want to say something." He waited patiently for her to continue. "It's about when you said 'we're not alone'."

He frowned. "Allie…" He started, thinking she had a problem with that.

She read that on his face. "No, no, no." She held her hands out, and he took them. "I just wanted to say that I'm happy." He blinked, confused now. She smiled at him. "I'm happy now that it's not '_I'm _alone' anymore, it's '_we're _alone'." That made her so happy.

The Doctor smiled. He walked over to the TARDIS heart and pressed a couple of buttons, as the familiar humming sound started, so did some classical music. It was Alex's turn to look confused. He walked back over to her. "I realized something."

"What?" She asked.

He held out his hand for her. "I never danced with you." Alex laughed and took his hand. The Time Lord leaned down and kissed her. The kiss was intense and passionate. They opened their mouths and their tongues came out and played and as they crossed space and time, The Doctor and his Alex danced in the TARDIS.

_In Memory of _

_VERITY LAMBERT_

_1935 – 2007_

-I thought this was really nice that they put this in, so I decided to do it as well. For those who don't know, Verity Lambert is the founding producer of _Doctor Who_-


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

It had been a while since Alex Harper had met the Doctor. Martha Jones had left. It was now just Alex and the Doctor. It wasn't bad; they now didn't have to hold back. Their relationship was very… touchy. They were always touching, even if it was something as small as holding hands. They didn't have to kiss. That wasn't the important part to them. They just had to _touch_.

Alex's hair had finally grown back to its full length again. As much as she loved it short, she loved her hair even more when it was long. Alex and the Doctor had a special relationship since they first met. But, somehow, when they got together – dating wasn't really the term since the Doctor's technically never asked her to be his girlfriend – it got even more special. They now always knew what the other was thinking.

It wasn't just thought, they soon found out they knew what the other was _feeling _as well. All and all, Alex had to be the happiest person in the world. She loved the Doctor. He loved her. They had the best lives, she thought. They were always on adventures. He was always showing her amazing sights. She never wanted it to end.

And it never was going to…

-x-

The Doctor and Alex Harper walked down a crowded street. The Doctor was wearing his brown suit with his brown trench coat. Alex was wearing a bright orange short sleeved polo shirt. Underneath she had a long sleeved blue shirt. With some dark wash jeans, purple converse, stylish fedora, and her hair in a messy but stylish bun, Alex was rocking.

The brunette finally got to the building. The Doctor walked up to the fire exit. He pulled out the sonic screwdriver. Alex looked around to make sure no one saw them. It was a little hard to believe it went unnoticed. The reason being, when the Doctor used his screwdriver on the fire exit, it lit up with a loud crack. 

The duo walked into the room. "Ella White?" The Doctor asked. He knew his Alex would understand. Alex nodded with a smile. They walked down a deserted corridor. A security guard walked up to them. The Time Lord flashed the physic paper. "John Smith and Ella White, Health and Safety." The security guard gave them a sharp nod.

Alex giggled. She waited until they were out of hearing distant to speak. "I do love the physic paper." The Doctor grinned at her. That paper had gotten them out of some tight situations before. Alex started to swing their hands again.

They finally got into the projector room. The Doctor sat on the right side of the machine. Alex sat in front of him. They watched the presentation through the window. About three dozen people filled into the room. Finally, a woman stepped onto the platform. She was wearing a black suit. Accompanied she had some black heels – to which Alex winced, she loved shoes but those looked like they could be a killer. Her blonde hair was currently in a thick, neat bun. Her icy blue eyes were behind thick black glasses. The only color the woman had been her red nail polish and red lipstick.

"Adipose Industries." The woman began. "The 21st century way to lose weight. No exercise, no diet, no pain. Just lifelong freedom from fat. The holy grail of the modern age. And here it is." She lifted up a small red and white pill. "You just take one capsule, one capsule, once a day, for three weeks. And the fat, as they say…"

A computerized voice finished for her. "The fat just walks away." The words appeared behind her as the voice spoke.

A brunette woman spoke up. This woman was an African American woman with black hair that was in tight curls. She was wearing a light brown suit with a white shirt underneath. The jacket was open. The shirt had a couple of buttons undone on the top. All in all, she had a casual business look to her.

"Excuse me, Miss. Foster, if I could? I'm Penny Carter, science correspondent for the Observer. There are a thousand diet pills on the market, A thousand con men stealing people's money. How do we know the fat isn't going straight into your bank account?"

Alex had to agree. "Oh Penny, if cynicism burnt up calories, we'd all as thin as rakes. But, if you want the science, I'll oblige."

The presentation started up. The same computerized voice spoke up. "Adipose Industries. The Adipose capsule is composed of a synthesized mobilizing lipase, bound to a large protein molecule." The screen in the front of the room corresponded with the voice. "The mobilizing lipase breaks up the triglycerides stored in the adipose cells, which then enter…"

The Doctor held up the physic paper to the man that had been controlling the projector. "Health and Safety." The Doctor paused. "Film Department."

The presentation ended and Miss. Foster stepped back onto the platform. "100 percent legal, 100 percent effective."

Penny Carter was not done. "But, can I just ask, how many people have taken the pills to date?"

"We've already got one million customers within the Greater London area alone. But from next week, we start rolling out nationwide. The future starts here. And Britain will be _thin_."

-x-

Alex and the Doctor walked into a calling room. Many phones were going off. The response would always be, 'Hello I am representing Adipose Industries'.

Alex slipped out of the Doctor's grip. She remembered a _very _good part of this. The Doctor gave her a questioning glance. She usually never got away from him. She just smiled at him and winked. The Doctor shook his head but smiled.

He picked a random desk and slid a chair over to the woman. Alex took a glance at her name. The plate said, 'Clare'. He lifted up the physic paper for her to see. "John Smith and Ella White, Health and Safety. Don't mind us." He whispered.

Clare turned her chair to look at the Doctor. Alex took a seat next to him. She felt a tightening feeling in her gut at Clare's look. She ignored it though. The Doctor would never do something like… that to her. He was better than any _human _guy could be.

The Doctor fiddled with the pendent as Clare spoke to a customer. "It's made of 18 carats gold, and it's yours free. No, we don't give away pens, sorry. No, I can't make an exception, no." Alex could feel her insides melt when she glanced over at the Time Lord. He had his 'thinking face' as she named it.

Alex mentally shook her thoughts and asked Clare for the client list. Alex couldn't stop the frown from forming on her lips. Clare didn't look away from the Time Lord. Thankfully, she seemed to at least hear Alex, for she agreed.

"Where's the printer?" Alex asked.

"Over by the plant." Clare said distantly. Alex frowned even more.

"That's the printer there?" The Doctor stood up and turned to the direction Clare had stated.

"By the plant, yeah." Clare answered.

"Lovely." He sat back down. He turned to Alex. He gave her a special grin. She felt her heart fluttered deeply within her chest. She smiled back. She made sure it wasn't flirty. As Alex glanced back at Clare, the brunette wanted nothing more.

The Doctor suddenly stood up again. "Has it got paper?" Alex raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, Jimbo keeps it stocked." Clare answered enthusiastically.

"Excuse me, everyone may I have your attention?" Miss. Foster walked in. The Doctor and Alex lifted their heads up slightly, just over the walls of the cubical. When Miss. Foster turned to talk in their direction, both brunettes shot their heads down. "On average, you're each selling 40 Adipose packs per day. It's not enough. I want 100 sales per person per day. And if not, you'll be replaced. 'Cause if anyone's good at trimming the fat, it's me. Now, back to it."

Miss. Foster walked off. Alex and the Doctor looked at each other. "Anyways," the Doctor said. "If you could print that off, thanks." Clare printed off the client list. The Doctor stood up to go. "Thanks then." Alex smirked; this was where it was going to pay off. Clare grabbed his hand and gave him a piece of paper. The Doctor sat back down. "Oh, what's that?"

"My telephone number." Clare answered. There was a flirtatious look in her eyes.

The Doctor, however, was confused. _Oh, don't worry Doctor, you'll understand soon enough_. Alex was laughing in her mind. "What for?"

"Health and Safety. You be health, I'll be safety." The Doctor finally got it.

"Ah. Ah." _There_! There was the looking Alex had been waiting for. She bit her lip to stop the storm of laughter that wanted to burst from her lips. "But that contravenes, ah, paragraph five subsection C. Sorry." He got back up. He shot Alex a look. They both got up and went over to the printer.

Alex couldn't hold it anymore. In hushed whispers, she let her laughter out in small quantities. "Oh my God!" She laughed. "That was _classic_!" The Doctor shot her another look.

The duo finally got to the printer. The Doctor fiddled around. Alex realized that the paper hadn't printer. Her Time Lord moved things to see where it could be. Alex chuckled. "Time to go back to you know who." She said in sing song.

The Doctor shot her another look. Alex knew he wasn't really angry at her. He could _never _be angry at her. The Doctor walked back over to Clare. He chuckled. She smirked at him. "_Us_ again." It didn't work. Alex giggled.

-x-

Alex and the Doctor walked down a street. The Doctor had picked a random name on the sheet. Alex swung their hands back and forth. "At least now I know why you got away from me."

She laughed. "Of course, I couldn't pass up the look on your face." She chuckled just remembering it. "Although, I really wanted to."

The Doctor looked over at her. "Why's that?"

She rolled her eyes. Leave it to a _guy_, to totally miss the looks a girl gives him. "She was giving you looks." She mumbled. "It was really flirtatious looks."

"Wait a minute," He was grinning. "You were jealous."

Alex mouth flew open. She smacked his arm. "I was not!"

"You were so!" He shot back. Alex looked away pouting. He reached down and pressed a kiss to her temple. She felt her cheeks flare red. Suddenly, he stopped her. He turned her. They stared at each other for a couple of minutes. Alex could feel her heart beat speed up the longer the Doctor's liquid brown eyes were on her. "Allie," She shuddered.

"Doctor." They leaned in and kissed each other. The kiss flared up all the usual emotions, all the usual feelings. Butterflies rammed in her stomach. Tingles raced down her spine. Her heart felt like it was going to explode as it raced.

He slowly trailed his lips away from hers. She felt breathless. He nuzzled her face. "How could I see her, when I've got you?" He murmured. Alex melted. He tugged her close to him and they hugged. "I love you Allie. I can't love anyone else."

"I love you Doctor." The smaller brunette murmured from his chest. He kissed her cheek. He loved it when she said that.

-x-

They finally reached the door. The Doctor knocked. A man answered the door. "Sir Roger Davey, We're calling on behalf of Adipose Industries." The Doctor flashed the physic paper.

"We would just like to ask you a few questions." Alex explained. Roger Davey nodded and let them in.

-x-

"I've been on the pills two weeks now, I've lost fourteen kilos." Roger Davey explained. Roger was sitting on a chair. Off to his right, Alex sat on his couch. The Doctor didn't sit. Instead, he paced in front of the man.

"And… That's the same every day?" Alex asked.

"One kilo exactly." Roger answered. "You wake up and it's disappeared overnight. Well, technically speaking, it's gone ten past one in the morning."

"What makes you say that?" The Time Lord asked.

"That's when I get woken up. Might as well weigh myself at the same time." The Doctor and Alex shared a look of suspicion. "It is driving me mad." Roger said. "Ten past one, every night, bang on the dot without fail, the burglar alarm goes off." They went outside to check on it. "I've had experts in, I've had it replaced, I've even phoned Watch Dogs. But no, ten past one in the morning, it goes off."

"But with no burglars?" The Doctor asked.

"Nothing. I've given up looking."

Alex seemed to realize something. "Sir Davey," He looked over. "Do you have a cat flap?" The Doctor's face was one of relation. He looked at the small brunette like she was brilliant. And, most likely, he really was thinking that.

-x-

Roger Davey and the Doctor were on the inside of the door that held the cat flap. Alex was on the other side. The Doctor had the sonic screwdriver holding up the flap so he could see Alex. They were inspecting it. "It was there when I bought the house. Never bothered with it. I'm not a cat person."

"No, we've met cat people. You're nothing like them." Alex smiled. She remembered 'Gridlock'.

"Is that what it is then? Cat's getting inside the house?" Alex sighed. _If only it was that simple_. But, she knew the Doctor would say that it wouldn't be 'as fun'.

"Well," The Doctor drawled out his 'l'. "The thing about cat flaps is that they don't just let things in, they let things out as well."

"Like what?"

Alex remembered something that the computer voice at the presentation said. "'The Fat Just Walks Away'." Alex quoted. She didn't think that it would be so accurate.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex decided to leave. It was best. "Well, thanks for the help. Tell you what, maybe you could lay off the pills for a week or so." A beeping went off. Alex turned to the Time Lord.

"Is that what I think it is?" The Doctor ignored her as he pulled out the device.

"Oooh, gotta go, sorry." The Doctor took off. Alex ran after him, right on his heels. The brunette Time Lord ran down a street. Suddenly, he stopped as the device started to act up. Alex ran right into his back. The Doctor turned to see Alex nursing her nose. She shot him a look. The Doctor banged on the device before blowing on it. The device started to work again. He took off. Alex went off after him. He ran down and stopped. Alex was really starting to hate that thing. He waved the device around. It dinged and they took off again.

The Doctor ran into the street. Alex gasped and grabbed his coat. She dragged him back just as a speeding van went by. Alex resisted the urge to flip the car off. The device dinged. Alex whirled around and looked at the Doctor. He looked just as shocked. The device was reacting to the van. The brunettes took off after it. They took off after the van, but when they turned the corner it was gone.

"What?" Alex's voice echoed in the quiet street. She did a full turn. "Where did it go?"

The Doctor looked at the device disappointed. He reached for his Alex. They hugged again. There was one thing that they didn't know.

They were only one street away from Donna Noble.

The two brunettes walked back down the street. They went back to their home, the TARDIS.

-x-

Alex sighed as she lay on her bed. After the last adventure, she wanted to sleep. But she knew she couldn't. Alex smiled and jumped up. She fixed her clothes, putting her hair back on and walked down the stairs to the control center of the TARDIS. She knew that was where her Time Lord would be.

"Oooh, fascinating," she could hear him as she descended from the stairs. "Seems to be a bio-flip digital stitch, specifically for…" Alex heard him stop. She finally got down to the stairs. She saw that he had looked up from his work. Her heart clenched. He looked so sad. He looked so… ancient.

"Doctor?" She asked softly. His head snapped over. Her heart slightly unclenched when she saw her Time Lord's face brighten up immensely at seeing Alex. The Doctor felt all his sadness and pain go away. Alex could do that without even knowing it.

"Allie!" He ran over and dragged her back to the heart of the TARDIS. He pointed to the capsule. "Look!" Alex couldn't stop her smile. He sounded so much like a small boy.

Alex did as he commanded. She peeped into the magnify glass. "So…" She blinked. "What exactly am I looking for?" She held her stray strands of her hair for a good look.

He chuckled. He went back into his long, scientific explanation about what the Adipose capsule really was. Alex wasn't paying attention. She nodded, absentmindedly, in the right places. She was focused on the look he had before she called his attention to her. He looked so sad and ancient. She didn't want him to look like that anymore. She wanted him to be _happy_.

Alex reached up and hugged the Time Lord. "Allie?" He asked. He hugged her back anyways.

"You're not alone, Doctor." She murmured into his ear. "You've got me. You and me. We're together." He sighed deeply and buried his face into her neck. He knew where this was coming from. She must have seen his face before she came down.

"I know, Allie." It was easier said than done for him. He wasn't about to tell her that. There was just so much in his mind, in his hearts that was painful. But, he knew… He knew in the deepest part of his hearts.

Alex was making it better.

Slowly, just by being near him. She was healing his wounds. She was healing his hearts. Just like she wanted, she was fixing his hearts. He reached down and took her lips in a kiss. Alex shuddered. Their lips moved in unison. Alex opened her mouth at the same time as the Doctor. Their tongues slowly came out and started to play. Alex fought the urge to just melt into the Doctor's warm embrace.

"Allie…" He breathed. They broke the kiss just for a moment. She shuddered.

"Doctor…" His grip went tighter. The Doctor's hearts were pounding in his ears. He couldn't get her close enough to him. He kissed her again. It was strange, but he felt so much like a school boy. Even the smallest touch from this girl made him go crazy.

He finally let her go. She breathed deeply. He couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips from her face. It was completely dreamy. She smiled back up at him. He gave her a small, quick kiss on her tingling lips. "I love you, Allie."

"Love you too, Doctor."

-x-

The Doctor ran around the TARDIS controls, pulling and pushing at the buttons. Alex watched him with a smile. He grinned back at her. The TARDIS finally landed with a loud 'thud'. The Doctor lifted his hand to her. Alex took it and they walked out of the ship.

Alex turned around and raised an eyebrow. She saw a blue car just meters away from the TARDIS. The Doctor locked up the ship and tugged Alex along with him. The brunette looked closely at the car; she could have sworn she knew that car. Finally, Alex shrugged it off and jogged to keep up with the Doctor's long strides.

They got to the fire exit the Doctor used the sonic screwdriver. Just like before, the door sparked with a loud crack. The Time Lord opened the door for his girl. They grinned at each other as she walked in. He followed her. The Doctor veered right. Alex stopped after a couple of steps and went after him. He opened a storage closet. Once he and Alex got inside he locked it with the screwdriver.

"Now we wait." He told her. She nodded.

-x-

Alex felt her knee bounce as she sat on the Doctor's lap. His chin would have been sitting on her head, but she had her hat on. She was tucked into him in his lap. His arms were wrapped around her. She had turned and pressed her ear to his chest.

He had been leaning back. Alex did what she could _not _to fall asleep. She loved their adventures and all, but there were times where they had to wait. To Alex, that was the only boring part of her life.

She yawned and stretched her back a bit. She looked up at the Doctor. He was looking at the door without seeing it. Alex knew that look. It meant he was thinking. Alex's blue eyes slide down his well sculptured face to his lips. Her own lips tingled at the thought of touching them.

Alex, being a teenage, couldn't resist for long. She reached up and touched his lips to her.

The Doctor had been letting his thoughts wander when he felt a soft pressure on his lips. He was snapped out of his thoughts immediately. He bit back a noise at her lips against his. Oh, how he loved her.

His arms tightened their hold against her as he leaned her back slightly, taking complete control in the kiss. Alex submitted to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She felt so breathless. She hoped that it would _never _get tiring to kiss the Doctor. Something told her that it never was.

-x-

After kissing the breath out of each other for what seemed like forever, the Doctor finally lifted his head up. Alex kissed his jaw gently. "Is it time?"

He understood what she meant. He grinned down at her. "Yeah." They got up and the Doctor fished into his jacket to get the sonic screwdriver. He got it out and used it on the door. He opened it and held it out for Alex. It made her heart melt; she loved when a guy did that – screw with what feminists said. They ran off to have some fun.

-x-

"No." Alex chanted. "No, no, no, no, _no_." They were now on the roof and Alex refused to go down the side of the building in a window cleaner's wobble, unstable, all around unsafe cradle. She was terrified of heights.

The Doctor gave her a look. She shot him one. "Allie," Alex bit her lip. The way he said it was so persuasive. She could hear what he was saying. He was going to keep her safe. He would never let her get hurt.

Alex whined. She resisted the urge to stomp her foot. Yes, in some cases, Alex could be a child. "But…" She whined. "I don't like heights!"

The Doctor held out one of his hands. "Allie." He used the same tone. "Come on."

It was unfair. With his tone and the look he was giving her, she would do anything. She could practically feel her resolve crumble. She weakly took his hand. He guided her into the cradle and wrapped an arm around her so she was tight against him. He leaned down and gave her lips a chaste kiss. Alex laid her head against his chest. _Okay, so this isn't so bad_… With her head against the Doctor's chest, his heartbeat and breathing was calming her down.

Miss Foster came through the door. Behind her, were two guards with Penny between them. The brunettes ducked down to hide. The Doctor pulled out the stethoscope. Alex grabbed a part of the headset and put it to her ear so they could both hear. She pressed her head to his since the stethoscope didn't have much of a reach.

The Doctor put the tunable diaphragm to the window so they could hear the conversation without being seen. "This is ridiculous." Penny commented.

"Sit there." Miss Foster commanded. The guards forced Penny towards the chair.

"I'm phoning me editor." Alex couldn't stop her eyes from rolling. _And how is that going to help? _She thought cynically.

"I said sit." Alex could hear the guards force Penny into a chair. They tied her up to make sure she stayed there.

"You can't tie me up." _Actually, they can_. Alex paused. She seemed to be getting a little more cynical. Alex pouted and threw a look to the Time Lord next to her. It was obviously because of him. Thankfully, he didn't notice the look she gave him. "What sort of country do you think this is?"

"Oh, it's a beautifully fat country." Alex could practically hear the smile on Miss. Foster's face. "And believe me; I've traveled a long way to find obesity on this scale." She actually sounded pleased. Alex felt a little cautious about that.

Penny seemed a little ticked. For good reason too, would you be happy if you were forced to stay with some crazy lady and tied to a chair? "So come on then, Miss Foster, those pills, what are they?"

"Well, you might as well have your scoop, since you'll never see it printed. This," she lifted up one of the pills. "Is the spark of life."

"And what's that suppose to mean?" Penny asked nervously. Alex blinked, bewildered. She turned to the Doctor. She gave him a confused look. He lifted his hand, sending her a look telling her to wait. Miss. Foster was probably going to explain it.

"Officially, the capsule attracts all the fat cells and flushes them away. Well, it certainly attracts them, that part's true. But it binds the fat together and galvanises it to form a body." Alex honestly had no idea how to react to that. Her eyebrows rose up, but other than that, there was no change in her face.

"Well, what d'you mean, 'a body'?" Penny asked. Alex shook her head. She sometimes was so ashamed of her race. It means what it means, _duh_. _And there it is again_, Alex sighed. She was being cynical again.

"I am surprised that you never asked about my name." Miss. Foster answered. "I chose it well. Foster… As in, foster mother." She opened a draw from her desk. "And these, are my children." She placed an Adipose on the desk.

"You kidding me." Penny stammered. "What the hell is that?" The Doctor and Alex both lifted their heads to see through the window. Alex bit her tongue to stop a 'aw' from leaving her lips. She couldn't help it though! They were so _cute_!

Miss. Foster walked around her desk to stand in front of Penny. "Adipose. It's called an Adipose. Made out of living fat. Stripped from an ordinary human…"

Alex saw something out of the corner of her. She looked over and her mouth dropped. There, across from them, was Donna Noble. She looked over at well. Alex face lit up drastically. She loved Donna! Alex looked over at the Doctor and swallowed the urge to laugh. He hadn't noticed. She whacked his arm. He looked over, confused. She gave a firm point to the red head across from them.

He looked over, doing a double take, when he saw Donna. They were stunned into silence. Alex bit her lip hard to stop from giggling happily. She couldn't stop the grin from splintering her face. "Donna?" The Doctor mouthed through the window.

"Doctor!" Donna was mouthing as well. This started a silent conversation between the two.

"But… What? Wha… What?" He responded in disbelief.

"Oh my God!" Donna breathed. Alex had a fun time looking between the two.

"But… How?"

"It's me!" Donna gestured that.

"Yes, I can see that." The Doctor gestured as well.

"Oh this is brilliant!"

"But what the hell are you doing over there?"

"I was looking for you!"

The Doctor pointed to himself. "What for?"

Donna mimed her short explanation to help tell. "I, came here, trouble, read about it, internet, I thought, trouble = you! And this place is weird! Pills! So I hid. Back there. Crept along. Heard this lot. Looked. You! 'Cause they..." Donna gestured and pointed over to Miss Foster who, along with the guards and Penny, was watching them. The Doctor and Alex looked over as well to notice this.

The three froze. "Are we interrupting you?"

"Run!" The Doctor mouthed.

"Get her!" Miss. Foster commanded. The Doctor pointed the sonic screwdriver at the door and locked it. "And them!" The Time Lord then turned the screwdriver to elevate the cradle to the roof.

Alex and the Doctor hastily got off the cradle and both to the stairs and quickly went down them. Finally Donna met up with the two. Alex grinned as the Doctor and Donna gave each other a big hug. "Oh my God! I don't believe it! You even got the same suit." Donna's tone became aghast. "Don't you ever change?"

"Actually, he does." Alex intervened. "He's got this amazing blue suit that I keep telling him to wear more 'cause I like it better than the brown, but ya know," she shrugs, "whatever. Oh! By the way, my name is Alex Harper." She took Donna's hand excitedly and shook it. "It's absolutely fantastic to finally meet you Donna Noble."

Donna laughed. "Well, you got a girl just like you." The brunettes looked at each other.

"Really?" They asked simultaneously.

"Have you kissed her?" Alex laughed at Donna's bluntness.

"Thanks Donna, not right now." Alex looked down the stairs when gunfire met their ears. The Doctor did the same. He looked back at Donna. "Just like old times!" He grabbed Alex's hand and they ran back upstairs and to the roof.

Donna was babbling excitedly. "'Cause I thought, how do I find the Doctor? And then I just thought, look for trouble and then he'll turn up! So I looked everywhere, you name it - UFOs, sightings, crop circles, sea monsters. I looked, I found them all. Like that stuff about the bees disappearing, I thought, I bet he's connected. 'Cause the thing is, Doctor, I believe it all now. You opened my eyes. All those amazing things out there, I believe them all. Well, apart from that replica of the Titanic flying over Buckingham Palace on Christmas Day, I mean that's gotta be a hoax!"

During all of this the Doctor was messing with the cradle controls with the sonic screwdriver. Alex held things obediently. The Doctor finally turned to Donna. Out of all of the things she said, there was only one thing he noticed. "What do you mean the bees are disappearing?"

"I don't know. That's what is says on the internet." Donna answered.

Alex pumped a fist into the air. "Go internet." The Doctor gave her an amused look. She giggled.

Donna continued. "Well, on the same website, there were all the conspiracy theories about Adipose Industries and I thought, let's take a look!"

"In you get!" He motioned to the cradle.

Alex whined. "Doctor!" _Not again_! The Doctor gave her a look and reached out his hand. She sighed broodingly, but got into the cradle with him.

Donna didn't budge. "What in that thing?"

"Yes in that thing."

"But if we go down, then they'll just call us back up again." Donna had a good point. Alex looked over to the Time Lord questioningly.

The Doctor had the answer to that. "No no no, cos I've locked the controls with a sonic cage. I'm the only one who can control it. Not unless she's got a sonic device of her own. Which is _very_ unlikely."

Alex looked at the Doctor exasperated and whacked his arm again. He looked over shocked. "Don't say that! You might jinx us!" He shook his head at her and motioned Donna to get in. She got in hesitantly.

The three started their slow descent down the building. _Can't we make this thing go any faster_? No sooner after Alex though that, the cradle suddenly shot down the building, picking up speed rapidly. The three grasped the side of the cradle. The Doctor lifted his screwdriver and stopped the cradle all together. The three were thrown to the floor at the sudden stop.

"See?" Alex snapped. "You jinxed us!" The Doctor shot her a look as if to say, 'not now, Allie'. The girl stuck her tongue out at him.

They got up and the Doctor pointed to the window with his screwdriver. "Hold on, hold on, we can get in through the window." Alex looked up as saw that Miss Foster said something into her wrist watch. She heard a locking sound and reached up and grasped, as best she could, and tried to pull the window open. "Can't get it open!" The Doctor muttered.

Donna looked around and spotted a huge spanner. "We smash it then!" Unfortunately, that didn't work either. The safety glass was too strong. The three continued to struggle to open the stupid window.

Alex looked up when she saw a spark of some kind. She gasped. "She's cutting the cable!" Both Donna and the Doctor had just enough time to look up as well before the wire snapped. Alex landed roughly on the side, now the bottom, of the cradle. The Doctor also managed to hold on as well. "Donna!" Alex cried as the woman swung out of the cradle.

"Donna!" The Doctor echoed.

"Doctor!" Donna cried. The red head was able to grab the broken cable to hold onto it.

"Hold on!" The Doctor called to her.

Donna was obviously a little ticked. "_I am_!"

Alex and the Doctor tried to pull the cable up, but the position they were both in made it awkward to do so. "Doctor!" Donna called out again.

The Doctor climbed up to the top of the cradle. "Doctor?" Alex asked, unsure. He ignored her for now, knowing she would trust him anyways. He locked his eyes onto the roof, watching intently to see where Miss. Foster would appear. He had an idea how to get out of this, but in order to do so; he needed Miss. Foster's sonic pen.

Miss. Foster came into his sights, sonic pen pointed to the second cable. He lifted his own sonic devise and closed one eye to make sure he got it just right. The sonic screwdriver buzzed as he turned it on. The pen sparked and Miss. Foster dropped it. "Aah!" She gasped and grasped her hand. The Doctor put his screwdriver into his mouth and caught the pen.

Alex couldn't help but be impressed. She smiled, he was an impressive man, and he was all hers. No one else had someone like him. She couldn't help but be smug. She had this amazing, brilliant, impressive man all to herself! She would never let that Time Lord go.

The Doctor reached over to the window and this time used the sonic pen to open it. It worked and he slid it open. "Allie!" He waved her up, wanting her to go first. Alex swallowed roughly, since now the cradle rocked even more dangerously. She made a mental note to never go into one of these things again. Donna continued to mutter things. "We won't be a minute!" The Doctor called to her.

"This is all your fault!" Alex caught Donna saying as she got through the window. "I should have stayed 'ome!" The Doctor was next to go through the window and landed none too gracefully onto the floor.

Alex snorted and laughed. "Nice one, Doctor." She teased.

He brushed himself off. "Shut up, Allie." He muttered. "I meant to do that."

This made her laugh harder. "Oh yeah," she answered sarcastically. "It's _obvious _you meant to do that." He shot her a look. But she caught the twitch in his lips. He was fighting a smile.

The two brunettes rush down stairs and into Miss. Foster's office. Alex was slightly surprised to still see Penny there. The Doctor rushed past her to the window where Donna's feet were. "Is anyone going to tell me what the hell is going on?" Penny asked indignantly.

Alex made herself useful by untying Penny from the chair. "What, you're a journalist?" The Doctor asked. He hadn't even bothered to turn to her; he was too busy opening the window.

"Yes." Penny answered, exasperated.

"Well then, make it up." Alex answered in a very Doctor like way.

After a couple of minutes of struggling the Doctor finally managed to get Donna inside the building. Donna fixed her shirt as the two brunettes grinned at her. "I was right. It's always like this for you, innit?"

"Oh yes!" The Doctor answered. "And off we go!"

Alex ran back and popped her head around the door to look at Penny. "Oh, by the way, little friendly advice, do yourself a favor, and get the hell out." Alex said nicely. With that, she popped back around and caught up to the Doctor and Donna.

The trio had gotten as far as the center call area before they ran into Miss. Foster and her two bodyguards. "Well then," Miss. Foster spoke first, taking her glasses off. "At last."

"Hello." Donna offered.

"Nice to meet you, I'm the Doctor."

"I'm Alex." She offered a small wave with a hesitant smile.

"And I'm Donna." The red head finished.

"Partners in Crime." Miss. Foster said. "And evidently off-worlders judging by your sonic technology."

"Oh yes, I've still got _your _sonic pen." The Doctor patted his suit to see where he put it. He pulled it out when he found it. "Nice, I like it. Sleek, it's kinda sleek."

He showed it to the girls. "Oh, it's defiantly sleek." Donna commented.

"Totally." Alex added.

"Yeah, and if you were to sign your real name that would be…?"

"Matron Cofelia of the Five-Straighten Classabindi Nursery Fleet. Intergalactic Class." Alex blinked. The long name made her head spin a bit, in all honesty.

"A wet nurse." The Doctor muttered. "Using humans as segregates."

"I've been employed by the Adiposian First Family to foster a new generation after their breeding planet was lost."

The Doctor voiced the brunette girl's thoughts. "What do you mean lost? How do you lose a planet?"

"Oh, the politics are none of my concern. I'm just here to take care of the children on behalf of the parents." Miss Foster stated.

"So… She's like an…" Alex thought of a term. "An outer space supernanny?"

"Yes if you like." Miss. Foster smiled.

"So, so those little things," _Adipose, _Alex added mentally, "they're, they're made out of fat, but that woman, Stacy Campbell, there was nothing left of her."

"Oh, in a crisis the Adipose can convert bone and hair and internal organs. Makes them a little sick, poor things."

"What about poor Stacy?" Donna asked.

"Seeding a level 5 planet is against galactic law." The Doctor pointed out, completely serious. Alex's insides quivered at his Time Lord voice. It always got that effect on her.

"Are you threatening me?" Miss. Foster asked calmly.

"I'm trying to help you, Matron." _As he always does_, that's what he did. He didn't threaten people, he helped them. "This is your one chance, 'cause if you don't call it off, then I'll have to stop you."

"I hardly think you can stop bullets." The bodyguards took that as their qué and lifted their weapons. Alex threw her arms up.

"No, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, one more thing, before... dying. Do you know what happens if you hold two identical sonic devices against each other?" Alex couldn't see where this was going.

Miss. Foster paused for a short moment. "No." She answered evenly.

"Nor me, let's find out." The Doctor pointed the sonic devises at each other and it created an awful noise. Alex pressed her hands to her ears, trying to block out the sound. Miss Foster and her guards hunched over in agony and a glass panel near them shattered. Donna pushed the Doctor as to get him to stop. Alex was thankful for that. Her ears were ringing loudly.

"Come on!" The two brunettes took off after her. They got to a deserted corridor and the Doctor stopped in the same room that they had hidden in earlier that day. He threw the door open and threw the supplies out. Alex and Donna ducked back to miss the flying things. "Well, that's one thing, hide in a cupboard. I like it."

"Quick, easy and no one would think to look for you in there." Alex mentioned. Donna nodded in agreement.

When the small room was clear the Doctor pushed against the wall to open it up. A big, green machine was wired into the whole building. "Hacking into this thing, 'cause the matron's got a computer core running through the center of the building. Triple deadlocked. And now I've got this," The Doctor held up the sonic pen. "I can get into it." The Doctor looked down and fiddled with some wires. "She's wired up the whole building. We need a bit of privacy." He held up two sparking plugs together. "Just enough to stop them."

"Wait, she's got a tower block wired up." Alex pointed out. "But why? What's it for?"

The Doctor was impressive. "Very good question, Allie." He murmured. He started to fiddle with some cables.

"Inducer online." A computerized voice stated.

"You look older." Donna said, softly.

"Thanks," The Doctor replied.

"I see you're not on your own anymore." Alex smiled. The Doctor lifted up a cable, and gave to Alex as he fiddled with it.

"Ah," He murmured. "You haven't met Allie before." Even though Alex already introduced herself, he felt the need to do it again. "Donna, Alex Harper. Allie, Donna Noble." The women smiled at each other.

"Is she the only one you met?" Donna asked.

"Yup. Well no, I had this friend, Martha she was called. Martha Jones. She was brilliant... and I destroyed half her life." Alex sighed and shook her head. It wasn't his fault. "But she's fine. She's good. She's gone."

"And Rose?" Alex felt her heart break.

"Still lost." The Doctor paused. "I thought you were going to travel the world?"

"Easier said than done. It's like I had that one day with you and I was gonna change. I was gonna do so much. Then I woke up next morning, same old life. It's like you were never there." Alex nodded. Once you met the Doctor, it was impossible to forget him. "And I tried. I did try, I went to Egypt. I was gonna go barefoot and everything. And then it's all bus trips and guidebooks and don't drink the water and two weeks later you're back home. It's nothing like being with you. I must have been mad turning down that offer."

"What offer?" He asked as he continued to fiddle with the cables.

"To come with you." The Doctor looked up at her surprised.

"You'd come with me?" He asked.

"Oh yes, please." Donna answered excited.

The Time Lord seemed at a loss for words for a moment. "Right…" He muttered.

"Inducer activated." That turned their attention onto the inducer quite quickly.

"What is it doing?" Alex asked her gut turning.

"She started the program." The Doctor moved quickly.

"Inducer transmitting."

-x-

"So far they're losing weight, but the Matron has gone up to emergency pathogenesis." The Doctor explained in a rush.

"That's when the convert…" Donna said.

"Skeletons, organs, everything. A million people are gonna die!" Alex felt her stomach twist as her heart clenched. "Gotta cancel the signal!" He pulled out the golden capsule and took off one end to reveal a chip. "This contains the primary signal. If I can switch it off the fat goes back to being just fat." He hooked up the capsule to the machine.

Alex smiled, thinking it was over, but the computer spoke up. "Inducer increasing."

The Doctor's face fell. Alex's heart did the same in response. "Doctor?" Alex's voice was small and fearful.

"No no no no no, she's doubled it, I need... Haven't got time! It's too far, I can't override it! They're all gonna die!" The Doctor said tensely.

"Is there anything we can do?" Donna asked.

The Doctor was near panic. Alex couldn't stop her body from tensing up. She could feel his emotions rolling off of him, and it crashed into the small brunette girl. Alex took a deep breath, feeling a little light headed. She felt like she was being suffocated a bit by the amount of emotions he was producing.

"Sorry, Donna, this is way beyond you two! Gotta double the base pulse, I can't..." The Doctor was near panic, seeming now to just press random groups of buttons to try and stop it.

"Doctor, tell us what you need." Alex ordered sternly.

"I need a second capsule to boost the override, but I've only got the one! I can't save them!" The Doctor fiddled with the switches. Donna pulled out her golden capsule like it was nothing. Alex caught it out of the corner of her eye and grinned. She whacked the Time Lord's arm and gestured excitedly to it. The brunette man whirled around and looked at it in shock. They burst out laughing. He took it quickly and plugged it in. All of the lights turn off.

A loud horn sounded. It was so loud it almost shook the building. "What the hell was that?" The Doctor told them it was the nursery.

"When you say, 'nursery'," He looked over at his Alex. "You mean…"

"Nursery ship." The Doctor finished for her with a nod. The computer unit lit up again. Alex looked over as a message came on. Alex leaned forward, her shoulder brushing against the Doctor's arm.

"Hadn't we better go and stop them?" Donna asked.

The Doctor held up a hand to silence her. "Hang on, instructions from the Adiposian First Family." The message continued. Alex's eyebrows furred, she understood what they were saying thanks to the TARDIS translator, but, it still made no sense to her. "She's wired up the tower block to convert it into a levitation post." The Doctor paused as the message continued. "Oh. Ooh. We're not the ones in trouble now. _She_ is!" The Doctor ran off with Alex and Donna right behind him.

-x-

They reached the roof. They watched as the Adipose babies fly towards the nursery ship. "What are you gonna do then? Blow 'em up?" Donna asked.

"They're just children. They can't help where they come from." The Doctor defended. He reached over and took Alex's hand. They smiled at each other and turned to watch the babies.

"Oh, that makes a change from last time. That Martha must've done you good." Donna said. "And of course, Lexi."

There was a pause, before the brunettes turned to the red head. "Did you just call me 'Lexi'?" Alex asked with a smile.

"Of course," Donna crossed her arms. "What so is the Doctor the only one allowed to have a nickname for you, Lexi?"

Alex laughed and lifted her hands. "Oh no, Lexi is very you, Donna." They laughed. "But ya know," Alex grinned. "Martha did do you some good."

"Ah, she did, yeah. Yeah, she did. She fancied me." Donna seemed to be holding back the urge to roll her eyes. Alex grinned wider. It was one of the reasons she loved Donna. There was no romantic chemistry between them – not saying that they didn't have _any _chemistry, Alex though they had _great _chemistry. Donna and the Doctor were purely friends. She was his best friend, nothing more.

"Mad Martha, that one. Blind Martha. Charity Martha." Donna said, smiling. One of the little Adipose babies waved at them. They all waved back. "I'm waving at _fat_."

Alex finally squealed. The Doctor turned to her. "They are so _cute_!" The Doctor laughed and shook his head. He wasn't surprised Alex thought so.

"Actually, as a diet plan, it sort of works." The Doctor spotted the Matron. "There she is!" They ran to the edge. Matron was floating in the air, now at level with them.

"Matron Cofelia, listen to me!" The Doctor begged.

"Oh, I don't think so, Doctor. And if I never see you again, it will be too soon." Matron said.

"Oh, why does no one ever listen?" The Doctor groaned. "I'm trying to help! Just get across to the roof. Can you shift the levitation beam?"

She looked up at the ship. "What? So you can arrest me?"

"Just listen." The Doctor explained. "I saw the Adiposian instructions - they know it's a crime, breeding on Earth. So what's the one thing they want to get rid of? Their accomplice!"

"I'm far more than that." She said proudly. "I'm nanny too all these children!" She opened her arms wide. In the meantime, all of the Adipose babies reached the ship. It was now only Matron still hovering in the air.

"Exactly!" Alex stepped in. "Mom and Dad have got the kids! You did all they needed you to do! Nannies only take care of the children when the Mom and Dad can't! Now that they can, a Nanny isn't needed anymore!"

Suddenly, the blue light vanished. Bewildered, Matron looked down – and she fell with a scream. Alex threw her hands over her face to stop from seeing and turned to the Doctor. Both women buried their faces into his shoulders as he looked down with horror. They looked up at the ship to see an Adipose waving at them as the ship left the planet.

-x-

Down on the street, there were sirens, an ambulance, and police tape. The Doctor, lost in his thoughts, pulled out the sonic pen. He turned and threw it away.

"Oi, you three!" The group turned to see Penny. She had crept out of the building still tied to her chair. Alex raised an eyebrow. Didn't she tell the reporter to get out for her own good? Alex mentally sighed. It was obvious Penny hadn't listened to her. "You're just mad. Do you hear me? Mad! And I'm gonna report you..." She seemed to have trouble coming up for a charge. "For madness!" She crept away.

"You see, some people just can't take it." Alex and the Doctor nodded their heads.

"No." The Doctor agreed.

"But some people can. So, then - TARDIS! Come on!" She grabbed the Doctor's hand and pulled him away. The Time Lord just had enough time to catch Alex's hand and drag her along as well. Alex laughed. They walked down to the alley where the TARDIS and Donna's care was.

Alex made an 'o' with her mouth. Now she remembered. That blue car was Donna's car. Alex felt like smacking herself. Curse her bad memory. "That's my car! That is like destiny!" The Doctor looked back and forth between the car and his TARDIS. He seemed to be bothered that they were so close together. "And I've been ready for this."

She opened the trunk of her car. It was filled with suitcases. "I packed ages ago, 'cause I thought 'hot weather, cold weather, no weather'!" Donna grabbed suitcases as she talked and threw them into the arms of a stunned Time Lord. Alex took them more willingly. "He goes anywhere, I've gotta be prepared."

She threw a stripped hat box onto the top pile that the Doctor was holding. "You've got a… a… Hat box…" Alex bit her lip, but couldn't stop from giggling at his tone.

"Planet of the Hats, I'm ready!" Donna answered excitedly.

The Doctor stood in front of the TARDIS surrounded by Donna's suitcases, looking quite serious. Donna was on the doorstep, babbling away happily, unaware of his mood. Alex, on the other hand, was completely aware of it. She was standing next to him. The apprehensive mood he was in crashed against her like waves. Alex lifted her hands up and took his one hand. He looked at her briefly. It was just enough for him to see that she knew what he was feeling.

"Do I need injections though, do I? Like when you go to Cambodia, is there any of that? 'Cause my friend Veena went to Bahrain, and..." Donna finally noticed the Doctor's face. "You're not saying much."

"No, it's just… It's a funny old life in the TARDIS." The Doctor answered softly.

"You don't want me." Donna's tone was very sad and very quiet.

"I'm not saying that." He tried to defend.

"But you asked me." Donna said desperately. The Doctor just stared at her so sadly. He finally looked away, but ended up looking at Alex. Her eyes were sad. He threw the bags to the ground and gripped one of her hands tightly. "Would you rather be on your own?" Donna asked quietly.

The Doctor's eyes snapped over to her. "No, actually no. But…" He trailed off before picking up again. "The last time, with Martha, like I said it... it got complicated. And that was all my fault." He sighed. "I just want a mate."

Donna's face contorted into horror. "You just want _to mate_?" She asked in shocked disgust.

"I just want _a _mate!" The Doctor corrected.

"You're not mating with me, sunshine!" Donna hid partially behind the TARDIS' doors. "Mate with her!" The red head gestured to Alex. Alex put a hand to her heart, as if to jokingly ask 'me?' "I bet she's more than ready for you!" Alex bit her lip to stop from laughing as the Doctor flushed a slight pink.

"_A _mate! I want _a _mate!"

Donna finally seemed to realize what he was saying. "Well just as well, because I'm not having any of that nonsense. I mean you're just a long streak of... nothing. You know, alien nothing."

The Doctor nodded his head. "There we are then. Okay."

Donna nodded as well, but looked back at him when she realized what he was saying. "I can come?" She asked hopefully.

"Yeah. Course you can, yeah." The Doctor answered.

They grinned together. "We'd love it!" Alex laughed.

She ran to him, arms opened to give him a hug; he lifted his arms as well. "Ohhh, that's just…" She trailed off and looked as if she remembered something. "Car keys!"

The Doctor looked at her confused. "What?" He asked.

"I've still got my mum's car keys! I won't be a minute!" The red head ran off. The Doctor watched her before Alex and he look at each other. They turned and started lugging her suitcases into the TARDIS.

-x-

Alex thought about what the Doctor said. He just wanted a mate… But… She wasn't a mate. She knew that it was probably silly, but she couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about that. The Doctor finally looked over at her. She was sitting there, looking at the ground of the TARDIS. He knew she was thinking.

He walked over to her and took a piece of her hair. She looked up, snapping out of it. He started playing with it. "What's wrong, Allie?" He asked softly.

"Nothing." She answered, just as soft.

He gave her a knowing look. "Allie," He took her face into his hands. He lifted it up so he could see her face. She looked away, and that was a big sign that she was hiding something. "Allie," he repeated, more sternly this time.

Alex bit her lip. She knew that it would be better to just tell the Doctor. "When you were talking to Donna… You said you wanted a mate." The term sounded a little funny to her, but she ignored it.

The Doctor nodded slowly, not seeing where this was going. "Yes."

Alex saw that he didn't understand. Alex took a moment to think of how to put it into words. "You need a _mate_," She repeated again, slowly. "I'm not a mate."

Suddenly, the Doctor's face cleared and he saw exactly what she was thinking. He frowned deeply and grabbed her face again – he had let it drop when she started talking – and got her to look deeply in his eyes. "I love you Allie." He stated sternly. "I love you no matter what, I don't know what happened to you in your world, love," Alex melted when he called her that. "But _here_, I love you and I won't leave you. I was talking about wanting a mate with Donna, and _only _Donna. That was never to be directed at you. I love you and I don't ever want you to leave."

"I won't!" Alex sobbed, breaking down. The Doctor's eyes softened. He could see that it wasn't just this that was bothering her; she had probably been keeping in quite an amount of emotion for some time. He lifted her up and held her tightly. He could feel it, all her emotions. All her pain, and sorrow, and fear, he could feel it all. He kissed her cheek and leaned down to whisper in her ear that he would never leave her, he would always love her, and they would always be together.

Alex's sobs finally settled down. He jerked her backwards before taking her lips into an intensive, passionate, speaks-louder-than-words kiss. The Doctor held her waist, and tangled his fingers into her hair. Alex couldn't fight back even if she wanted to. Alex threw her arms around the Doctor's neck. Their tongues came out and quickly tangled together.

Finally, the Doctor pulled reluctantly away from her. He tried to get his breathing calmed. It was hard, when kissing her, she just was so addicting. He pressed his forehead to hers. Alex finally opened her eyes. As soon as their eyes locked, their lips followed soon after. It was shorter, but no less passionate. "I love you Allie," He breathed.

"Love you too, Doctor." Alex mimicked.

He kissed her forehead. He would love her more than she would ever know.

-x-

Donna entered the TARDIS. "Off we go then!" She said, excited.

"Here it is, The TARIDS." Alex said, though it wasn't necessary. Donna had already been inside of the TARDIS.

"It's bigger on the inside than it is on the outside…" The Doctor said. Donna cut him off.

"Oh yes, I know that bit." The Doctor straightened. "Although frankly, you could turn the heat up."

Alex turned to him. "I told you! I'm not the only one that thinks this place can get freezing!" The Doctor shook his head with a smile. Alex was starting to notice a pattern forming – although, thinking about it, Alex figured it might have already started.

"So, the whole wide universe, where do you want to go?" The Doctor walked up to the controls, ready to go anywhere.

"Oh, I know exactly the place." Donna said.

"And that would be…?" Alex asked.

"Two and a half miles that way." She gestured to the right of the TARDIS. The Doctor did exactly what she wanted. Donna opened the doors and Alex stood a little ways behind her. The Doctor soon joined her. Alex smiled, suddenly remembering what was going to happen. Just as she remember, Wilf, her grandfather – and the man that they had met in 'Voyage of the Damned'.

She saw Wilf bend down and look through the telescope. Donna waved at him goodbye. Alex and the Doctor, behind her, waved as well. She saw Wilf become excited and danced around as the two time travelers – with their new companion – zoomed off into space.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS and pushed back a rough curtain. A broad smile was on his face. Alex came up next to him, her arm brushing against his. Her look said that she was fighting back a squeal. Even after all this time, it still never got old. Donna came to stand beside them. "Ancient Rome." The Doctor said. They stepped out onto the street with market stalls all set up next to each other. "Well, obviously not to them. To all intents and purposes right now… This is brand new Rome." Alex had a blue and white checkered button up shirt with it open, and a white lacy tank top underneath. She wore some light wash jeans and purple converse. She wore her hair down.

Alex clapped her hands. "I've always wanted to go to Rome!"

Donna was just as enthusiastic. "Oh my God, it's … It's so Roman." She said as peopled passed them. "This is fantastic!" She turned and hugged the Doctor. When she broke it, the Doctor took Alex's arm into his. They grinned at each other. He could see she was just as happy to be here as Donna was. "I'm here… In Rome. Donna Noble in Rome." They started to walk along the street. "This is just weird. I mean, everyone hear is dead."

"Well, don't tell them that." Alex said, giggling. They stopped, looking around. Donna looked behind the Doctor to see a sign. She saw the sign was in English. She frowned. "Hold on a minute. That sign over there is in English. Are you having me on? Are we in Epcot?"

"No, no, no, no. That's the TARDIS translation circuits. Just makes it look like English... speech as well. You're talking Latin right now." The Doctor explained. Alex grinned. She always found that amazing.

"Seriously?" Donna asked.

"Oh yeah." Alex answered.

"I just 'seriously' in Latin." The girls giggled.

"Oh yeah." The Doctor was having just as much fun with them.

Donna was laughing. "What if I say something in actually Latin?" She asked. "Like 'veni, vidi, vici'? My dad said that when he came back from football. If I said 'veni, vidi, vici' to that lot, what would it sound like?"

"I'm not sure." The Doctor said.

"Well that's new." Alex added. He threw her a playful look.

"You have to think of difficult questions, don't you?" That was going to bother the Doctor now.

"I'm gonna try it."

"Go Donna!" Alex said, pumping a fist into the air. Donna walked over to a stallholder. She turned to the Doctor. "What does that mean?"

"Oh, 'veni, vidi, vici'?" Alex nodded. "It means, 'I came, I saw, I conquered'. Julius Cesar wrote that after he went to war with Pharnaces II of Pontus in Zela. Which is now Zile, Turkey." Alex nodded, showing she understood.

"Hello, sweetheart." The stallholder greeted. "What can I get for you, my love?"

"Veni, vidi, vici." Donna answered.

"Hunh? Sorry? Me no speak Celtic. No can do, missy." The stallholder said.

"Yeah." Donna muttered before turning and walking back to the brunettes. "What does he mean, 'Celtic'?"

"Welsh." The Doctor answered. "You sound Welsh. There we are. That's something." The Doctor, Donna, and Alex continued to walk through the streets. Alex paused for a moment, the hair on the back of her neck standing on end. Her back twitched. Someone was watching them, she could feel it. She turned around, and saw a glimpse of red fabric disappearing behind a corner. The Doctor turned when he noticed Alex wasn't following them. "Allie?" He called.

Alex shook her head. She must be paranoid or something… "It's nothing." She said turning back around. As she walked back to the Doctor and Donna, she peeked one last glance behind her.

"Won't our clothes look a bit odd?" Donna asked.

"Nah." The Doctor answered. "Ancient Rome, anything goes. It's like Soho... but bigger."

"Or like New York City." Alex added. It was true. New York City would take anything. They were famous for weird things.

"Oh," The Doctor nodded. "Good one."

"Thanks." Alex smiled.

"You've been here before?" Donna asked.

"Hm, ages ago. Before you ask, that fire had nothing to do with me. Well, a little bit, but I hadn't gotten the chance to look around properly. Coliseum... Pantheon... Circus Maximus... You'd expect them to be looming by now. Where is everything?" The Doctor stopped and looked around. "Try this way."

They walked down a street. They came onto a bigger street. Donna looked around. Alex frowned, it had a Roman vibe, sure, but it still didn't seem… Roman enough. "I'm not an expert, but there are Seven Hills of Rome, aren't there? How come they only got one?"

The Doctor and Alex turned and looked to the mountain in the distance. Suddenly, the ground started to shake. "Here we go again." Alex heard a man muttered. Whereas the Doctor and Donna seemed to have trouble keeping their feet, Alex was doing it with ease. She had lived in California for some time. So, she was use to Earthquakes – granted this time wasn't an Earthquake, but same difference in Alex's mind.

The vendors did what they could to save their stalls and their merchandise. "Wait a minute! One mountain... with smoke... which makes this..."

_Oh, you have got to be kidding_. "Pompeii. We're in Pompeii... and it's Volcano Day!"

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Donna raced through the streets of Pompeii. They arrived back to where they parked the TARDIS. But, as the Doctor lifted up the rough curtain, they found the TARDIS wasn't there anymore. "You're kidding. Don't tell me the TARDIS is gone." Donna said.

"Okay." The Doctor said. Alex looked at him when he didn't answer.

"Where's the TARDIs, then?" Alex asked.

"She said not to tell you." The Doctor said. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Don't get clever in Latin." Donna said, ticked. The Doctor ran over to the same stallholder from before.

"Um… Excuse me! Excuse me!" He got the man's attention. "There was a box—big, blue box. Big, blue, wooden box...just over there. Where's it gone?"

"Sold it, didn't I?" The man answered smugly. Alex's mouth dropped. He sold the TARDIS? He sold their precious TARDIS?

"But…" The Doctor looked horrified at the fact someone just sold his valiant ship. "It wasn't your to sell."

"It was on my patch, wasn't it?" The man answered. "I got 15 sesterce for it. Lovely jubbly." He rubbed his hands together.

Alex jumped into the conversation. "Who'd you sell it to?" She squeaked.

"Old Caecilius. Look... if you want to argue, why don't you take it up with him? He's on Foss Street. Big villa can't miss it." The man explained.

"Thanks." The trio ran off to the villa only for the Doctor to turn around and run back to the man, slightly bemused. "What did he buy a big, blue wooden box for?"

-x-

Alex was looking around. She felt her stomach turn in her. She couldn't believe it. Sometime soon – probably really soon with how much the volcano was rumbling – all these people were going to die. It was unbelievable, to be looking at these people, to know something that terrible, and they would never know until it was too late. The Doctor ran up to her and without stopping, grabbed her hand and dragged her along.

The Doctor led Alex back to Donna. "Ha! I've got it! Foss Street, this way!" The Doctor jerked his head in the direction.

"No, I've found this big sort of amphitheatre I think... We can start there. We can get everyone together. Then maybe they've got a great, big bell or something we could ring. Have they invented bells yet?" Donna asked.

The Doctor looked puzzled. "What do you want a bell for?"

"To warn everyone! To start the evacuation! What time does Vesuvius erupt? When's it due?"

The Doctor's face turned serious. "It's 79 AD, 23 of August which makes Volcano Day tomorrow." Alex's heart dropped and looked around at the people again.

"Plenty of time. We can get everyone out easy." Donna said.

The Doctor had other ideas. "Except we're not going to." He grabbed her hand, but she didn't budge.

"But that's what you do. You're the Doctor. You save people." Donna protested.

"But not this time. Pompeii is a fixed point in history. What happens happens. There is no stopping it." The Doctor tried to get her to move again. Alex focused on this part. She remembered this clearly, and honestly, it was hilarious.

"Says who?" Donna asked.

"Say's me." The Doctor answered.

"What, and you're in charge?"

"TARDIS, Time Lord... yeah."

"Donna, human… no!" Alex was having fun looking between them. Just like she remembered, it was hilarious. "I don't need your permission. I'll tell them myself."

"You stand in the marketplace and announce the end of the world; they'll just think you're a mad old soothsayer. Now, come on. TARDIS, we are getting out of here." The Doctor almost growled. Alex knew this was hard for him. She remembered. He could see their deaths. He could see it, and he couldn't _stop _seeing it. He stormed off. The brunette girl's hand was still tightly encased in his, so she had to follow him.

"Well, I just might have something to say about that, spaceman!" Donna called to him.

He turned around to look at her, walking backwards. "Oh I bet you will!" He responded.

Alex looked around at the people. She stopped. A young girl was playing with her doll as her mother sewed something. The little girl had to be 5 or 6. The Doctor jerked back when she didn't move. He turned to her and followed her eyes. His eyes softened. He took her face and forced her to look away. He could see it. The ushered tears, the horror at what would happen to them tomorrow, he could see it all.

He sighed. "Allie," He murmured. He whipped away the tears from the corners of her eyes. "I know, love, I know."

"Doctor," her voice broke. "I… But…" Alex couldn't get it out. He hushed her gently.

"I know, Allie, I know." He repeated. He hugged her tightly. He kissed her head gently. Donna finally came around the corner. He lifted a hand to her, showing her not to say anything. Alex finally got herself together after a moment.

-x-

They finally got the villa. The trio was able to get there just as the volcano started up again. The Doctor came into the house, and saved a bust from falling. "Whoa!" The Doctor said. He righted it and slapped its cheek. "There you go."

"Thank you, kind sir. I'm afraid business is closed for the day. I'm expecting a visitor." The man explained. Alex assumed he was 'Caecilius'.

"Oh, that's me." The Doctor said. He leaned forward and shook Caecilius' hand. "I'm a visitor. Hello."

"Who are you?" He asked.

"I am… Spartacus." The Doctor threw out.

"And so am I." Donna said. Alex shook her head.

Caecilius turned to Alex. "And are you Spartacus, too?"

Alex shook her head. "No, I'm Alexandra." Alex tried hard to make a face.

The man smiled. "Ah, a good name, Alexandra." Alex smiled in thanks.

He turned back to the Doctor and Alex. "So, are you Mr. and Mrs. Spartacus?"

The two couldn't look more horrified. "Oh no, we're not married." The Doctor said quickly.

"No together." Donna added.

"Oh, so you must be Alexandra Spartacus?" Alex and the Doctor looked at each other. They looked down at their joined hands and quickly let go. Both had slight blushes on their faces. Caecilius laughed. "Ah, young love is a beautiful thing." This just made their blushes even more prominate.

"Well then," the man turned back to Donna and the Doctor. "You must be brother and sister? You look very much alike."

The Doctor and Donna turned to look at each other. "Really?" They asked in unison.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not open for trade." Caecilius said.

"And what trade would that be?" Alex asked.

"Marble. Lucius Caecilius. Mining, polishing and design thereof. If you want marble, I'm your man." Caecilius said proudly.

"That's good. That's good, 'cause I'm the marble inspector." The Doctor pulled out the physic paper. He held it up for Caecilius to see.

"By the gods of commerce, an inspection." An older woman behind him said. Alex figured it was Caecilius' wife. She quickly took a wine cup from a young man – around her age, maybe younger. Alex saw some similarities so guessed that was their son. "I'm sorry, sir. I do apologize for my son." She poured the contents into the pool.

"Oi!" Her son said. He was had been drinking that.

"This is my good wife, Metella." Alex mentally smirked; she was getting better at observing. "I—I must confess, we're not prepared for a –"

The Doctor cut him off. "Nothing to worry about. I- I'm sure you've got nothing to hide. Although, frankly, that..." Alex looked over and spotted the TARDIS. She relaxed, thankful that it was okay. "Object... rather looks like wood to me."

Donna, the Doctor, and Alex walked over to it. The brunette girl caught Metella turning to her husband. "I told you to get rid of it!" She hissed to him.

"I just bought it today." Caecilius defended.

"Ah, well. Caveat emptor." The Doctor said. Alex looked over confused.

"'Let the buyer beware'." He murmured to her. She nodded.

"Oh, you're Celtic. That's lovely." Alex turned her head and giggled quietly.

"I'm sure it's fine but I might have to take it off your hands for a proper inspection." The Doctor said.

"Although, while we're here, wouldn't you recommend a holiday, Spartacus?" Donna asked suddenly. Alex sighed, her back still to the group, and rolled her eyes. What part of 'there was nothing they could do' was she _not _getting? Alex rubbed her eyes. She got that it was horrible, yeah, she got that. But if the Doctor said there was nothing they could do. Then, she believed him.

"I don't know what you mean, Spartacus." The Doctor answered.

"Oh, this lovely family, mother and father and son... Don't you think they should get out of town?" Donna said.

Caecilius stepped in. "Why should we do that?"

The Doctor rubbed his eyes and Alex shook her head as Donna tried to explain. "Well, the volcano for starters."

"What?" Caecilius asked, puzzled.

"Volcano." Donna repeated.

"What-ano?"

"That great big volcano right on your doorstep." Alex put her face into her awaiting hand. They were still confused.

The Doctor steered them away from this. "Oh, Spartacus and Alexandra," Alex caught the look on the Doctor's face. He wasn't use to calling her that either, "for shame. We haven't even greeted the household gods yet." He pulled them away towards the shrine. "They don't know what it is. Vesuvius is just a mountain to them. The top hasn't blown off yet." He sprinkled frieze with water. "The Romans haven't even got a word for volcano. Not until tomorrow."

"Oh great. They can learn a new word... when they die." Donna said bitterly sarcastic.

"Donna, stop it." The Doctor ordered.

"Listen, I don't know what sort of kids you've been flyin' around with in outer space, but you're not telling me to shut up. That boy..." She gestured towards Caecilius' and Metella's son. "How old is he, sixteen? And tomorrow he burns to death."

"And that's my fault?" The Doctor asked angrily.

"Right now, yes!" She snapped.

"Stop it," Alex hissed. "Just drop it. We're going back home." Donna opened her mouth. "_Don't_ Donna. _We are going home_. If you have a problem with that you can leave. I don't know about you, but I _do not _want to see hundreds of people burn up by _lava_!" In the back of her mind, Alex knew she was being mean. But, she couldn't help it, her nerves were becoming shot and her patience was thinning from where they were and what was going to happen.

Donna was probably going to say more, but a servant came into the room, interrupting them. "Announcing Lucius Petrus Dextrus, Chief Augur of the city government."

An older man strode it, a man who knew his position. He wore his cloak so that it draped over his right side. "Lucius, my pleasure as always." The trio walked away from the shrine, curious to see this visitor. Alex saw out of the corner of her eye, that their son stood up with a long-suffering sigh. "A rare and great honor, sir, for you to come to my house."

Caecilius held out his hand, but Lucius ignored it. "The birds are flying north... and the wind is in the west." Alex blinked, roman man say what?

Caecilius seemed just as puzzled. "Right. Absolutely. That's good, is it?"

"Only the grain of wheat knows where it will grow." Alex blinked again, she still wasn't following.

"There now, Metella, have you ever heard such wisdom?" The man turned back to his wife.

"Never. It's an honor." She answered.

"Pardon me, sir, I have guests. This is Spartacus, and, uh, Spartacus. Oh, and this is Alexandra." Caecilius introduced.

The trio lifted their hands in a wave. "A name is but a cloud upon a summer wind."

The Doctor responded quickly. "But the wind is felt most keenly in the dark."

Lucius responded just as fast. "Ah!" He did seem impressed by the Doctor. "What is the dark other than an omen of the sun?"

"I concede that every sun must set..."

Lucius spoke up. "Ha!"

"...and yet the son of the father must also rise." Alex smiled. She didn't understand it. But she was still impressed at how fast the Doctor was responding to such things. It seemed like this was his element.

"Damn." Lucius was just as impressed. "Very clever, sir. Evidently a man of learning."

"Oh yes, but don't mind me. Don't want to disturb the status quo." The Doctor said. Alex saw Caecilius whisper something to Lucius. "We'll be off in a minute." He took the two women and led them to the TARDIS.

"I'm not going." Donna said stubbornly.

"You have to go, Donna." Alex said just as stubborn.

"Well I'm not." Donna answered. The Doctor looked back over his shoulder. The design on the marble looked familiar.

"Exactly as you specified. It pleases you, sir?" Caecilius asked.

"As the rain pleases the soil." Lucius answered.

Curiosity aroused, the Doctor re-entered the conversation. "Oh now that's... different. Who designed that then?"

"My lord Lucius was very specific." Caecilius answered. Lucius was still looking at the marble.

"Where'd you get the pattern?" The Doctor asked.

"On the rain and mist and wind." Lucius answered vaguely.

"That looks like a circuit board." Alex said, whispering into the Doctor's ear.

"Made of stone." He said.

"Do you mean you just dreamt that up?" Donna asked.

"That is my job…" Lucius answered. "As City Augur."

"What's that then, like the mayor?" Alex shook her head and bit her lip to stop from laughing.

"Oh, ah, you must excuse my friend. She's from... Barcelona." The Doctor leaned a little to the side, whispering to Donna so they couldn't hear him. "This is an age of superstition... of official superstition. The augur is paid by the city to tell the future. "The wind will blow from the west." That's the equivalent of the 10:00 news."

A young girl came out into the room. She looked pale and drawn, barely able to stand. "They're laughing at us. Those three, they use words like tricksters. They're mocking us." Alex turned and her eyebrows furred at the state the girl was. She looked about ready to drop at any moment.

"No, no." The Doctor defended. "I meant no offense."

"I'm sorry. My daughter's been consuming the vapours." Metella walked over to her daughter.

"By the gods, Mother! What have you been doing to her?" Her son spoke up.

"Not now, Quintus." Her mother ordered.

Quintus wouldn't quit though, and for good reason. "But she's sick. Just look at her."

Lucius spoke up, examining the girl. "I gather I have a rival in this household. Another with the gift."

Metella spoke proudly. "Oh, she's been promised to the Sybiline Sisterhood. They say she has remarkable visions."

"The prophecies of women are limited and dull. Only the men folk have the capacity for true perception." Alex rolled her eyes at the sexist comment.

"I'll tell you where the wind's blowing right now, mate." The ground shook underneath them.

"The mountain god marks your words. I'd be careful if I were you." Lucius said, turning to Donna.

"Consuming the vapors, you said?" The Doctor asked, looking over the poor girl.

"They give me strength." Alex shook her head, sure didn't look like it from where she was standing.

The Doctor had the same thoughts. "Doesn't look that way to me."

"Is that your opinion…? As a doctor?" Alex was completely thrown off guard. She turned to the Doctor and saw that so was he.

"I beg your pardon?" The Doctor asked.

"Doctor. That's your name." Alex felt her gut clench tightly in her. This was starting to freak her out a bit.

"How did you know that?" The Doctor asked bewildered.

She ignored that question and turned to the girls. "And you… You call yourself Noble." Then she turned her tired eyes onto Alex. "And you, you call yourself Alex."

"Now then Evelina, don't be rude." Evelina ignored her mother. The girl just continued to just stare at Alex. She could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Her gut clenched tightly.

"No, no, no let her talk." The Doctor insisted. He seemed to become fascinated now.

"You three have come from so far away." She continued.

"A female soothsayer in inclined to invent all sorts of vagaries." Lucius stated coldly.

"Oh, not this time, Lucius. I reckon you've been out-soothsaid." The Doctor said.

"Is that so... man from Gallifrey?" Alex whirled around to the man.

The Doctor turned as well. "What?"

"Strangest of images. Your home is lost in fire, is it not?" Alex felt her heart tighten. She could remember those images so clearly.

"Doctor, what are they doing?" _Whatever it is, I'm starting to feel sick_. Her gut was tightening so much that she was having trouble not to gag.

"And you, daughter of... London." Lucius turned to Donna.

"Stop it." Alex said weakly.

But he turned to her. "And you… Daughter of… America…" Alex tried to get her breathing in cheek. He did the same thing Evelina did. He just stared at her. She could see that he wasn't really looking at her, but looking through her, looking into the future.

"How does he know that?" Donna asked.

"This is the gift of Pompeii. Every single oracle tells the truth." Lucius stated.

"But that's impossible." Apparently, it wasn't in Pompeii.

"Doctor, she is returning." Lucius said.

"Who is? Who's 'she'?" The Doctor asked.

"And you, Daughter of London... you have something on your back."

Donna lifted a hand to her shoulder. She was starting to get scared. "What does he mean?"

"Even the word 'Doctor' is false. Your real name is hidden. It burns in the stars of the cascade of Medusa herself. You are a lord, sir. A lord... of time..." Evelina turned to Alex. The girl felt herself take a step or two back, starting to really freak out in her mind. "Alex, there is so much you don't know. So much you will see. You're mind will be opened, and you will see so much. You will become something you could never dream. Wars will be stopped because of you. Killings will stop. Your mind will explode with knowledge. You will never leave. You will never go from the 'Doctor's side." Alex and the Doctor looked at each other.

"Stop it." She said weakly.

"But something instead will bring you closer. All else fails, rely on the love you have for each other. A love that cannot be compared. Stronger than anything else in your lives." Evelina only had one more thing to say. "However, you will change, Alex Harper. You will change forever." With that, Evelina fell to the floor.

"Evelina!" Metella said, horrified. Alex stared at the girl uncomprehending. The Doctor rushed past her to the girl's side.

-x-

Alex looked like a completely different person in the mirror. Her face was contorted into confusion and horror. She was pale and breathing harshly. Alex more or less collapsed into the bed. She looked up at the ceiling without seeing it. She was going to change? What did that mean? "Allie?"

She looked up to the Doctor near the doorway. "Hey," she said softly. He came in and sat next to her. She lay back down and he hovered over her. His elbow was right next to her head. Their eyes locked.

"You okay?" He asked softly.

"No." She answered, honestly. "What did that mean, Doctor? I was going to change? What did _any _of what she said mean?" Alex was honestly terrified.

The Doctor's eyes softened. "Shhh," He cupped her face and ran his thumb across it affectionately. "Don't listen to her, Allie. It was nothing."

Alex shook your head. "You can't say that, Doctor."

"They could have just gotten it wrong." He tried to assure her.

But she wasn't going to be assured. "That's impossible and you know it. They got everything else right, they wouldn't get this wrong."

The Doctor sighed. He slid his hand up her face and into her hair. He ran his fingers through her soft hair. "We'll get to the bridge when it's time. Until then, we shouldn't worry." Alex slid her arms around his neck.

"She said that if all else fails that we should believe in our love." The Doctor smiled.

"She also said that you were never going to leave." He murmured. His hearts were lifted by that.

"You like that, don't you?" Alex smiled.

"I do." He took one of her hands and pressed it to his face. "Forever." He whispered.

"Forever and always." They leaned towards each other and kissed, as if marking their promise that they would be with each other forever.

-x-

Alex twirled around, feeling much better. Metella had come to check on the brunette girl. They had quite a pleasant conversation. Somehow, Alex wasn't really sure, but it led to Metella letting her have one of the Evelina's old dresses. It was a deep blue in color and looked fantastic against Alex. She twirled around, the beautiful fabric twirling with her.

Alex giggled and ran her hands down it. It had to be silk, with how soft and, well, silky it was. "Allie, me and old Quintus are going to see Lucius." The Doctor's voice trailed off sharply as he finally got into the room and looked upon Alex.

Alex turned around and giggled. "Do you like it, Doctor?" She twirled around again, giving him a 360 view. He didn't answer. She looked back at him, to see him just staring at her. His eyes were slightly wide and his mouth just a tad ajar. Alex couldn't help but smirk. For probably the first time in history, she had actually got the almighty Doctor speechless.

She walked over to him and ran her fingers across his collar. "I'll take it that you like it." She reached up and kissed him. The Doctor snapped out of it and took a deep breath before diving into the kiss. The Doctor grabbed her hips and pressed them against his. The kiss was innocent for only a couple of seconds, but soon tongue was added.

Without knowing it, both were backing into the bed. Soon, Alex fell with the Doctor following her onto the soft bed. It did nothing to disrupt the passionate intense kiss. The Doctor's hands couldn't stay still and he ran them up and down her sides, feeling the soft fabric of the dress. Just feeling it, continued to remind him what she looked like when he came in.

Venus had nothing on her. The Doctor thought. Alex looked better than any goddess could compare too. The Doctor's hand hooked onto the back of Alex's knee. He hooked it around his waist. This caused the dress too fall down her leg and pool around the bed. The Doctor's hand rubbed her now bare leg enticingly. He then dragged it down the length of her leg, causing Alex to get goose bumps.

Alex threw her arms around his neck and pulled him down so their bodies were touching. She buried her hair deep into his chocolate brown hair. Alex was starting to feel breathless. The Doctor broke the kiss for them to breath, but he bent down and started to suck on her jaw. Alex titled her head to give him more access. The Doctor's hand finally got to the very top of her thigh.

There, he grabbed dressed and just clenched it for a moment. Alex could feel his constricting emotions. She could feel he honestly just wanted to rip the dress off of her. He dipped his hand underneath, after a moment's pause, and touched the very tip of her panties.

Alex's mind snapped out of it. As much as she loved his hands there, "No." The Doctor stopped. They both froze as they tried to get their breaths back. Alex reached down and grabbed the Time Lord's hand. She locked her fingers with his and pulled it away from her leg.

"Allie," The man started, probably to apologize.

"No, no." She said softly. "Just… Not yet." She said. She ran her knuckles down his face. "I'm not ready." She admitted quietly. She wasn't like other girls; she wasn't so willing to give her virginity away. To her, that was a very, _very _big thing, to give that way. Once your virginity was taken from you, there was no way for you to get it back. When the time came, Alex just wanted to be sure this was the right man, and to her, no better time was marriage. Yes, it was an unusual thing to do with how society looked upon that, but Alex didn't care. She wanted to be sure it was the right man she was doing it with, and to her, since she took marriage just as serious, whoever her husband was going to be was the best option.

The Doctor nodded. "Of course," He said softly. He completely understood that. He could see her reasoning clear across her face. He leaned down and kissed her lips much more gentle.

"So you're going to see Lucius with Quintus?" Alex asked, changing the subject. The Doctor remembered why he came into the room in the first place.

"Yeah, yeah." He got up and helped his Alex get up as well. She fixed the wrinkles on the dress. The Doctor felt his hearts jump again. "By the way, I really do love that dress." Alex giggled.

"I'll see if I can keep it." The Doctor shook his head playfully apprehensive. He didn't know how much self control he had if she tried to walk in that thing too much.

-x-

Alex's eyes snapped open as a loud thumping started. Alex shot up and looked around bewildered. She had decided to take a small nap after the Doctor left. She was feeling a little drained with everything that was going on. The thumping continued and the brunette quickly got up and to the main room.

She got there just in time to see the Doctor shoot into the room, Quintus following him. "Caecilius! All of you, get out!" The Doctor ordered.

"Doctor, what's going on?" Alex asked, rushing over to the Time Lord.

"I think we're being followed." He answered. He didn't dare look at her right now, since she was still in that damn dress. The grille over the hypocaust was blown into the air. Everyone flinched. "Just get out!" The Doctor tried to herd everyone out the door as the ground beneath the hypocaust cracked and a loud growling was heard. No one moved. A creature made of magma and lava forced its way through.

"The gods are with us." Evelina said.

"Water! We need water!" The Doctor commanded. "Quintus, all of you get water! Donna! Allie!" Donna, Alex, Quintus, and a servant ran out of the room as ordered. They came back out with water, but Donna was taken by women.

"Hey!" Alex said. Her voice barely heard over the growling. "Let her go!" They frowned and two more grabbed her. She had seen them, which meant they had to take her as well. They weren't all that bothered. One sacrifice was good, two was better. They dragged the two girls out of the house, Evelina witnessing all of it.

-x-

"Forgive me for stealing your line, Donna, but you have _got _to be kidding me!" Alex sighed.

"No problem Lexi." Donna replied. They were tied down to a sacrificial table. One of the sisters was over them, holding a knife.

"The false prophet will surrender both her blood and her breath." Alex's eye twitched.

"I never gave no false prophecy!" She snarled.

"You will surrender both your blood and breath for the good of Pompeii." Alex growled, she didn't like that at all.

"I'll surrender you in a minute. Don't you dare!" It was now Donna's turn to start up a fight. It wasn't surprising, she was full of fire.

"You will be silent." The sister commanded.

"Ya want to know something," Alex joined in. "You might have eyes on the back of your hands, but you'll have eyes in the back of your _skull_ when we're done with you! Now, damn it, _let us go_!"

"You better do it!" Donna said. "Don't think we won't!"

"This prattling will cease… forever." The sister lifted up the knife.

"Oh, that'll be the day." Alex's head snapped up the minute she heard his voice.

"Doctor!" Alex called, way more than happy to see him.

He grinned at her. "Hi Allie."

The sister turned to the Time Lord. "No man is allowed to enter the temple of Sybil."

"Oh, that's all right, just us girls." He started to walk over to them. "Do you know, I met the Sibyl once? Hell of a woman. Blimey, she could dance a tarantella. Truth be told, I think she had a bit of a thing for me. I said it would never last. She said, 'I know'. Well, she would." The Doctor stopped at in front of the altar. "You alright?"

"Oh, never better." Donna answered sarcastically.

"As 'alright' as someone could be strapped to a table and about to be stabbed to death with a knife." Alex said, almost cheerfully. The Doctor chuckled.

He reached into his pocket and got out the sonic screwdriver. "I like the toga."

"Thank you. And the robes?" Donna asked.

"Eh, not so much."

"Oh, I already know you love my dress, Doctor." Alex said flirtatiously. The Doctor grinned down at her, his eyes sparkling with the same emotion. Donna shook her head, knowing how that must have ended.

The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the ropes. Within just a couple of minutes, they were free. "What magic is this?" The sister asked.

The Doctor flipped the sonic screwdriver and put it away. "Let me tell you about the Sibyl... the founder of this religion. She would be ashamed of you. All her wisdom and insight turned sour. Is that how you spread the word, eh? On the blade of a knife?"

"Yes…" The sister tightened her hold on the weapon. "A knife that now welcomes you." She lifted it up to strike, but a voice cut her off.

"Show me this man." Alex turned and saw the shape of a woman sitting on the bed in front of them. The sisters all kneeled.

"High Priestess, the stranger would defy us!" The sister protested.

"Let me see. This one is different. He carries starlight in his wake." The High Priestess said. "And this one…" Alex could almost feel her lock eyes with the woman. "She carries so much within her… So much hidden, to even her." Alex bit her lip, was that going to keep popping up? Nevertheless, the trio approached the curtain.

"Ah, very perceptive. Where do these words of wisdom come from?" The Doctor asked.

"The gods whisper to me." She answered.

"Oh, they've done far more than that. Ah, might I beg audience, look upon the High Priestess?" The curtains are pulled back.

Alex's eyes widen. "Oh my God!" Alex said, horrified. "What happened to you?" The High Priestess sat upon a bed, her body nearly converted to stone.

"The heavens have blessed me." She answered.

"If I might…" The Doctor motions like he wanted to come closer. She raised her arm and the Doctor kneeled in front of her and gently ran his hand down her arm.

"May I?" Alex asked. The woman nodded, and Alex slowly came towards her. She ran her hand across her hand, and looked back up with concern. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"Such… compassion and empathy for someone who almost killed you." The High Priestess pointed out.

"No one deserves the pain you're probably going through." Having your whole body turned to stone, it must have been a slow and painful process. Alex couldn't imagine it.

"I have been blessed, child." The High Priestess put her hand onto Alex's. "It is necessary."

"Who told you that?" The Doctor asked.

"The voices." She answered.

"Is that what's happening to Evelina?" Donna asked and turned to the sisters. "Is this what's gonna happen to all of you?"

One of the sisters approached, her sleeve drawn back. "The blessings are manifold."

Donna touched her arm. "They're stone."

"Exactly." The Doctor and Alex both stood and walked back to Donna. "The people of Pompeii are turning to stone before the volcano erupts."

"But _why_?" Alex asked. The Doctor shook his head, he didn't know.

"This word... this image in your mind – in both your minds – this 'volcano', what is that?" She asked.

"More to the point, why don't you know about it? Who are you?" The Doctor demanded.

"High Priestess of the Sibyline."

"No, no, no, no. I'm talking to the creature inside you. The thing that's seeding itself into a human body, in the dust in the lungs... taking over the flesh and turning it into... what?" The Doctor persisted.

"You're knowledge… It is impossible!"

"But you read his mind!" Alex cut in. "You know it's not."

"I demand you tell me who you are!" The Doctor ordered.

"We… Are… awakening!" The High Priestess' voice started to echo.

"The voice of the gods!" The sister gasped.

The rest of the sisters that were kneeling started to chant. "Words of wisdom. Words of power. Words of wisdom. Words of power." They repeated.

"Name yourself! Planet of origin, galactic coordinates, species designation according to the universal ratification of the Shadow Proclamation." The Doctor named off for them to give him something.

"We… Are… Rising!"

"Tell me your name!" The Doctor mimicked their voices.

The High Priestess – though Alex got a feeling she was no longer there, the creature must have taken over her – threw back her hood. "Pyrovile!"

The sister picked up on the name. "Pyrovile. Pyrovile."

"What's a Pyrovile?" Donna asked.

"I imagine it's that. Or, at least, what's taken control her." Alex pointed out; the Doctor nodded, but kept his eyes on the creature.

"It's growing inside her. She's at the halfway stage." He said.

"Well, and that turns into?" Donna questioned.

"That thing in the villa, that was an adult Pyrovile." The Doctor answered.

"And the breath of a Pyrovile will incinerate you, Doctor." The High Priestess said.

"I warn you… I'm armed." The Doctor pulled out a water pistol. Alex just looked at him amused. "Don't… Don't say anything, Allie." Alex lifted her hands as if to say, 'I wasn't going to'. "Donna, Allie, get that grill open."

"What are…?"

The Doctor cut Donna off. "Just…" He jerked his head to the grill. Alex and Donna went over to the hypocaust. "What are the Pyrovile doing here?"

"We fell from the heavens. We fell so far and so fast we were rendered into dust."

"Right. Creatures of stone shatter on impact. When was that, seventeen years ago?"

"We have slept beneath for thousands of years."

"Okay, so seventeen years ago woke you up and now you're using human bodies to reconstitute yourself, but why the psychic powers?" The Doctor made sure to keep his water pistol at the Pyrovile. Alex figured it wouldn't kill her, since it _was _the Doctor she was talking about, but it probably had to sting.

"We opened their minds and found such gifts."

"Yeah, okay, fine. You force yourself inside a human brain, use the latent psychic talent to bond. I get that. I get that." _Always scientific, eh Doctor_? Alex shook her head with a smile. That's what it all came down to with the Doctor, science. "Yeah, but... seeing the future, that is way beyond psychic, you can see through time. Where does the gift of prophecy come from?" One of the sisters watched the Doctor as the High Priestess moaned.

"We got it!" Donna said as they finally got the grill off the hypocaust.

"Now get in." The Doctor commanded. He moved towards them with his water pistol still aimed at the High Priestess.

"What, in there?" Alex asked. Was he insane? It had to be boiling down there.

"Yes in there!" The Doctor answered. "Why can't this lot predict the volcano? Why is it being hidden?"

The sister who had been watching finally spoke up. "Sisters, I see into his mind. The weapon is harmless."

"Yeah, but it's gotta sting." He shot the toy at the High Priestess who moaned in pain. Alex could hear a sizzling sound, like you would hear whenever water hit something hot. "Get down there!" Donna and Alex jumped down and the Doctor soon followed.

"You fought her off with a water pistol." Donna said, a little out of breath. "I bloody love you." Donna took the words right out of Alex's mouth.

The Doctor got up. "This way."

"Where are we going, Doctor?" Alex asked.

"Into the Volcano."

"No way." Donna said.

"Yes way." He twirled the pistol. "Appian way."

-x-

The trio was walking through the tunnels towards Vesuvius. The Doctor held Alex's hand, helping her walk up the rocky terrain. "But if it's aliens setting off the volcano, doesn't that make it all right? For you to stop it?" Donna just would not drop it.

"Still a part of history." The Doctor said briefly.

"Well, I'm history too. You saved me in 2008. And you probably saved Lexi a hundred times. You saved us all. Why is that different?" Donna asked.

"Some things are fixed, some things are in flux. Pompeii is fixed." The Doctor tried to explain.

"How do you know which is which?"

The Doctor stopped and he turned around. "Because that's how I see the universe. Every waking second, I can see what is, what was... what could be, what must not. That's the burden of the Time Lord, Donna. I'm the only one left." He walked off.

"How many people died?" Donna asked.

"Stop it!" It was obvious the Doctor was starting to get effected.

"Doctor!" He stopped and turned around again. "How many people died?"

"Twenty thousand." Alex's heart seemed to stop at that number.

"Is that what you can see, Doctor? All twenty thousand? And you think that's all right, do you?"

"That's not how it works, Donna." Alex finally spoke up. She turned to the brunette. "It's wrong. It's absolutely horrible that twenty…" Alex took a deep breath, steeling herself. "Twenty thousand people are killed in the blast. But it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter that the Doctor or any of us think that. It's a fixed point in time. It means that we _cannot change anything_. What happens here has to happen. 'Cause if it doesn't, that could change all of history, and it could screw up everything in the future. It might even lead to us not ever being born." If Alex Harper – her character – was never born, Alex really believed that she would have never come into the Doctor Who world in the first place.

"But you're not from this world, Lexi." It had already been explained to Donna that Alex wasn't originally from this world.

"Doesn't matter," Alex said. "I honestly believe that if Alex Harper was never born, than I never would have come here."

Before any more could be said, they heard a screech from a Pyrovile. "They know we're here. Come on." They ran deeper in the mountain, avoiding the pockets of fire.

-x-

The Doctor, Donna, and Alex finally got to a great cavern. "It's the heart of Vesuvius." The Doctor said. "We're right inside the mountain."

"Doctor, there's hundreds of them." Alex pointed out, uneasily. She was talking about all the Pyroviles that were walking about.

"What's that thing?" The Doctor saw something; it looked like some sort of pod. He took out a small collapsible telescope. The thumping began again.

"Well, you'd better hurry up and think of something. Rocky IV's on its way." Donna urged.

The Doctor saw the interior of a ship. "That's how they arrived... or what's left of it. Escape pod? Prison ship? Gene bank?" He collapsed the telescope.

"But why do they need a volcano? Maybe... it erupts and they launch themselves back in space or something." Donna offered.

"No, it's worse than that."

"How can it be worse?" Alex asked. Something told her that she didn't want to know. A Pyrovile roared. "Doctor, whatever it is, it's getting closer."

"Heathens!" Alex turned and saw Lucius up in a higher part of the cavern. "Defilers! They would desecrate your temple, my lord gods!"

"Come on!" The Doctor ran across the cavern floor with Donna and Alex in hot pursuit.

"We can't go in!" Donna protested.

"We can't go back!" The Doctor contradicted.

"Crush them! Burn them!" Lucius yelled.

The trio stopped suddenly when a Pyrovile rose up before them. The Doctor took out his water pistol and used it on the Pyrovile. It shied away from the water. With a look up at Lucius, they continued to run. "There is nowhere to run, Doctor… Daughter of London and Daughter of America."

They ran in front of the pod. "Now then, Lucius. My lord Pyrovillian... Don't get yourselves in a lava." He turned to the girls. "In a Lava… No?"

"No." Donna said, out of breath of the heat and the running. Alex shook her head, just as breathless.

"No. But if I might beg the wisdom of the gods before we perish... once this new race of creatures is complete... then what?" The Doctor asked.

A Pyrovile walked towards them, crushing boulders in his path. "My masters will follow the example of Rome itself, an almighty empire, bestriding the whole of civilization."

"But if you've crashed... and you've got all this technology, why don't you just go home?" Donna pointed out. Alex felt she had a good point. Just leave them alone, and go back to where they came from.

"The heaven of Pyrovillia is gone." Lucius answered.

"What do you mean it's gone? Where's it gone to?" How do you lose a planet?

"It was taken. Pyrovillia is lost. But there is heat enough in this world for our new species to rise." Alex rolled her eyes. This guy was insane.

"Yeah, I should warn you, it's 70% water out there." The Doctor pointed out.

"Water can boil and everything will burn, Doctor!" Lucius answered.

The Doctor put his pistol away. Alex realized that was probably the only 'pistol' he would ever carry. "Then the whole planet is at stake. Thank you, that's all I needed to know. Donna! Allie!" He pushed them into the pod and used the sonic screwdriver to close it.

"Could we have been more trapped?" Donna asked sarcastically. Alex felt that the stupid pod was getting hotter. She could only imagine that a Pyrovile was probably blowing fire onto the pod.

"A little hot in here, ain't it?" Alex asked.

"See, the energy converted takes the lava, uses the power to create a fusion matrix which wields Pyrovile to human. Now it's complete, they can convert millions." The Doctor explained.

"Well, you can change it… with these controls?" Donna asked.

"'Course I can, but don't you see? That's why the soothsayers can't see the volcano. There is no volcano. Vesuvius is never going to erupt. The Pyrovile are stealing all its power. They're gonna use it to take over the world." The Doctor clarified.

"But you can change it back, right?" Alex asked.

"Well, I can avert the system, so the volcano will blow them up, yes, but... that's the choice, Donna, Allie. It's Pompeii or the world." Both looked at him shocked.

"Oh my God." Donna muttered. Alex couldn't say anything. She felt her heart clench so tightly it felt like she couldn't breathe.

"If Pompeii is destroyed, then it's not just history, it's me. I make it happen." The Doctor said.

"But the Pyrovile are made of rock. Maybe they can't be blown up." Donna pointed out, making a good point.

The Doctor was moving around, working on the machinery. "Vesuvius explodes with the force of 24 nuclear bombs. Nothing can survive it." He looked over at the girls. "Certainly not us."

"Never mind what happens to us." Alex said softly.

The Doctor put his hand on the lever. "Push this lever and it's all over. Twenty thousand people." He said softly. The Doctor seemed unwilling to be responsible for so many deaths even in the course of saving the planet. Donna and Alex put their hands on the lever with his. They looked at each other before pressing down. With a sudden thrust, the trio was thrown about the pod as the capsule was thrown out of the volcano.

Finally, they landed with a rather painful thud. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna got out of the pod, a little shaken. "It was an escape pod." The Doctor muttered to himself. He turned around and saw the volcano erupting. He grabbed Donna's and Alex's hand and they ran.

-x-

Ash began to fall, covering their hair with soot. The trio ran through the streets. They tried to get back to the TARDIS in the midst of the chaos in the streets. Donna tried to help anyone who was listening. "Don't! Don't go to the beach! Don't go to the beach, go to the hills! Listen to me! Don't go to the beach, it's not safe! Listen to me...!" She turned and saw a little boy, crying and alone, and went over to him. "Come here…"

A woman, probably the boy's mother, rushed past Donna and grabbed the boy. Alex whirled around and saw that same little girl from before. Alex rushed over to her, letting go of the Doctor's hand. She got to her, and bent down. "Come here, sweetie." The girl was still holding onto her doll. The girl made the attempt to go to Alex, but her mother rushed past Alex and grabbed the girl. In the process, the girl's doll was dropped. Alex looked down and picked it up, tears now running down her face. That little girl was only 5 or 6.

Donna was in no better shape. She just stood there, crying, completely devastated. The Doctor came and gathered them to him. "Come on." He said. They rushed to Caecilius' villa.

-x-

They finally arrived at Caecilius' villa. The family was huddled together. Alex and Donna stopped. "Gods save us, Doctor!" Caecilius said.

The Time Lord just stared at them for a minute before running past them to the TARDIS. "You can't! Doctor you can't!" Donna screamed at him.

"Doctor!" Alex cried. "Doctor!" They look at each other and ran to the TARDIS.

Inside, the Doctor was at the console, preparing to dematerialize. "You can't just leave them there!" Donna screeched at him.

"Don't you think I've done enough? History's back in place and everyone dies." The Doctor said bitterly.

"You've got to go back! Doctor, I am telling you, take this thing back!" Donna ordered.

The Doctor released the brake and the TARDIS started to dematerialize. His face showed no emotion, whereas Donna's face was in tears. Alex was no better; she ran her hands across the small doll in her hand. "Doctor," Alex sobbed. Her hands were shaking. He turned to his Alex. She held up the doll. He looked at it and realized what it was. He looked back at her. "It's the doll… The doll that little girl had that we saw earlier." Her words broke down into a sob. She pressed her hands to his chest and buried her face into them. Twenty thousand people… Twenty thousand people were going to die. Alex sobbed loudly. "It burned, Doctor." Alex said, softly. He looked down at her. "You're planet burned." She could see the images so clearly. "There was so much fire."

"That's just it. Don't you see, Allie? Can't you understand, Donna? Can't you understand? If I could go back and save them then I would, but I can't. I can never go back! I can't! I just... can't!" He said it softer. "I can't."

"Someone," Alex sobbed. "Just save _someone _Doctor. We're not asking you to save the whole town. We're not asking you to go up against the rules of your people. We just want you to save _someone_." The Doctor was quiet, but he looked up at Donna as he took his Alex into a hug.

-x-

Caecilius and his family huddled together as ashes fell. They heard the sound of the TARDIS and a bright light filled the room as it materialized. The door opened and the figure of The Doctor was silhouetted against a white light. He reached out his hand. "Come with me." Caecilius reached out his hand and grasped the Doctor's.

-x-

A cloud of ash and smoke flowed over the town. The Doctor, Alex, Donna, Caeculius, and his family watched from the hills. "It is never forgotten, Caecilius. Oh time will pass, men will move on, and stories will fade, but one day... Pompeii will be found again... in thousands of years... and everyone will remember you." The Doctor said to the man.

"What about you, Evelina?" Donna asked. "Can you see anything?"

She closed her eyes, but opened them after a moment. "The visions have gone."

"The explosion was so powerful, it cracked open a rift in time. Just for a second. That's what gave you the gift of prophecy. It echoed back into the Pyrovillian alternative. But not anymore. You're free." The Doctor clarified.

"But tell me... Who are you, Doctor... with your words... and your temple containing such size within?" Metella asked.

"Oh, I was never here. Don't tell anyone." The Doctor answered. It was best if no one knew he was there.

"The great go Vulcan must be enraged. It's so volcanic. It's like some sort of... volcano." Caecilius said, looking at on the village. Alex made a mental 'o', well, now she knew why Caecilius would be remembered. He was the one that came up with the word 'volcano'. "All those people..." His voice broke. Caecilius took his wife into a hug. Quintus took Evelina's hand. The time travelers decided this was their cue to leave.

"Thank you." Donna said.

"Yeah." The Doctor paused, and looked down at his Alex. She was still running her hands across the small doll. He looked back at Donna. "You were right. Sometimes I need someone. Welcome aboard."

"Yeah." Donna and the Doctor smiled at each other. The Doctor took Alex's hand and they started off on another adventure.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Inside the TARDIS, the trio was getting tossed around as the valiant ship flew through space. Finally, the Doctor pressed a button causing the ship to still. Alex laughed. The brunette girl was wearing a plaid red shirt with pin stripped purple and white on it. She had the shirt rolled up to her sleeves. Add to it, that she was wearing some dark wash jeans and some – of course – black converse, and as always, Alex was stylish. Now, the Doctor was wearing one of her _favorite _kind of styles. First, he _thankfully _decided to wear his lovely blue suit. But, instead of a tie around the collar – which don't get her wrong, she _loves _– the shirt underneath the suit had a couple of buttons opened with a grey shirt underneath. All in all, Alex _loved _his outfit today.

The girl had decided to wear her hair in a stitched up French twist. She knew she looked nice too, because the Doctor keep peeking glances at her. Though, that wasn't anything new, he was always doing that. She could probably walk out in a garbage bag, and he'd love it. "Set the controls to random! Mystery tour. Outside that door could be any planet, anywhere, anywhen in the whole wide—" The Doctor finally saw Donna's face. "Are you alright?" He asked.

"Terrified." Donna answered, a little breathless. "I mean, history's one thing, but an alien planet..."

"We could always take you home." The Doctor offered. If it was too much for her, it was okay.

"Yeah, don't laugh at me." She said.

Alex grinned. "Oh come on, Donna. We know what it's like too. All the emotions circling around in you, all the joy, and fear, and wonder. We get it too!"

"Seriously?" Donna asked. She found it hard to believe with how much they must have been traveling. "After all this time?"

"Yeah!" The Doctor joined in. "Why do you think we keep going?"

"Oh! All right, then, the three of us! This is barmy!" They walked to the door as the Doctor gave Alex her coat, a nice deep brown trench coat that fell to the back of her knees, and got his own on. Both were grinning at Donna's enthusiasm. "I was born in Chiswick. I've only ever done package holidays. Now I'm here. This is—I mean, it's—I dunno. It's all so—I don't even know what the word is!"

Donna opened the doors and stepped out onto a planet that was snowing and the wind howling. "Oh, I've got the word, 'freezing'." She muttered as the Doctor and Alex stepped out. Alex laughed as she opened her mouth and stuck her tongue out to try and catch the snowflakes.

"Snow! Ah! Real snow! Proper snow at last! That's more like it. Lovely. What do you think?" He turned to the girls.

"Bit cold." Donna shivered.

"It's fantastic!" Alex went a bit away from them, and twirled laughing away.

The Doctor grinned at her. "Look at the view!" Ice and snow covered a barren landscape. But, in the sky you could clearly see other planets.

"Yep. A beautiful… cold view." Donna put her arms around herself to try and keep herself warm.

"Millions of planets, millions of galaxies and we're on this one. Molto bene! Bellissimo! Says Donna, born in Chiswick. You've had a life of work and sleep," The Doctor walked away from Donna and the TARDIS to stand next to Alex. "telly and rent, takeaway dinners, birthdays and Christmases, and two weeks holiday a year and then you end up here! Donna Noble, citizen of the Earth, standing on a different planet. How about that, Donna?" Alex seemed to notice something behind him. She started to grin; he turned around and noticed that she was gone. "Donna?" Alex's giggle caused him to turn back around.

"I was wondering how long you'd talk before you realized she was gone." The Doctor gave her a look for making him talk to no one. He leaned down into her face as she giggled again. The Doctor's anger dissipated and he nuzzled her face to his, causing her to giggle again.

They turned when they heard the TARDIS' doors open again. Donna stepped out wearing a warm coat with a fur-lined hood. "Sorry. You were saying?"

"Better?" The Doctor teased.

"Lovely, thanks." She was grinning, showing she knew of his teasing.

"Comfy?" Alex laughed.

"Yep."

"Can you hear anything in there?" The hood seemed too thick for her to hear anything.

Donna decided it was a great time to tease him back. "Pardon?" The three of them were grinning. The Doctor shook his head, anyways.

"Right. I was saying, citizen of the Earth –" Right then, a rocket flew over their heads.

"A rocket. Blimey, a real, proper rocket. Now that's what I call a spaceship." She slapped him in the arm. "You've got a box – he's got a Ferrari. Come on; let's see where it's going." Donna ran – as much as one can in snow – after the rocket. The Doctor watched her surprised and a bit upset. He turned to his TARDIS.

Alex smiled, "I love the TARDIS." He turned to her. "Anyways, that rocket's got to be boring, being the same size on the inside as the outside. Your TARDIS on the other hand is unique." The Doctor nodded, satisfied with her answered. He took her hand and they went after Donna.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Donna were walking through the icy landscape, laughing at the experience. The Doctor stopped suddenly. He looked around, Alex did as well, she rubbed her gloved hands – she had gotten them from the Doctor, she realized she could store just about anything in his jacket, so she figured why not put some stuff in there for her too? "Hold on—can you hear that? Donna, take your hood down." She couldn't hear anything with that thick hood up.

Donna slowly pulled it down. Alex looked around, she could hear something, but it was faint. As if the speaker of the song – she thought it was a song – was far away from her. She could just barely make it out. "What?"

"That noise." The Doctor answered, he seemed to be able to hear it much better than she could. "It's like a song."

Alex looked around and saw something in the snow. She pushed the Doctor's arm. "Over there!" She ran towards it. The Doctor was right behind her, with Donna behind him.

A body of an Ood was half-buried in the snow. Alex remembered them from 'Impossible Planet' and 'Satan's Pit'. She honestly loved the Ood. They were so kind and gentle. "What is it?" Donna asked.

"And Ood." He knelt next to the body, next to his Alex. "He's called an Ood." He pulled out his stethoscope.

"But it's face…" Donna said.

"Donna, he's a 'he' not an 'it'." Alex said softly. "Give us a hand." She waved the red head over. The Doctor moved the stethoscope onto the Ood's chest.

"I don't know where the heart is. I don't know if he's got a heart. Talk to him. Keep him going." He said to both girls.

"It's alright." Donna said, talking to the Ood. Alex stroked his head. He seemed to lean into her soft touch. "We've got you. Um... what's your name?"

"Designated Ood Delta 50." He said, though the translator ball. Donna picked it up, thinking that was how you would communicate. Alex gently took it.

"It's okay, we can speak normally." She explained. She turned back to the Ood. "My name's Alex, this is Donna, and this is the Doctor. Just what you need, eh, sweetie?"

"You've been shot." The Doctor said, looking at the wounds on his chest.

"The circle –" Delta 50 said.

"No, don't try and talk." Donna said.

"The circle must be broken." Alex blinked, what did that mean? What circle? Delta 50 closed his eyes.

The Doctor seemed to have the same thoughts. "The circle? What do you mean? Delta 50, what circle? Delta 50? What circle?"

Without warning, Delta 50's eyes snapped open and were a glaring red. The trio scrambled away from him as he sat up with a loud growl. The growl faded away and he collapsed, dead. "He's gone." Donna said softly.

Alex slowly walked over to him. "Careful." The Doctor said to his brunette.

She gentle put his arms across his chest and stroked his head again. "Seems we were too late." She murmured.

"What do we do? Do we burry him?" Donna asked.

"The snow will take care of that." The Doctor said.

"What was he? What's an Ood?" Donna asked. The Doctor waved Alex back over to him. She walked to him, and he hugged her. Alex suddenly shuddered, he was _hot_! No wonder he could walk around in snow on a freezing cold planet with just a trench coat. Alex snuggled into his chest, loving the warmth he was radiating, practically purring happily.

"They're servants – of humans in the 42nd century. Mildly telepathic. That was the song — it was his mind calling out." The Doctor explained.

"I couldn't hear anything." Alex could, but it had been so faint.

"His eyes turned red, Doctor." The Time Lord looked down at her. Both knew what that meant.

"What does that mean?" Donna asked.

"Trouble." The Doctor said simply. "Come on." He turned and walked away.

-x-

They had been walking now for some time, the Doctor was explaining all about the Ood. "The Ood are harmless and completely benign. Except the last time I met them, there was this force, like a stronger mind, powerful enough to take them over."

"What sort of force?" Donna asked.

Alex shrugged. "It's a bit of a long story."

"It's a bit of a long walk." Donna pointed out.

"It was the devil." The Doctor said.

"If you're gonna take the mickey, I'll just put my hood back up." Even after all the things she saw, it made sense that it still was hard to believe that there was such a thing as the 'devil'.

"Must be something different this time, though. Something closer to home." The Doctor peered over a bluff. "A-ha! Civilization!" Donna and Alex joined him. There was a huge factory over the small hill. It must be where all the Ood were.

-x-

The trio ran down the hill and to the base. After getting past the guards with ease, just a flash of the physic paper, and they ran to a group of people. "Sorry, sorry! We're late! Don't mind us! Hello. The guards let us through."

"And you would be –?" A young woman asked.

The Doctor lifted up the trusty physic paper. "The Doctor, Allie Harper, and Donna Noble."

"Representing the Noble Corporation, PLC Limited, Intergalactic." Alex was quite impressed that Donna came up with that.

"Must have fallen off my list. My apologies, it won't happen again. Now then, Dr. Noble, Mrs. Noble, Ms. Harper if you'd like to come with me." Donna and the Doctor looked horrified.

"Oh, no, no, no. We're not married." The Doctor corrected quickly.

"We're so not married." Donna added.

"Never."

"Never ever." Alex stopped herself from giggling.

"Of course." She said, she then saw Alex's hand tightly in the Doctor's and made the correction. "I'm sorry, then it must be Dr. Harper and Mrs. Harper." Alex blinked, caught off guard. The Time Lord and the brunette looked at each other. They looked down at their hands.

"Oh, no, no, no." Alex smiled, though it was a bit strained. "We're not… married." Alex felt a flutter in her heart at the thought of being married to the Time Lord.

"Of course. Here is your information pack. Vouchers inside." She handed the Doctor a packet. He showed the girls with a look of 'oh, look at this'. "Now, if you'd like to come with me, the executive suites are nice and warm."

An alarm went off. Alex paused when she was going inside. "Oh, what's that? It sounded like an alarm."

"It's just a siren for the end of the work shift. Now then, this way! Quick as you can!" Alex just had enough time to see the woman's smile fell as she turned around. They all went into the suites. Thankfully, true to her word, the room was nice and warm.

-x-

Solana was expounding the qualities of the Ood. Alex frowned, as she watched the Ood. They had no right to be slaves; the human race had no right to take slaves. Some were on pedestals for display. There was a large screen behind her that covered the whole wall. "As you can see, the Ood are happy to serve and we keep them in facilities of the highest standards." Alex closed her eyes, as she remembered what was happening at the same time. An Ood was being hunted like a dog; all of this – what Solana was saying – was bullshit. "Here at the Double-O – that's Ood Operations – we like to think of the Ood as our trusted friends."

The Doctor looked over to see Alex was tense, her eyes closed as if she was seeing something. For some reason, she could see the scenes clearly now. They weren't faded like they usually would be. The Doctor put a hand on her shoulder. A lone tear slid down her cheek. Oh, how _really _the Ood were treated, it broke her heart. The Doctor leaned down to her face, and whipped it away. She opened her eyes and he saw it all in her crystal eyes. His eyebrows furred. He knew what she was feeling, but he couldn't understand why.

Alex just reached up and hugged him tightly. Everything else Solana was saying was white noise, as she just buried herself into her Time Lord. The Doctor frowned deeply as he watched Solana. His eyes shifted to the Ood in the room. He didn't understand what was making her so emotional, but she never got emotional for no apparent reason. Yes, she cried a lot, but she always had a reason to. So, what reason was it now that was making her so sad?

The only answer he could come up with is that she knew something they didn't. It was very possible. She had seen the show Doctor Who. She knew something that they didn't, and whatever it was, it was making her upset.

-x-

Alex leaned against the Doctor's chest. He kept a tight arm around her waist. "I'd now like to point out a new innovation from Ood Operations. We've introduced a variety package with the Ood translator ball. You can now have the standard setting – How are you today, Ood?"

"I am perfectly well, thank you." The Ood answered in a normal voice.

"Or perhaps after a stressful day, a little something for the gentlemen. How are you, Ood?"

"All the better for seeing you." The Ood answered, now in a sultry female voice. Of course, the men started up at that. Alex rolled her eyes and pressed her forehead to the Doctor's neck. She never had to worry about the Doctor being like that. He wasn't a pig. As her dad once said, 'All men are pigs; some of us just try to be less pig-like than others'.

"And the comedy classic option. Ood, you dropped something."

"D'oh!" The Ood said in Homer Simpson's voice. Everyone chuckled. The Doctor ran his hand up and down her back.

"All that for only five additional credits. The details are in your brochures. Now, there's plenty more food and drink, so don't hold back." Solana moved away, probably to do some other things. The Doctor put on his glasses and tugged Alex over to a control board, which he switched onto the screen, while Donna got a drink. She joined him as the screen showed their location.

"Ah, got it. The Ood-Sphere. I've been to this solar system before – years ago. Ages. Close to the planet Sense-Sphere. Let's widen it out... the year 4126. That is the Second Great and Bountiful Human Empire." The Doctor walked around the board to get a good look at the screen.

Donna couldn't get over what year they were in. Even Alex raised her eyebrows and grinned. "4126? It's 4126? I'm in 4126?"

"It's awesome, isn't it?" Alex asked. She came up next to the Time Lord and slipped her hand into his, out of reflex, as she looked at the screen. The Doctor smiled and squeezed her hand. "What's the Earth like?"

"A bit full, but you see, the empire stretches out across three galaxies." The Doctor gestured to the red lines.

"It's weird. I mean, it's brilliant, but... back home, the papers and the telly, they keep saying we haven't got long to live – global warming, flooding, all the bees disappearing." Donna looked at the screen too.

"Yeah, that thing about the bees is odd." The Doctor muttered.

"But look at us – we're everywhere. Is that good or bad, though? I mean, are we like explorers or more like a virus?" Donna had an excellent point.

"Sometimes I wonder." The Doctor said.

"What are those red dots?" Alex asked.

"Ood distribution centers." He answered.

"Across three galaxies? Don't the Ood get a say in this?" She walked over to one of the Oods. "Um… Sorry, but…" She reached out and hesitantly tapped his shoulder. The Ood turned. "Hello. Tell me, are you all like this?"

"I do not understand, Miss." The Ood said.

Donna got completely sidetracked. "Why do you say, 'miss'? Do I look single?"

"Back to the point, Donna." _Bad time to get distracted by that_, Alex thought.

"Yeah. What I mean is, are there any free Ood? Are there any Ood running wild somewhere like wildebeest?"

"All Ood are born to serve. Otherwise we would die." He answered obediently.

"You can't have started like that. Before the humans," The Ood jerked his head. Alex looked at him curiously. "What were you like?"

"The circle."

"What circle?" Alex jumped in quickly. Why did 'the circle' keep popping up? What was this circle anyways? "What's the circle?"

"The circ — the circle —is –" The Ood was cut off.

"Ladies and gentlemen. All Ood to hospitality stations, please." The Ood walked away. The Doctor took off his glasses and reached into his pocket to retrieve a map of the complex.

"I've had enough of the schmoozing. Do you fancy going off the beaten track?" He asked.

"A Rough Guide to the Ood-Sphere? Works for me."

"Oh yeah," Alex commented. "I'm curious about this whole 'circle' thing that keeps popping up." The Doctor nodded, he was curious as well.

"Yeah." The Doctor said.

-x-

The trio had been walking around when they found a locked gate. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and they were easily able to get through. "Ood Shift 8 commencing." A voice over a P.A. said. "I repeat, Ood Shift 8 commencing." The Doctor, Alex, and Donna found themselves in a part of the complex that was closed off to visitors, and for good reason. They climbed some steps and looked down into an open area where the Ood were being marched. One fell to his knees. A guard came for to him.

"Get up." The Ood seemed to struggle. "I said, get up!" He cracked a whip.

"Servants?" Alex said, her voice cracking with disgust. "They're _slaves_."

The Doctor looked over at her, "Allie, what do you know? What did you see?" He was referring to back in the suites.

Alex bit her lip and just locked eyes with the Doctor for a moment. "It was bullshit." The Doctor blinked, caught off guard by her cursing. "What Solana was saying about how the treat the Ood is bullshit, and this isn't the only thing that proves that." Donna turned to Alex as well, now listening. "There was an Ood, he had red eyes, Doctor, but the thing is, they were chasing him like a dog." Alex paused. "That's what I was remembering."

The Doctor nodded and looked back at the Ood. He watched as the guard ordered the Ood to start marching again. "Last time I met the Ood, I never thought, never asked..." He muttered.

"That's not like you." Donna said softly.

"I was busy." The Doctor defended. "So busy, I couldn't save them. I had to let the Ood die. I reckon I owe them one."

Three men came out into the open area. The trio time travelers noticed them. "That looks like the boss." Donna said in a whisper.

"Let's keep out of his way. Come on." The Doctor, Alex, and Donna left the area.

-x-

The Doctor was looking at the map as he held Alex's hand tightly. They were in a warehouse district. Thankfully, they hadn't run into any guards. Donna stopped at a door and whistled loudly. Both Alex and the Doctor bent down at the shrillness of her whistle before turning. Donna gestured to the door and the Doctor came over, pulling out his sonic screwdriver. "Where'd you learn to whistle?"

"West Ham, every Saturday." Donna answered. The Doctor opened the door with the sonic device. Donna, the Doctor, and Alex walked into a warehouse that was filled with shipping containers. Above them, a large metal claw moved along its track in the ceiling, lifting and moving containers.

"Oh, export, you see?" He pointed to the claw. "Lifts up the containers, takes 'em to the rocket ships. Ready to be flown out all over the three galaxies."

"Wait, wait, wait," Alex said. "You don't mean these containers are full off…"

"What do you think?" He asked rhetorically. The Doctor opened the nearest container and it was filled with Ood. They stood at the door.

"Oh, it stinks." Donna said. Alex was fine; she knew how to breathe through her mouth instead of her nose. "How many of 'em do you think there are in each one?"

"A hundred? More?" The Doctor guessed.

"A great, big, empire built on salver." Donna muttered, disapproving. Alex shook her head, feeling the same way.

"Not so different from your time." Alex looked over.

"Oi, we don't have slaves!" Alex defended. Alex squeaked. "Oh my God, I said 'oi'… I'm turning _British_!" Alex gave a fake sob and put her face into her hands. That got both of them smiling. She lifted her head though. "But really, we don't have slaves."

"Who do you think made your clothes?" The Doctor spat. Alex eyes widened a bit. He never did that to her. She frowned.

"Is that why you travel round with a human at your side? It's not so you can show them the wonders of the universe, it's so you can take cheap shots." Alex reached up and smacked the Doctor.

He hissed and rubbed the spot where she hit. He opened his mouth, probably to ask if why the hell she did that, but she cut him off. "903 years old Time Lord or not, I am _not _afraid to smack you." Alex wasn't done. "But come on, Doctor, we don't own slaves. You know us. You know Donna and me, and you know we would never have slaves. Donna's right, if all you want to do is take cheap shots at my race, then ya know what? I'll leave." She wouldn't really leave, but she was saying it to make a point, a point that the Time Lord picked up on real quick.

"Sorry."

"Well, don't, Spaceman." The Doctor smirked at that. He turned to his Alex. She couldn't stop from smiling when he turned his puppy dog eyes onto her. She reached up and kissed his cheek, to show they were good again. He smiled, happy to know that. Donna turned back to the Ood with a smirk of her own; they were just so cute together. "I don't understand, the door was open – why didn't you just run away?"

One of the Ood spoke up. "For what reason?"

"You could be free." Donna said.

"I do not understand the concept." The same Ood answered.

"What is it with that Persil ball? I mean, they're not born with it, are they? Why do they have to be all plugged in?"

Alex finally spoke up. "Ood, does 'the circle' mean anything to anyone?"

"The circle must be broken." All Ood responded.

"Whoa, that is creepy." Donna muttered.

"But what is it? What is the circle?" The Doctor questioned.

"The circle must be broken." They repeated.

"Why?"

"So that we can sing."

An alarm suddenly went off. The trio looked around. "That's us, come on!" They started to run. They ran through a maze of shipping containers. Donna stopped but the Doctor and Alex kept going. Alex suddenly stopped. It caused the Doctor to jerk to a stop, Alex looked around bewildered. She couldn't see their red head friend anywhere. "Where have you gone?" The Doctor muttered to himself.

"Stay where you are!" A guard ordered in the distance. The Time Lord and his brunette took that as their cue to start running again.

"Donna!" Alex called. "Where are you?" She got no response. Alex started to feel her gut tighten. She was getting that feeling again… "Um… Doctor…"

"Shhh, Allie." The Doctor stopped and pressed himself to a container, listening.

"Doctor!" Alex hissed. "I'm getting that feeling again!" He looked up at her surprised, but saw that she wasn't looking at him; she was looking up behind him, with a look of horror. He turned and saw the claw coming after them. The Doctor quickly took Alex's hand and dragged her off, trying to stay out of the clutches of the claw. The Doctor turned to a container to try and get in, but Alex heard a loud 'click', indicating that it was locked. The duo ran as the claw chased them.

The claw smashed down on the ground, narrowly missing the Doctor and Alex. But the two couldn't run forever, the claw started to gain distance on them as they started to tire. The claw narrowly missed them again, but it caused them to crash to the ground. The Doctor quickly got up and more or less heaved Alex up; they both knew they didn't have time for him to be quite as gentle as he wanted. They continued to run.

The claw knocked them over some barrels and the Doctor just had enough time to cover Alex with his body. It was easy, since she was so much smaller than him. Alex closed her eyes, and buried her face into his chest, waiting for the claw… But nothing came…

The two looked up and saw that it had stopped within inches of them. The Doctor rolled over onto his back, and they both laid there panting, their heart rates all over the place. He, without thinking, took Alex's hand. Alex had only one thing to say, "Oh my God." She muttered.

-x-

Four guards brought the Doctor and Alex back to a container. Even from a distance the two brunettes could hear Donna's voice through it. "Doctor, get me out of here!"

"If you don't do what she says, you're really in trouble." The Doctor said. The guard gave him a look.

"Not from us, from her." Alex said. She had no doubt they'd be in big trouble by Donna.

"Unlock the container." The guard said. They opened it, and Donna came running out and hugged the Doctor, before pulling Alex into a bone crushing one.

"Doctor! Lexi!"

"There we go, safe and sound." The Doctor said.

"Never mind me, what about them?" They all turned back to the opening of the container. The red-eyes left the container and started to kill the guards with their communicator balls. "Red Alert! Fire!" The guards opened fire on the Ood, the time travelers decided it was a good time to leave. Alex looked back to see another container open, with more red eyes. "Shoot to kill!"

The Doctor, Alex, Donna, and Solana escaped the warehouse and ran far enough away to get a breather. "If people back on Earth knew that was going on here…"

"Don't be stupid." Solana said. "Of course they know."

"Oh really?" Alex snapped. "They know how you treat the Ood like _dogs_, like _slaves_." Solana backed up at Alex's tone. The Doctor took her shoulders and pressed her into him so she'd calm down.

"They don't ask. Same thing."

"Solana, the Ood aren't born like this. They can't be. A species born to serve could never evolve in the first place. What does the company do to make them obey?" The Doctor asked.

"That has nothing to do with me." Solana said, with a hint of appall.

"What? 'Cause you don't ask?" Alex shot back.

"That's Dr. Ryder's territory."

"Where is he? What part of the complex?" The Doctor pulled out the map and showed it to her, for her to point at it. "I could help with the red-eye, now show me!"

She hesitated for a moment, but pointed it out. "There." She said softly. "Beyond the red section."

"Come with us." Alex looked at the man like he was insane. "You've seen the warehouse, you can't agree with all this. You know this place better than me, you could help."

Solana was quiet for a long moment. "They're over here! Guards, they're over here!" The Doctor looked disappointed, while Alex just shook her head. They ran off.

-x-

The trio changed directions after they saw some guards. "This way." The Doctor said. They stopped at another warehouse. Alex looked around, there it was again. That soft singing, just like before it was so faint. "Oh, can you hear it? I didn't need the map. I should've listened!" The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to open the door, but then he used it again to lock them in.

"Does that mean we're locked it?" Donna asked.

"Listen. Listen, listen, listen, listen." The Doctor pulled out a flashlight since it was dark. Alex couldn't tell where the singing was coming from. They went farther in and down some stairs to discover a cage. "Oh, my head." The Doctor groaned. Alex looked at him concerned and took his hand. He looked over at her and squeezed it.

"What is it?" Donna asked, confused.

"Can't you hear it?" The Doctor asked. "The singing." They walk closer to see some Ood huddled together. The Doctor switched on a light.

"They look different from the other Ood." Alex said softly.

"That's because they're natural-born Ood. Unprocessed. Before they're adapted to slavery. Unspoiled." They came over and squatted down in front of the Ood. "That's their song."

"I can't hear it." Donna said.

"Do you want to?" The Doctor asked.

"Yeah." She faced the Doctor, he turned to his Alex. He saw she was watching the Ood, her eyes were distant.

"Allie?" He asked softly. She blinked, snapping out of it, and turned. "Do you want to hear it?"

"I want to hear it better." She clarified; she explained when the Doctor sent her a confused look. "I can hear it, but it's really faint, like the speaker is so very far away, but I would like to hear it."

"It's the song of captivity." The Doctor said, almost as warning.

"Let us hear it." Donna said.

"Face me." The Doctor put his fingers onto Donna's temples. "Open your mind. That's it. Hear it, Donna... Hear the music." Donna gasped. The Doctor turned to Alex, and did the same much more hesitantly. Alex took in a sharp take of breath as she turned to the Ood once more. Tears were falling from her cheeks without her even realizing it. The song she was now hearing clearly was both so beautiful and so haunting at the same time.

"Take it away." Donna's voice broke.

"You sure?" The Doctor asked softly.

"I can't bare it." The Doctor repeated the process. "I'm sorry." Donna said.

"It's okay." He said softly. He turned to Alex. He saw the tears running down her face, but she just kept her eyes on the Ood. "Allie, if you want, I can take it away."

Alex finally looked over, and he realized. By opening her mind to the Ood, she wasn't just hearing them, she was _feeling _them. Her powerful empathy had poured through the walls of physics. Alex shook her head, and swallowed with some difficulty. "No, I'm good." She said quietly.

"Allie…" She didn't have to do this, if it hurt so much he could take it away, he wouldn't hold it against her.

"No." Her voice became slightly stronger. "You can still hear it." Alex's voice broke. "I want… I want to hear it with you." His eyes softened, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. She melted against the sensation. They all stood up and the Doctor used his sonic device to open the Ood cage. Donna heard a noise from the level above. Alex seemed to match the age of the Doctor; she couldn't hear much of anything with the Ood's song so clearly in her head.

"They're breakin' in." Donna announced.

"Ah, let 'em." The Doctor said uncaring. He entered the cage, but the Ood shuffled away from him. "What are you holding?" One of the Ood looked at him shyly. "Friend. Doctor, Allie, Donna friend. Look at me. Let me see." The Ood came closer. "That's it. That's it. Go on, go on…"

The Ood held out his cupped hand and opened it to reveal a…

"Oh my God." Alex said.

"Is that –?" Donna couldn't even say it.

The Doctor, however, had no trouble. "It's a brain. A hindbrain. The Ood are born with a secondary brain. Like the amygdala in humans, it process memory and emotion. You get rid of that, you wouldn't be Donna anymore. You'd be like an Ood. A processed Ood."

"So the company… cuts off their brains." Alex swallowed with some difficulty as Donna said that. That was just… There were no words in Alex's mind to describe how _horrible _that is.

"And stitches on the translator." The doctor finished.

"Doctor," Alex said softly. He turned to her. "Why do they hold it like that?"

"They need to keep it warm. It doesn't do well in cold weather." Alex looked back at the Ood. She started to fiddle around. "What are you doing?" She finally reached into one of the Doctor's pockets and held out a packet of velvet – long story why it was in the Doctor's pocket, even longer story how she got it.

Alex opened it up and held out the pretty colors to the Ood. He looked at them interested, and then looked back at her. "Here." Alex brought them closer. "Velvet will help keep them warm. Pick a color, any color you like." The Doctor and Donna watched as the Ood very hesitantly reached out and picked a purple one. "Oooh, that's a good choice." Alex lifted it up. "Can I?" The Ood nodded and she gently, _very _gently, held the brain and wrapped it up loosely in the velvet. "There it can help keep them warm." The other Ood seemed interested now, and by the end, all the Ood now had velvet around their brains to help keep them warm.

"Allie…" He had no words to describe her.

One of the Ood came up, and bowed his head. Alex bowed her head back. "Like the Doctor said, Allie friend. Doctor friend. Donna friend."

Donna couldn't get over the fact of what the company did to the poor Ood. "Like a lobotomy. I spent all that time looking for you, Doctor, because I thought it would be so wonderful out here. I want to go home." Alex's head snapped over to her surprised, and the Doctor was stunned by her wish. They didn't have any time to respond as the boss and the guards arrived.

"They're with the Ood, sir." One of the guards announced.

The Doctor slammed the door shut, and pressed his face through the bars. "What are you gonna do, then? Arrest me? Lock me up? Well, you're too late! Hah!"

-x-

Alex hissed as the time travelers were being handcuffed to a pole by some guards. "Why don't you just come out and say it? _FOTO_ activists."

"If that's what Friends of the Ood are trying to prove, then yes." The Doctor scowled at the man.

"The Ood were nothing without us – just animals roaming around on the ice." Mr. Halpen said like it was nothing.

"Moron," Alex snarled. "That's because you can't _hear _them."

"They welcomed it! It's not as if they put up a fight." He continued with that stupid oblivious attitude.

"You idiot! They're born with their brain in their hands, don't you see? That makes them peaceful! They've got to be because a creature like that would have to trust anyone it meets." Donna shot back.

"Oh," Alex turned to Donna. "Nice one, Donna."

"Thank you." She said.

"The system's worked for 200 years. All we've got is a rogue batch. But the infection is about to be sterilized." Alex felt her heart drop; he wasn't saying what she thought he was… Was he? Mr. Halpen spoke into a comm. "Mr. Kess, how do we stand?"

"Canisters primed, sir. As soon as the core heats up, the gas is released. Give it 200 marks... and counting." A voice answered over the comm.

"You're going to gas them?" The Doctor yelled, disgusted. Alex looked at the man, horrified.

"Kill the livestock. The classic foot-and-mouth solution. Still works." The man actually had the nerve to smile. After a few minutes an alarm went off. Alex couldn't stop the wince from coming, for the past few minutes, the singing the Ood had been doing was growing louder and louder, almost as if more of them were joining in. "What the hell?" He looked around. Mr. Halpen went out with a scientist and an Ood. After a few minutes, they came back in. Alex caught bits of a fight outside before the door closed. "Change of plan."

"No reports of trouble off-world, sir. It's still contained to the Ood-Sphere." The scientist spoke up.

"Then we've got a public duty to stop it before it spreads." Mr. Halpen said.

"What's happening?" The Doctor demanded.

"Everything you wanted, Doctor. No doubt there'll be a full police investigation once this place has been sterilized so I can't risk a bullet to the head. I'll leave you to the mercies of the Ood." He went for the door.

"But, Mr. Halpen, there's something else, isn't there? Something we haven't seen." Mr. Halpen stopped when the Doctor said this. Alex looked at him confused, as did Donna.

"What?" Alex asked.

"The creature couldn't survive with a separate forebrain and hindbrain; they'd be at war with themselves. There's got to be something else, a third element. Am I right?"

Mr. Halpen smirked. "Again, so clever."

"It's got to be connected to the red-eye. What is it?" Mr. Halpen came over and looked the Doctor straight in the eye.

"It won't exist for very much longer. Enjoy your Ood." Halpen, the scientist and two guards leave through a door. The trio tried to free themselves from the cuffs.

"Well, do something." Donna said to the Doctor. "You're the one with all the tricks! You must've met Houdini!"

"These are," The Doctor grunted. "_Really _good handcuffs."

"Well then, I'll get you some good handcuffs for Christmas." Alex said sarcastically. Alex's mind went to the gutter pretty quickly on that, _wait, _she blinked, _I didn't mean it like that_…

"At least we've got quality!" The doors opened suddenly and the three stopped struggling. Three Ood stood before them, red-eyes. The Ood started to advance. They tried to convince the red-eye Ood that they were friendly, their frantic words overlapping.

"Doctor, Donna, Allie, friends!"

"The circle must be broken!"

"Doctor friend, Donna friend, Allie friend!"

"Doctor, Donna, Allie, friends!"

"The circle must be broken!"

"Doctor friend, Donna friend, Allie friend!"

"Doctor, Donna, Allie, friends!"

"The circle must be broken!"

"Doctor friend, Donna friend, Allie friend!"

"Friends, friends, friends!"

"The circle must be broken!"

"Doctor friend, Donna friend, Allie friend!"

"Doctor, Donna, Allie friends!"

"The circle must be broken!"

"Doctor friend, Donna friend, Allie friend!"

"Doctor, Donna, Allie friend!"

"The circle must be broken!"

"Doctor friend, Donna friend, Allie friend!"

-x-

Without knowing it, their voices echoed back to the unprocessed Ood.

-x-

"Doctor, Donna, Allie friend!"

"The circle must be broken!"

"Doctor friend, Donna friend, Allie friend!"

-x-

The Ood in their cage stood up. Their hands pointed outwards.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Donna were speaking faster as the Ood got closer. "Doctor, Donna, Allie friends!"

"The circle must be broken!"

"Doctor friend, Donna friend, Allie friend!"

"Doctor, Donna, Allie friends!"

"The circle must be broken!"

"Doctor friend, Donna friend, Allie friend!" The trio pressed themselves into the poles as the Ood translator balls got inches away from them, but they stopped short.

-x-

The Ood began to sing.

-x-

The translator balls switched off and the Ood held their heads. One lifted their eyes finally, as the trio opened their eyes and looked at the Ood. His eyes were normal. "Doctor. Donna. Allie. Friend."

"That's me! Us!" Donna cried, happy to know that the Ood knew they were on their side.

"Oh yes, that's us!" Alex was feeling the same way.

"Yes, that's us! Friends! Oh, yes!" As was the Doctor.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Donna ran down the stairs and across the compound dodging the fighting. The Doctor paused, his hand tightly around Alex's. He tried to get his bearings. "I don't know where it is! I don't know where they've gone!"

"What are we looking for?" They could be anywhere. They continued to run.

"Might be underground, like some sort of cave or a cavern or..." He was muttering to himself, still looking around. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna were thrown to the ground by an explosion. "Alright?" He asked the two girls. Donna nodded; he turned to Alex but saw she was looking behind them. He turned as well, to see as the smoke lifted an Ood was standing there. But his eyes were normal, unlike his fellow people.

-x-

Sigma – they had learned his name as he helped them – lead them to Warehouse 15. The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the panel and the door opened. Once inside, they see what it was that kept the Ood from fighting with each other – a giant brain that was kept within an energy field.

"The Ood brain. Now it all makes sense. That's the missing link. The third element, binding them together. Forebrain, hindbrain and this. The telepathic centre. It's a shared mind... connecting all the Ood in song." The Doctor explained. They heard a weapon click. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna turned to see Mr. Halpen holding a gun at them. The Time Lord moved his Alex behind him.

"Cargo. I can always go into cargo. I've got the rockets, I've got the sheds. Smaller business. Much more manageable without livestock." He said.

"He's mined the area." The scientist said.

"You're going to kill it?" How could he?

"They found that thing centuries ago beneath the northern glacier."

The Doctor turned to the two girls. "Those pylons."

"In a circle." Donna said. "'The circle must be broken'."

"Dampening the telepathic field, stopping the Ood from connecting for 200 years." Alex shook her head at that.

"And you, Ood Sigma, you brought them here. I expected better."

"My place is at your side, sir." Sigma moved back to Mr. Halpen's side.

Mr. Halpen chuckled. "Still subservient. Good Oo –" He couldn't finish his sentence.

"If that barrier thing's in place, how come the Ood started breaking out?" Donna had a good point.

"Maybe it's taken centuries to adapt. The subconscious reaching out."

The scientist stepped up. "But the process was too slow, had to be accelerated. You should never have given me access to the controls, Mr. Halpen. I lowered the barrier to its minimum. Friends of the Ood, sir. It's taken me ten years to infiltrate the company. And I succeeded."

"Yes. Yes you did." Mr. Halpen pushed the man over the fence. Alex gasped as he was then absorbed by the Ood brain.

"You… Murdered him." Donna said, unbelieving.

"Very observant, Ginger. Now then, can't say I've ever shot anyone before... can't say I'm gonna like it, but, uh, it's not exactly a normal day, is it? Still..." He held up the gun to fire. The Doctor got both girls behind him.

Sigma spoke up suddenly. "Would you like a drink, Sir?"

Mr. Halpen laughed. "I think hair loss is the least of my problems right now, thanks."

Sigma stood in front of the Doctor, holding out a glass. "Please have a drink, sir."

The Doctor put a hand on Sigma's shoulder. "If— if you're gonna stand in their way, I'll shoot you too." He had trouble getting the last words out, speaking in slow motion. Alex's eyebrows furred together.

"Please have a drink, sir." Sigma repeated.

"Have – have you… poisoned me?"

"Natural Ood must never kill, sir."

"What is that stuff then, Sigma?" Alex asked.

"Ood-graft suspended in a biological compound." Mr. Halpen was looking decidedly unwell.

"What the hell does that mean?" Mr. Halpen asked. Alex was having the same thoughts.

"Oh dear," It seem the Doctor knew what it was.

"Tell me!"

"Funny thing, the subconscious. Takes all sorts of shapes. It came out in the red-eye as revenge. It came out in the rabid Ood as anger. And then there was patience. All that intelligence and mercy focused on Ood Sigma. How's the hair loss, Mr. Halpen?"

Mr. Halpen ran a hand through his hair, and some more hair came off. "What have you done?"

"Oh, they've been preparing you for a very long time. And now you're standing next to the Ood brain. Mr. Halpen, can you hear it? Listen." Mr. Halpen looked at the Ood brain as if entranced. Alex could hear it too, becoming louder.

"What have you – I'm… not –" Sigma stepped out of the way. Mr. Halpen dropped the gun. Alex turned her head – she remembered this part, it honestly freaked her out – and buried her face into the Doctor's shoulder. He instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist. Mr. Halpen gripped his head and cried out in agony. He pulled at his scalp and it came away revealing an Ood head underneath. Tentacles came out from his mouth.

"They – They turned him into an Ood?" Donna said with difficulty.

"Yep." The Doctor said.

"He's an Ood." Donna said.

"I noticed." The Doctor said.

Ood Halpen made a strangle gurgling noise before coughing up his secondary brain. "He has become Ood-kind and we will take care of him." Sigma said.

"It's weird, being with you. I can't tell what's right and what's wrong anymore." Donna put a hand to her head, having trouble swallowing it all. Alex finally lifted her head from her safe spot.

"It's better that way. People who know for certain tend to be like Mr. Halpen." There was a loud beeping. "Oh!" The Doctor bent over the fence and deactivated the detonation packs. "That's better. And now... Ood Sigma, will you allow me the honor?"

"It is yours, Doctor." Sigma said.

"Oh yes!" It was obvious the Doctor was getting excited again. He went over to the equipment powering the field. "Stifled for over 200 years but not anymore. The circle is broken. The Ood can sing!"

The field around the brain shuts off and the song was heard by everyone. The Doctor laughed. "I can hear it!" Donna and Alex laugh too as Sigma lifted up his hands.

-x-

The Ood were standing with the Doctor, Donna, and Alex just outside the TARDIS. "The message has gone out. That song resonated across the galaxies. Everyone heard it. Everyone knows. The rockets are bringing them back. The Ood are coming home."

"We thank you, Doctor-Donna and Allie, friends of Ood-kind. And what of you now? Will you stay? There is room in the song for you."

"Oh," Alex smiled. "We've got a bit of a song of our own."

"I think your song must end soon." Alex's smile slowly fell at the ominous words.

"And that would mean?" Alex asked.

"Every song must end in order to change to a new one." Alex blinked, with even more mysterious words floating around in her head.

"Right," Alex said, slowly. The Doctor seemed to be bothered by it as well.

"Um, what about you?" He asked Donna. "Do you still want to go home?"

"No. Definitely not." Donna said. They smiled at each other.

"Then we'll be off." The Doctor announced to the Ood.

"Take this song with you." Sigma said.

"We will." Alex nodded.

"And know this, Doctor-Donna and Allie, you will never be forgotten. Our children will sing of the Doctor-Donna and Allie, and our children's children, and the wind and the ice and the snow will carry your names forever." The Ood all lifted their hands as a song was sung out into the world. The Doctor, Donna, and Alex turned around and into the TARDIS. They dematerialized as the Ood sung out.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

Donna and Alex were at the controls while the Doctor looked around nervously. He finally moved, and pressed his chest to Alex's back. He intertwined their fingers and moved her hands to the proper places. Alex felt her cheeks turn a noticeable pink, but tried to ignore it. "I can't believe we're doing this!" Alex was wearing a blue button up shirt that had its own belt. It had some red and white strips, and the sleeves were slightly puffy. She wore this with light wash jeans and some dark blue converse. Alex decided to keep her hair down.

"I can't either!" Alex squealed. They were actually flying the TARDIS.

"No, neither can I." The Doctor stated. The Time Lord noticed something. "Whoa, careful." He got out a mallet and banged it on a console before lifting the lever. He went back to the screen. "Left hand down, left hand down!"

Donna did that, though she might have pulled it down to much, since the TARDIS lurched. "Getting a bit too close to the 1980s."

"What are we going to do, put a dent in them?" Donna asked sarcastically. The Doctor moved back to Alex's back and moved her hands, still watching the monitor.

"Well, someone did." He answered. Alex turned as well, trying to decipher what was on the monitor, but in doing so, she opened her neck to the Doctor's breath. Alex bit her lip to stop from making a sound as his, deep, steady, calm breathing fanned down her neck.

She couldn't hold it for long, as he pressed his lips to her ear. Alex scrunched up her neck and whined lowly. The Doctor looked over, confused. Alex slipped one of her hands under the Doctor's and rubbed her neck. She always had a sensitive neck. She could never get a neck rub from her parents, which was a shame because she could get quite tight around that area, because when they started to rub in that area, shivers and tingles would went down her neck and she wouldn't be able to stop from laughing, it was a ticklish spot for her.

The Doctor kissed her head gently. Alex slipped her hand back underneath the Doctor's. Suddenly, a mobile ring ran through the ears of the time travelers. "Hold on – that's a phone!" Donna turned to Alex. "Is it yours Lexi?"

Alex gave her a bemused smile. "No, 'cause trust me, if it was mine, the Doctor would _definitely _be able to feel it." The Doctor looked confused while Donna laughed, understanding it right away. Finally, the Doctor's eyes went down to her… bottom half… and realized that his hips were pressed quite tightly to hers.

The Time Lord jumped back. Alex and Donna laughed at his flushed face. "Come on, Doctor, we all know you liked that." That only worsened the blush on the Doctor's face. He walked past a grinning Donna to another section of the TARDIS heart, and grabbed the mobile that popped out. Donna's face turned from grinning to surprise within minutes. Donna didn't know the Doctor had a phone! "You've got a mobile! Since when?"

"It's not his." Alex commented. She felt her heart speed up. If that phone was ringing, that meant only one thing.

The Doctor leaned back and sat on the chair. Alex rushed over and sat down next to him. She wrapped her arms around his arm. They looked at each other. The Doctor slowly flipped opened the phone. "Hello?" Alex leaned in close to him, so she could hear the other side of the conversation as well.

"Doctor?" Alex couldn't stop the grin at hearing her good friend's voice over the phone. "It's Martha… And I'm bringing you back to Earth."

-x-

Alex waited impatiently as the TARDIS finally gave one final thud, before stilling. That meant that they had landed. The Doctor was the first to get to the doors. Alex was right behind him. He opened the doors and slowly stepped out. Alex was behind him, their hands encased tightly together. Donna slowly walked towards the two brunettes.

The Time Lord looked at Martha. Alex bit her lip, but she still grinned at seeing her friend. "Martha Jones." The Doctor stated.

"Doctor…" Martha turned her eyes to the brunette girl. "Alex."

They approached each other slowly. Martha lifted her arms up, and the Doctor picked her up in a big hug. "Ah yeah!" The Doctor laughed. "You have changed a bit!"

"Neither have you two!" Alex squealed and threw her arms around Martha.

"Oh I'm _so _happy to see you Martha!" Martha laughed and hugged her friend back.

"It's good to see you too, Alex."

"How's the family?" Alex asked.

"You know. Not so bad, recovering." Martha answered. That was good.

Donna finally stepped out of the TARDIS, the Doctor's and Alex's back to her. However, Martha saw her.

"What about you?" The Doctor asked.

"Right. I should have known, didn't take you long to replace me." Martha teased.

Alex turned and waved Donna over. "Now, don't start fighting." The Doctor scolded.

"Martha Jones, Donna Noble." Alex introduced. "Donna Noble, Martha Jones."

"Please don't fight," the Doctor added. "I can't bear fighting."

"You wish." Donna muttered and walked over to Martha. "I've heard all about you." She shook Martha's hand. "They talk about you all the time."

"I dread to think." Martha said.

"No, no, no. They say nice things. Good things. Nice things. Really good things."

"Oh my God, they've told you everything." Alex titled her head when Martha swept her bangs back with her hand. Alex's eyes widened, Martha had an engagement ring on! _No way_!

"Didn't take you long to get over him, Martha." Alex grinned. "Who's the lucky man?"

"What man? Lucky what?" The Doctor asked.

Donna rolled her eyes at him. "She's engaged, you prawn."

Martha wiggled the fingers of her left hand, showing off the ring. "Really? Who to?"

"Tom. That Tom Milligan. He's in pediatrics working out in Africa right now. And yes, I know, I've got a doctor who disappears off to distant places – tell me about it."

"Wait, wait, wait," Alex said. "Tom Milligan, as in that Doctor Tom Milligan in the Year that Never Was? Same one?" Martha nodded, "Oh! I knew you would end up with him!"

"How about you two?" Martha's eyes were alight with teasing.

"What about us what?" The Doctor asked.

"They're together." Donna answered for them. Alex reached over and pushed her red head friend. She laughed. "You should see them, they're always touching, and the looks they give each other, all gogglely-eyed and full of love and adoration."

"Shut up, Donna!" Alex put her hands to her now burning red face. Martha and Donna laughed. The Doctor shook his head, but even he had a bit of red on his face.

"Is he skinny?" Donna was now talking to Martha about Tom.

"No, he's sorta… strong."

Donna pointed at the Doctor. "He is too skinny; you give him a hug you get a paper cut." Martha giggled at that. "Of course, the only person who loves it is Lexi." Alex rolled her eyes but giggled.

The Doctor shook his head. "Ah, I'd rather you were fighting." Alex giggled and reached up and kissed the Doctor's cheek. That got her a small smile.

A woman's voice over a radio met their ears. "Dr. Jones, report to base, please."

"Speaking of which," Martha picked up the radio and put it to her lips. "This is Dr. Jones. Operation Blue Sky is go, go, go." She turned and walked away. "I repeat, this is a go."

As the Doctor, Alex, and Donna followed, soldiers, Jeeps, and a large truck came down the road. "Unified Intelligence Taskforce, raise that barrier now!" Alex could hear one soldier say. The soldiers and vehicles entered a large industrial factory. "Leave your safeties on, lads, its non-hostiles!"

Another soldier was speaking though a bullhorn to all the workers. "All workers lay down your tools and surrender!"

Martha was still speaking into her radio. "Greyhound Six to Trap One. B Section, go, go, go! Search the ground floor, grid pattern Delta."

"What are you searching for?" The Doctor asked.

Martha held a hand out to him. "Illegal aliens." She answered.

"This is a UNIT operation! All workers lay down your tools and surrender immediately!" The same soldier told the workers. The UNIT soldiers were forcing the workers to their knees with their hands on their heads.

"B Section mobilized! E Section, F Section, on my command!" She ran off, still giving orders.

"Is that what you did to her, turned her into a soldier?" They continued to watch. Alex started to press herself against the Doctor. This was unbelievable. They were just workers! They didn't have any weapons, or guns, or anything of the sort. The Doctor could feel her emotions and wrapped an arm around her to keep her calm.

-x-

Martha strode up to them after the raid was done. Alex looked down and noticed what it said on her name badge. She was tucked under the Doctor's arm. "You're a qualified doctor now, eh?"

"UNIT rushed it through, given my experience in the field. Here we go." She lifted a finger to follow them. They walked over to the truck. "We're establishing a field base on site. They're dying to meet you."

"Wish I could say the same." The Doctor muttered. He didn't like people with guns, especially people with guns that made his Alex upset. Since they already made her upset, they weren't exactly on his good side right now. They entered the truck from the rear. It was set up with monitors, computers and communication – all top of the line. Martha walked up to an older man. Alex figured it was the senior officer. "Operation Blue Sky complete, sir. Thanks for letting me take the lead. And this... this is the Doctor. Doctor, Colonel Mace."

Colonel Mace saluted. Alex winced, after all the time she's spent with the Doctor, he's rubbed off on her on the whole 'no saluting' thing. "Sir."

The Doctor leaned away from the salute, with a face that could only be described as annoyed. "Oh, don't salute."

"But it's an honor, Sir." Colonel Mace defended. "I've read all the files on you. Technically speaking, you're still on staff. You never resigned." The Doctor made a face at that.

"What, you used to work for them?" Donna asked surprised.

"Yeah. A long time ago, back in the 70s – or was it the 80s? It was all a bit more homespun back then." The Doctor said, taking a look at all the technology in the room.

"Times have change, sir."

"That's enough of the 'sir'." The Doctor commented.

"Come on though, Doctor. You've seen it. You've been on board the _Valiant_. We've got massive funding from the United Nations, all in the name of Homeworld Security." They walked around the large computer to see a big computer screen in front of them, showing a map of the world.

"A modern UNIT for the modern world." Colonel Mace said.

"What and that means arresting ordinary workers? In the streets? In broad daylight? It's more like Guantanamo Bay out there. Donna, by the way. Donna Noble, since you didn't ask. I'll have a salute." Mace turned to the Doctor who gave a slight nod. He turned back to Donna.

"Ma'am." He said with a salute.

"Thank you." Alex leaned the Doctor over so she could whisper in his ear.

"Now _that_ is what I call girl power." The Doctor and Alex grinned at each other.

"Tell me, what's going on in that factory." The Doctor sat down in one of the chairs. He waved Alex over. He leaned back and she sat down onto his lap. She pressed her ear against his chest, hearing his heartbeats.

"Yesterday, fifty-two people died in identical circumstances right across the world, in 11 different time zones. 5am in the UK, 6am in France, 8am in Moscow, 1pm in China –"

The Doctor cut him off. "You mean they died simultaneously?"

"Exactly. 52 deaths at the exact same moment worldwide."

"How did they die?" It couldn't have been a coincidence that they all died at the same time.

"They were all inside their cars." Mace answered. Alex and the Doctor looked over at him, interested.

"They were poisoned. I checked the biopsies. No toxins. Whatever it is left the system immediately." Martha explained.

"What have the cars got into common?" Something about the cars made it possible for someone to kill 52 people.

"Completely different makes but all fitted with ATMOS. And that is the ATMOS factory."

"What's ATMOS?" The Doctor asked, voicing Alex's thoughts.

"Oh come on, even I know that. Everyone's got ATMOS." The Doctor looked over, even more interested as to what this ATMOS was.

-x-

Martha walked the Doctor, Alex, and Donna along a catwalk above the factory floor. "Stands for 'Atmospheric Emission System'. The ATMOS in your car reduces CO2 emissions to zero."

"Zero?" The Doctor asked, surprised. "No carbon? None at all?"

"And you get sat-nav thrown in, plus 20 quid in shopping vouchers if you introduce a friend. Bargain." They stopped and watched as a soldier lined up the workers, their hands still on their heads. Colonel Mace joined them.

"And this is where they make it, Doctor, shipping worldwide. Seventeen factories across the globe but this is the central depot, sending ATMOS to every country on Earth." Colonel Mace said.

"And you suspect that ATMOS is alien?" Alex asked.

"It's our job to investigate that possibility. Doctor?" Colonel Mace walked off and the others followed him. They passed some soldiers in the midst of gathering up factory workers.

"Come on, everybody, up the pace. We haven't got all day now." One of the soldiers said.

-x-

Colonel Mace, the Doctor, Alex, Donna, and Martha arrived in a small office where the ATMOS device was displayed. "And here it is, laid bare. ATMOS can be threaded through any and every make of car."

"You must have checked in before it went on sale." The Doctor pointed out.

"We did. We found nothing. That's why I thought we needed an expert." Martha said.

The Doctor slipped on his glasses to examine the equipment. "Really? Who'd you get?" Alex smiled and held back a laugh as they all turned to look at him pointedly. He turned around to see this. "Oh, right! Me! Yes! Good." Martha smiled as did Donna. Colonel Mace and Martha left the room. The Doctor came over and picked up the ATMOS device to take a closer look at it.

"So, why would aliens be so set on cleaning up our atmosphere?" Alex asked.

"Very good question." The Doctor muttered.

"Maybe they want to help – get rid of pollution and stuff." Donna suggested.

"Do you know how many cars there are on planet Earth?" The Doctor answered before either woman could answer. "800 million. Imagine that. If you could control them, you'd have 800 million weapons."

Alex blinked, blown away. "Even if you controlled half of that amount," the Doctor turned to her. "You'd have control of 400 million cars."

-x-

The Doctor flipped the ATMOS device around as he examined it. "Ionising nano-membrane carbon dioxide converter – which means that ATMOS works. Filters the CO2 at a molecular level." The Doctor ran around and put the ATMOS down and bent down to get a different view. Alex and Colonel Mace followed him.

"We know about that. What's its origin? Is it alien?"

"No," The Doctor answered. "But its decades ahead of its time. Look, do you mind? Could you stand back a bit?"

"Sorry, have I done something wrong?" Colonel Mace asked. _You're carrying a gun, that's enough reason for the Doctor_. Alex sighed.

"You're carrying a gun. I don't like people with guns hanging around me, all right?" The Doctor bit back.

"If you insist." He walked away. Alex started to fiddle with a necklace around her neck. The Doctor had never seen it, because she made sure it was always underneath her clothes. It had been her grandfather's dog tags. She didn't know how the Doctor would react to know that both of her grandfathers fought in World War II.

"Tetchy." Martha muttered.

"Well, it's true." The Doctor muttered.

"He's a good man." Martha defended.

"People with guns are usually the enemy in my books." The Doctor said.

"Doctor," He looked over, he noticed that she had a necklace out in her hand. He came over and looked at it to see it was dog tags. He looked back at her, surprised. "Both my grandfathers fought in World War II, does that make them bad?" The Doctor's eyes softened. "I loved both of them, Doctor. My grandfather on my father's side – we called him Opa. He was German, but he came to American to fight for us. He never, ever talked about World War II. He was one of the division to find a concentration camps." His eyes soften even more. "He was probably really ashamed of his people, of his heritage. He was a German, and he saw what they had done to all sorts of innocent people."

"Allie…"

"I got these from my dad." Alex said, fiddling with them. "They're one of my treasures." She looked up at him. He took her face and kissed her forehead.

"Sorry, Allie." He murmured.

"I know why you don't like guns, Doctor. But, please, could you be more understanding?" He sighed and nodded.

Martha watched them. Instead of feeling jealousy, she felt a sort of happiness for them. They were so perfect together. "He's a good man." She repeated.

He turned back to Martha. "You seem quiet at home." He went back to the ATMOS and pulled out the sonic screwdriver and used it on the device.

Martha became defensive. "If anyone got me used to fighting, it's you."

"Oh right, so it's my fault." The Doctor said sarcastically. Alex shook her head at their fighting.

"Well, you got me the job. Besides, look at me." The Doctor turned off the sonic screwdriver and looked at her. "Am I carrying a gun?"

"Suppose not." He answered quietly.

"It's all right for you. You can just come and go, but some of us have got to stay behind. So I've got to work from the inside and by staying inside, maybe I stand a chance of making them better."

"Yeah?" The Doctor and Alex smile. "That's more like Martha Jones."

"I learnt from the best."

"Well…" Donna entered the room.

"Oi, you lot! All your storm troopers and your sonics – rubbish! Shoulda come with me."

"Why?" Alex questioned. "Where have you been?" Colonel Mace re-joined them.

"Personnel." Donna answered. She looked quite proud of herself for whatever she found. "That's where the weird stuff's happening – in the paperwork. 'Cause I spent years working as a temp, I can find my way around an office blindfolded, and the first thing I noticed is an empty file." She lifted up a single file.

"Why, what's inside it? Or what's not inside it?"

"Sick days." She opened it to show it was empty. "There aren't any. Hundreds of people working here and no one's sick. Not one hangover, man flu, sneaky little shopping trip. Nothing. Not ever. They don't get ill."

"That can't be right." Colonel Mace took the folder to look at it.

"You've been checking out the buildings, should've been checking out the workforce." Alex smiled, she was impressed.

"I can see why he likes you." The Doctor and Donna share a look. "You're good."

"Super temp." She said.

"Dr. Jones, set up a medical post, start examining the workers. I'll get them sent through."

"Come on, Donna, give me a hand." Martha suggested as they walked out the way Donna came in. The Doctor tugged Alex's arm and they followed Mace out the opposite way. The duo walked with Colonel Mace along an open corridor parallel to the work area.

"So, this, this ATMOS thing, where'd it come from?" The Doctor asked.

"Luke Rattigan himself."

"And that would be?" Alex asked.

-x-

Mace pulled up Luke's profile on the computer. "Child genius. Invented the Fountain 6 search engine when he was 12 years old. Millionaire overnight. Now runs the Rattigan Academy. A private school educating students handpicked from all over the world."

"A hothouse for geniuses – wouldn't mind going there." Colonel Mace and Alex looked over at him. "I get lonely." Alex smiled and shook her head.

-x-

The Doctor had decided that he was going to see this Luke Rattigan, and Colonel Mace wanted to come along, of course, the Doctor did not approve of this. "You are not coming with me. I want to talk to this Luke Rattigan, not point a gun at him."

"It's ten miles outside London. How are you going to get there?"

Alex noticed some jeeps lined up. "Get us a Jeep!" She offered, the Doctor nodded, liking that idea.

"According to the records, you travel by TARDIS." Colonel pointed out.

"Yeah, but, if there is a danger of hostile aliens, I think it best to keep a super-duper time travel machine away from the front lines." The Doctor answered.

"I see. Then you do have weapons but you choose to keep the hidden." The Doctor shrugged at that. "Jenkins?"

"Sir!" A young man reported.

"You will accompany the Doctor and Miss. Alex Harper and take orders from them." Colonel Mace instructed.

"We don't do orders." The Doctor commented.

"Any sign of trouble get Jenkins to declare a Code Red. And good luck, Sir, Ma'am." He saluted them. Alex made a face.

"I said no salutes." The Doctor said.

"Now you're giving orders." He muttered as he walked away.

"A bit cheeky, you are." Donna came over when she saw them. "Oh, just in time. Come on!" He grabbed her hand – his other already tightly around Alex's. "Come on, we're going to the country." He started to pull them towards the Jeep. "Fresh air and geniuses, what more could you ask?"

"I'm not coming with you." Both paused and turned to Dona, confused. "I've been thinking… I'm sorry. I'm going home."

The Doctor's face was solemn, but accepting. Alex looked over at him, knowing he was about to get all mushy and gooey. Of course, she loved the mushy and gooey but now, she didn't think he understood what the red head had meant. "Well, if that's what you want. I mean, it's a bit soon. I had so many places I wanted to take you. The Fifteenth Broken Moon of the Medusa Cascade, the lightening skies of Cotter Palluni's World, the diamond coral reefs of Kaata Flo Ko... Thank you. Thank you, Donna Noble. It's been brilliant. You – you've saved my life in so many ways." Donna nodded; finally realization slowly struck the Doctor's face. "You're... You're—you're just popping home for a visit. That's what you mean."

"You dumbo." Donna whispered.

"And then you're coming back." Alex started to giggle. The Doctor shot her a look.

"Do you know what you are?" Donna teased. "A great, big, outer-space _dunce_."

The Doctor nodded his head. "Yeah."

"What's more you can give me a lift. Come on." They got into the Jeep. "Broken moon of what?"

"I know. I know." Alex had to slip into the Doctor's lap and after much fuss from her about this being _totally _unsafe, they went off.

-x-

The Jeep pulled up to the corner of Donna's road. Alex was the first to get out, followed by the Doctor, and Donna to get out last. "I'll walk the rest of the way. I'll see you back at the factory, yeah?"

"Bye!" Alex said as they both got into the Jeep again. Since Donna was now out, Alex sat between the two men.

"And you be careful!" Donna warned as the Jeep too off again.

-x-

As the Doctor, Alex, and Ross drove to the school, the two time travelers were getting along quite well with the UNIT soldier. "UNIT's been watching the Rattigan Academy for ages. It's all a bit Hitler Youth. Exercise at dawn and classes and special diets." He explained.

"Turn left." ATMOS instructed.

"Ross, one question. If UNIT thinks that ATMOS is dodgy –"

"How come we've got it in the Jeeps?" Ross finished for him.

"Yeah." Alex said.

"Ha, tell me about it. They're fitted as standard on all government vehicles. We can't get rid of them until we can prove there's something wrong."

"Turn Right." ATMOS said.

"Drives me around the bend." He turned into the school drive.

Alex giggled. "Nice one, Ross."

He smiled. "Time that perfectly."

"Ha. Yeah, you did." The Doctor chimed in.

Students in red sweat suits were running past while Luke stood and looked over the grounds. The Doctor, Alex, and Ross walked up the pavement. "Is it PE?" The Doctor asked. "I wouldn't mind a kick-around. Got me daps on." He turned to his brunette. "What about you, Allie?"

She smiled at him. "This is easy compared to how much I have to run with you." He grinned at her. "So, yeah, let's do it!" They laughed.

Luke turned. "I suppose you're the Doctor and Alex Harper."

"Hello." The Doctor greeted.

"Heya." Alex added.

"Your commanding officer phoned ahead." Alex snorted in laughter and held up a hand to stop it.

The Doctor looked over. "Sorry," she giggled. "But you and 'commanding officer' just sounds hilarious to me." The Doctor smiled at that. She turned to Luke. "As I'm sure you can tell, he doesn't _have _a 'commanding officer'." She made air quotes.

"Have you?" The Doctor said, and Alex looked over. It seemed like he figured something out, Alex mentally pouted, how dare he not tell her? "Oh, this is Ross. Say hello Ross."

"Afternoon Sir." Ross did as told. The Doctor rushed to the main doors. He tugged Alex alongside him.

"Let's have a look, then! I can smell genius… In a good way." He added.

-x-

Many of the students were working on advance projects. The Doctor entered and wandered about as different things caught his eye. Alex walked in after him, smiling. He honestly looked like a kid in the candy shop. "Oh, now… that's clever! Look!" He put his glasses on. Alex giggled. He turned to her. "What?"

"You're so cute, Doctor." He raised an eyebrow. "You're like a kid in a candy shop." He chuckled.

He smiled but turned his attention back to all the advance projects. "Single-molecule fabric. How thin is that? You could pack a tent in a thimble. Oh! Gravity simulators! Terraforming, biospheres, nano-tech steel construction! Ha-ha," He laughed. "This is brilliant! But y'know with equipment like this, you could, oh, I dunno... move to another planet or something." He fiddled with something.

"If only that was possible." Luke responded.

"'If only that were possible'." The Doctor corrected. He removed his glasses. "Conditional clause."

Luke seemed to realize something. "I think you'd better come with me."

-x-

Luke led them to his front room, granted, it was a very big front room. "You're smarter than the usual UNIT grunts, I'll give you that."

Alex and the Doctor shared a look. "He called you a grunt. Don't call Ross a grunt, he's nice. We like Ross. Look at this place..." He said, sidetracked.

"What exactly do you want?" Luke asked, agitated.

"I was just thinking, what a responsible 18 year old. Inventing zero-carbon cars, saving the world..." The Doctor walked farther away from them, looking around at big front room.

"It takes a man with vision." Alex couldn't help but roll her eyes.

"Mm, blinkered vision. 'Cause ATMOS means more people driving, more cars, more petrol, end result: the oil's gonna run out faster than ever. The ATMOS system could make things worse." The Doctor turned back around and walked back to them.

Luke spoke quickly. "Yeah, well, that's a tautology. You can't say ATMOS 'system' 'cause it stands for Atmospheric Emission System. So you're saying 'Atmospheric Emission System System'. Do you see, Mr. Conditional Clause?"

"It's been a long time since anyone's said no to you, isn't it?" The Doctor asked, Alex couldn't help but have the same thoughts.

"I'm still right though." Luke said.

"Not easy, is it, being clever? You look at the world and you connect things – random things – and think, 'why can't anyone else see it? The rest of the world is _so_ slow'."

"Yeah." Luke admitted quietly.

"And you're on your own." The Doctor said.

"I know."

"But not this." He reached into his coat and took out the ATMOS device. "'Cause there's no way you invented this single-handed. It might be Earth technology, but that's like finding a mobile phone in the Middle Ages." He tossed it to Alex who caught it with ease. He walked towards a big circular thing, and Alex realized it looked a lot like a teleport. "No, no, I'll tell you what it's like! It's like finding this in someone's front room. Albeit, a very big front room."

"What is it?" Alex asked.

"Yeah, just looks like a thing, doesn't it? People don't question things. They just think, 'Oh, it's a thing'." The Doctor explained.

"Leave it alone!" Luke tried to command.

"Me, I make these connections." He walked inside of it. "And this to me looks like…" He pressed some buttons. "… A teleport pod." He disappeared.

"Doctor!" Alex cried. She ran over to it, and looked inside, she then ran back to Luke. She grabbed his shirt to get a good look at him, straight in the eyes. "Where is he? Where does that lead to?"

Luke just scowled at her. She snarled at him, and was about to reach up and just punch him, but a noise the teleport made her turn. The Doctor was running out of the teleport. "Ross, Allie, get out! Luke, you'd better come with us!" Alex couldn't help but notice that it had been a while, but every time, instead of saying 'me' he'd say 'us'; it's 'we' not 'I' anymore. Alex felt her heart flutter, happy at the revelation and happy to know that he was okay. A stout man came from the teleport with what looked to be state of the art alien armor. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to short out the controls.

"Sontaran! That's your name, isn't it? How did I know that, eh?" The Doctor put away his sonic screwdriver. "Fascinating, isn't it? Isn't that worth keeping me alive?"

Ross had his gun aimed at the Sontaran. "I order you to surrender in the name of the Unified Intelligence Taskforce."

"That's not going to work." The Doctor told Ross, he then turned to the Sontaran. "Cordalaine signal, am I right?" He then turned to Ross again. "Copper excitation stopping the bullets."

"How do you know so much?" _Because he's a Time Lord and he's brilliantly awesome_. Alex answered mentally.

"Well…" He turned to walk around the room, but his hand brushed against Alex's hand to give her some comfort.

"Who is he?" The Sontaran asked Luke.

"He didn't give his name." Luke said, _well he _did_, but… it's complicated._

The Doctor came back and leaned against the desk. "This isn't typical Sontaran behavior, is it? Hiding? Using teenagers? Stopping bullets? A Sontaran should face bullets with dignity! Shame on you!"

"You dishonor me!" The Sontaran became upset by the Doctor's words.

"Then show yourself."

"I will look into my enemy's eyes." The Sontaran removed his helmet to reveal a brown dome-shaped head with no visible neck.

"Oh, my God." Ross muttered.

"And… What's your name?" Alex asked softly.

"General Staal of the Tenth Sontaran Battle Fleet. Staal the Undefeated." Staal announced.

"That's not a very good nickname. What if you do get defeated? 'Staal-The-Not-Quite-So- Undefeated-Anymore-But-Never-Mind'?" Ross gave a breath of a chuckle, as Alex openly giggled.

Ross scoffed. "Looks like a potato, a baked potato. A talking baked potato."

"Now, Ross, don't be rude. You look like a pink weasel to him." Alex bit her lip to stop another giggle. He leaned over and picked up a tennis racket and bounced the ball over it. "The Sontarans are the finest soldiers in the galaxy." He leaned against Ross's shoulder. He threw his arm around Alex's waist. "Dedicated to a life of warfare." He twirled the racket. "A clone race grown in batches of millions with only one weakness –"

"Sontarans have no weakness!" Staal interrupted.

"No, it's a good weakness."

"How can a weakness be good?" Alex asked quietly.

"Aren't you meant to be clever? Only an idiot would provoke him." Luke told the Doctor.

"But the Sontarans are fed by a probic vent in the back of the neck. That's their weak spot, which means they always have to face their enemy in battle. Isn't that brilliant? They can never turn their backs!" The Doctor said this was a huge grin on his face.

"We stare into the face of death!"

"Yeah? Well, stare at this!" The Doctor hit the ball with the racket. It bounced off the teleport pod and hit Staal's probic vent. Staal staggered. The Doctor pushed at Ross, dragging Allie with him. "Out! Out! Out!" The three of them ran out of the room. They rushed as fast as they could and got into the Jeep and drove off.

-x-

Ross was taking them back to the UNIT field base. The Doctor was trying to use the radio, but he wasn't having any luck. "Greyhound Forty to Trap One. Repeat: Can you hear me? Over." Static was his only answer.

"Doctor, why isn't it working?" Alex asked, worried.

"Must be the Sontarans." He answered. "If they can trace that, they can isolate the ATMOS."

"Turn left." ATMOS stated.

The Doctor watched it. "Try going right."

"It says left." Ross objected.

"He knows." Alex said, "Go right anyways." If the Doctor says to do something, to her, it was simple to just do it. He knew what he was doing.

Ross removed his hands from the wheel. "I've got no control. It's driving itself. It won't stop." Alex's heart sped up with both adrenaline and fear. Ross turned and tried the door. "The doors are locked."

The Doctor tried the sonic screwdriver onto ATMOS. "Argh! It's deadlocked! I can't override it!"

"Turn left." The Jeep swerved dangerously.

Ross took out his gun and rammed the butt into it. She grabbed his wrist from doing something else. "The Sat-nav's just a box, wired through the whole car." The tires screeched as they suddenly went off the road.

"We're heading for the river!" Ross said.

"Doctor, do something." Alex said. The Doctor took a hold of her hand, he heard just a tiny bit of fear in her voice.

"ATMOS, are you programmed to contradict my orders?" The Doctor asked.

"Confirmed."

"Anything I say, you'll ignore?"

"Confirmed."

"Then drive into the river!" Ross turned to stare at him. Alex squeezed his hand, she trusted him. "I order you to drive into the river! Do it! Drive into the river!" The Jeep's breaks squealed to a halt right at the river's edge. The Doctor, Alex, and Ross jumped out and ran.

"Turn right. Left. Left. Right."

"Get down!" The Doctor grabbed Alex's waist and more or less threw her under him. Alex covered her head underneath the Doctor's chest.

The automatic voice of ATMOS became extremely high-pitched. "Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right." Suddenly, the panel sparked and smoke came from it.

Alex lifted her head. "Is that it?" she asked, disappointed and unimpressed. What could she say? It was the American in her. They liked guns and big explosions. If you didn't believe her, just go and watch an American action movie sometime.

-x-

They walked back to Donna's house. The Doctor got up to it and rang the door bell. Donna answered it. "You would not believe the day we're having." He said as a greeting. The Doctor asked if Donna's car had ATMOS, when Donna answered yes, Alex explained that they needed to see it.

The Doctor examined the Noble's car. He tapped the ATMOS device underneath and opened the hood. Donna was on her mobile trying to reach Martha. "I'll requisition us a vehicle."

"Anything without ATMOS installed, and don't you point your gun at people!" Alex called after him. She swore, she was turning into a female version of the Doctor.

Wilf came out of the house. "Is it him? Is it him? Is it the Doctor?" Wilf turned and recognized Alex and the Doctor under the hood. "Ah it's you two!"

"Who?" Both brunettes turned their head and recognized Wilf. "Oh… It's you." The Time Lord muttered.

"What, have you met before?" Donna asked.

"Yeah, Christmas Eve. They disappeared right in front of me." Wilf answered.

"And you never said?" Donna asked.

"Well, you never said." He retorted. He turned back to Alex and the Doctor. "Wilf, sir, ma'am. Wilfred Mott. You must be one of them aliens."

"Well, yeah, but don't shout it out." The Doctor replied with a grin. He shook Wilf's hand. "Well, I am. She's not." Alex reached over and hugged Wilf.

"Ah," the man said surprised but hugged her back. She pulled away with a smile.

"It's nice to finally be properly introduced, Wilf." She said. The Doctor smiled, proud of her – as always, of course.

"Ah, an alien hand." He said.

Alex turned back to Donna. "Anything, Donna?" She asked.

"She's not answering." The red head replied. "What is it, 'Sontiruns'?"

"Sontarans." The Doctor corrected, but Alex could see his thinking face was coming on. "But there's got to be more to it. They can't be just remote-controlling cars. That's not enough. Is anyone answering?"

"Hold on." Donna seemed to get something. Alex could just barely hear her friend's voice over the phone. "Martha, hold on, he's here." She handed the phone over to the Time Lord.

"Martha, tell Colonel Mace it's the Sontarans. They're in the file, Code Red Sontarans. But if they're inside the factory, tell him not to start shooting, UNIT will get massacred. I'll get back as soon as I can. You got that?" He stopped, and Alex barely heard Martha answer. The Doctor closed the mobile and quickly got back to work.

The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver as all four of them looked under the hood. "You've tried sonicking it before. You didn't find anything." Donna pointed out.

"Yeah, but now I know it's Sontaran, I know what I'm looking for." He said, paying more attention to his work than them.

"The thing is, Doctor, that Donna is my only grandchild. You gotta promise me you're gonna take care of her. Both of you."

Alex laughed. "_She _takes care of _us_."

"Oh, yeah, that's my Donna. She was always bossing us around even when she was tiny. 'The Little General' we used to call her." Wilf told. Donna was starting to look both annoyed and embarrassed. It wasn't necessary, since the Doctor was paying attention on a specific part with holes in a grid pattern.

"And some of the boys she used to turn up with – a different one every week. Yeah, who was that one with the nail varnish?" Wilf turned to his grandchild.

"Matthew Richards. He lives in Kilburn now – with a man." Donna answered. Alex bit her lip from making any sort of noise, ouch that had to sting.

Spikes shot out of the holes in the device. "Whoa! It's a temporal pocket! I knew there was something else in there. It's hidden just a second out of sync with real time."

"But, what is it hiding?" Alex asked.

Sylvia walked out to see them with their heads all together under the hood. "I dunno, men and their cars! Sometimes I think if I was a car..." She finally saw the Doctor. "Oh, it's you! Doctor—what was it?"

"Yeah, that's me." The Doctor waved his hand without looking up.

"Have you met him as well?" Wilf asked, confused.

"Dad, it's the man from the wedding! When you were laid up with Spanish flu. I'm warning you, last time that man turned up, it was a disaster!" _Ah, good episode_. Alex commented, thinking back to 'Runaway Bride'.

Gas shot out from the ATMOS device. "Get back!" The Doctor pulled Alex's arm away from the device. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on the car. "That'll stop it." The car sparked and the gas stopped. They all cautiously walked up to it, and the Doctor waved the gas away.

"I told you! He's blown up the car! Who is he anyway? What sort of doctor blows up cars?" Sylvia snarled.

"Oh, not now, Mum." Donna said, tired.

"Oh, should I make an appointment?" She stalked off.

"That wasn't just exhaust fumes. Some sort of gas. Artificial gas." The Doctor muttered.

"And it's aliens, is it? Aliens?" Wilf asked.

"But," Alex's heart dropped into her stomach. "Doctor, if that's stuff not exhaust, and it's poisonous, then there's poisonous gas ready to be released in all the cars on the whole Earth." The Doctor looked at her for a moment, and then look around at all the cars with the ATMOS sticker on it.

"It's not safe. I'm gonna get it off the street." Wilf walked over to his car and got in. The door slammed behind him and automatically locked.

"No, don't!" Donna yelled. The car started, Alex looked at it bewildered, and a thick exhaust came from the tailpipe. "Turn it off!" Wilf shook his head. "Granddad, get out of there!"

Donna tried the door but it was locked. "I can't! It's locked!" He held up the keys. "It's the aliens again!" He banged on the window.

Sylvia turned around from the front door. "What's he doing? What's he done?" She muttered.

"I've isolated it!" The Doctor cried, using the sonic screwdriver.

"There's gas inside the car! He's gonna choke!" Donna cried. "Doctor!" Alex was using all her strength to try and open the door, but it wouldn't budge.

The Doctor joined them at the door and tried to open it with the sonic screwdriver. "It won't open!" He growled.

"Help me!" Wilf spoke weakly. Alex banged on the window again, now frantic. The Doctor ran back to the engine. Wilf coughed and Donna and Alex are helpless but to watch. The Doctor yanked out some wires, but it did nothing. He moved to the middle of the road. The Doctor stood in the middle of the road powerless as the smoke billowed around him.

"Doctor!" Alex cried.

_To Be Continued_…


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

"Doctor!" Alex cried. "He's gonna choke! Do something!"

The Doctor was under the trunk of the car, using the sonic screwdriver. "It won't open." He growled. He got up when he saw feet walk by him. Sylvia rushed to the car with an axe, and after putting the hood down to get it out of her way, she smashed the windshield.

"Well don't just stand there, get him out!" Sylvia said exasperated. Alex, completely ignoring the broken glass, jumped onto the hood of the car, reaching into the car. She brushed some glass away carefully, and helped Wilf get out.

"Thanks," Wilf muttered as they helped him to the front door.

"I can't believe you've got an axe." Donna said; Alex couldn't either.

"Burglars!" Sylvia said as an explanation.

"Get inside the house." The Doctor instructed. "Just try and close off the doors and windows."

Ross finally pulled up in a black cab. "Doctor! Alex!" Both turned around. "This is all I could find but it doesn't have ATMOS."

Both rushed towards the car. "Ross, you are amazing." Alex commented. Ross smiled.

"Donna you coming?" The Doctor shouted back at her.

"Yeah!" She responded.

"Donna!" Sylvia intervened. "Don't go! Look at what happens every time that Doctor appears! Stay with us, please."

"You go my darling!" Wilf said. It was the reason why Alex loved him. Instead of trying to get Donna away from the Doctor, like all the other companions' mothers, except, she supposed, Jackie Tyler. He encouraged her to go with him.

"Dad!" Sylvia cried.

"Don't listen to her! You go with the Doctor! That's my girl!" He encouraged. Donna ran to the cab and got in, though feeling a little guilty to leave her family. Alex, who was in the middle of the Doctor and her, took Donna's hand for comfort. Donna smiled in thanks. Alex responded with a smile. "Bye!"

-x-

The taxi pulled up to the ATMOS factory, the three time travelers exited. "Ross," The Doctor leaned down to the window to address him. "Look after yourself, get inside the building."

"Thanks Ross, be careful." Alex commented.

Ross smiled at them. "Will do." He spoke into the radio. "Greyhound forty to trap one, I have just returned the Doctor and Miss. Alex Harper to base safe and sound, over." He drove off.

Both Donna and Alex were having trouble breathing with all the fumes in the air. "The air is disgusting." Alex coughed which was supposed to be noise of agreement.

"It's not so bad for me, go on, get inside the TARDIS. Oh, never given you a key!" He pulled out a TARDIS key. He grinned at her. "Keep that! Go on, that's yours!"

"Yeah, maybe we can get sentimental after the world's finished choking to death!" The Doctor's face showed that he realized the properties here.

"Good idea." He wrapped his coat around Alex as she buried her face into his chest, breathing deeply into him.

"Where are you two going?" Donna asked.

"To stop a war!" The Doctor and Alex rushed to the UNIT field base while Donna ran to the TARDIS.

-x-

They got in there; Alex coughed roughly as they got inside. He turned to her. "You okay?" He asked quietly. She nodded, breathless.

"Thanks, for ya know," Hugging her so she could breath. The Doctor smiled and kissed her lips quickly.

He turned back to the UNIT soldiers. "Right then, here I am, good. Whatever you do, Colonel Mace, do _not_ engage the Sontarans in battle, there is nothing they like better than a war. Just leave this to me." Alex blinked as she sniffed. She scrunched up her nose and kept close to the Doctor, was it her or did something _stink _around here?

"What are you going to do?" Colonel Mace asked.

"I've got the TARDIS, I'm gonna get aboard their ship." The Doctor ran over to Martha. "Come on." The Doctor came back over to her, but he made a motion to keep quiet. Alex blinked, but nodded. It was obvious he knew what she was thinking, and the smell got worse as Martha came over. Alex realized whatever the smell was, it was coming from Martha. Alex turned and her face suddenly became clear, the two time travelers shared a look but said nothing.

The Doctor ran down the alleyway to find the TARDIS gone. "But… Where's the TARDIS?"

Alex walked over to the Doctor. God, Martha smelled worse than the toxic air. "Taste that, in the air. Yecch. That sort of metal tang. Teleport exchange. It's the Sontarans, they've taken it. I'm stuck, on Earth like... like an ordinary person. Like a human! How rubbish is that!" Alex whacked his arm. "Sorry, no offence, but come on!"

"So what are we going to do?" Alex asked.

"Well…" The Doctor started to mutter to himself. "I mean it's shielded, they could never detect it." The Doctor stared at Martha. Alex looked at her out of the corner of her eye. Both look at her mistrusting.

"_What_?" Martha asked.

"We're just wondering something, Martha." She turned to Alex. She saw Alex giving her a scrutinizing gaze. Alex's gut tightened the moment her gaze met Martha's. "Have you phoned your family? Oh, and of course Tom?"

"No, what for?" Martha asked confused. _Strike one_, Alex thought. The real Martha Jones wouldn't have answered like that. The two brunettes shared a look.

"About the gas. Tell them to stay inside." The Doctor stated the obvious.

Martha realized what they were saying. She responded slowly. "'Course I will, yeah, but, what about Donna? Where's she?"

"Oh, she's gone home." The Doctor lied easily. "She's not like you. She's not a soldier. Right! So, Avanti!" He jerked his head and they rushed back to the UNIT field base.

-x-

They entered the base. "Change of plan!" The Doctor called as he entered.

"Good to have you both fighting alongside us, Doctor."Alex rolled her eyes, as if the Doctor would ever fight – well, fight in the meaning he's putting in. Not only that, but really? Did he _seriously _think that the Doctor would let _her_ fight?

"I'm not fighting, I'm not-fighting, as in not hyphen fighting, got it?" The Doctor opened his mouth but stalled. He turned around to Colonel Mace and walked up boldly to him. "And I'm telling you this now, she, Allie Harper, will _never _fight. She's staying by my side, and I'm giving you a promise that as long as I live, she's never gonna fight." With that out there, the Doctor got back on track. "Now, does anyone know what this gas is yet?" The two brunettes examined it in a cylinder container. Alex's hand brushed against the Doctor before they both reached out and held each other's hand.

"We're working on it." Alex couldn't stop her gut from curling every time she heard 'Martha's' voice.

"It's harmful, but not lethal until it reaches 80% density. We're having the first reports of deaths from the centre of Tokyo City." A blonde woman answered. The Doctor and Alex rushed over behind her to look at the huge computer screen. The gas was spreading slowly but surely across the whole world.

"And who are you?" The Doctor muttered.

She stood up and saluted. "Captain Marion Price, sir."

"Oh, stop it already." Alex sighed, exasperated. "Will you people stop saluting already?" Both she and the Doctor hated it.

"Jodrell Bank's traced a signal, Doctor, coming from 5000 miles above the Earth. We're guessing that's what triggered the cars." The screen turned to an image of the Earth with a small red dot appearing near it.

"Is that the Sontaran ship?" Alex asked.

The Doctor nodded. "It is."

"NATO has gone to Defcon One, we're preparing a strike." Colonel Mace said.

"You can't do that; nuclear missiles won't even scratch the surface. Let me talk to the Sontarans."

"You are no authorized to speak on behalf of the Earth." Colonel Mace intervened.

"Yeah well," Alex said. "He's got the power and I think he knows a _little _more about Sontarans than any of us, so I _think _he's our best bet."

The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to connect the UNIT system to the Sontaran ship. "Calling the Sontaran Command Ship under Jurisdiction Two of the Intergalactic Rules of Engagement. This is the Doctor."

General Staal stood up to answer to the Doctor. "Doctor, breathing your last?"

"My God, they're like trolls." Colonel Mace muttered.

"Yeah, loving the diplomacy, thanks." The Doctor turned to the Sontarans, addressing them again. "So, tell me, General Staal, since when did you lot become cowards?" Alex laughed.

"How dare you!" Staal said, outraged.

"Oh, that's diplomacy?" Colonel Mace asked sarcastically.

The Doctor walked over and sat down onto a chair, leaning back, his feet propped up on the computer board. Alex walked over, and sat down without hesitation. The Doctor ran his hand through her hair. "Doctor, you impugn my honor!"

"Yeah, I'm glad you didn't say belittle 'cause then we'd have a field day." Alex giggled. "But poison gas? That's the weapon of a coward and you know it. Staal, you could blast this planet out of the sky, and yet you're sitting up above watching it die. Where's the fight in that? Where's the honor? Or, are you lot planning something else? 'Cause this isn't normal Sontaran warfare. What are you lot up to?"

Staal seemed nervous. The Doctor probably hit something, they were planning something else. "A general would be unwise to reveal his strategy to the opposing forces."

"Aaah, the war's not going to well then? Losing, are we?" The Doctor asked.

"Such a suggestion is impossible."

"What war?" Alex asked quietly.

"The war between the Sontarans and the Rutans. It's been raging, far out in the stars for 50,000 years. 50,000 years of bloodshed, and for what?" Alex's eyes widened.

"For victory." Staal answered with ease. "Sontar-ha!" All the Sontarans chimed in.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "Give me a break." He reached into his pocket and took out the sonic screwdriver. He changed the channel to a cartoon.

"Doctor. I would seriously recommend that this dialogue is handled by official Earth representation." The Doctor's eyes slid down to Alex's face. She was looking off distantly to the side.

"Allie…?" He asked softly, he reached out. He leaned forward, towering over her, as if protecting her from prying eyes. "What's wrong?"

"50,000 _years_?" She had trouble saying that. His eyes softened, of course that would be what was troubling her. "50,000 years of bloodshed, for _what_?" Alex rubbed her face. "So much death." The Doctor's face turned hard when he realized what she was remembering. The Time War she saw in his mind.

He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Allie, don't you dare, don't you dare remember." The Doctor softened and caressed cheek. "Ssshhhh," He murmured. He nuzzled her face. "It's okay. It's okay. Just, focus on me, Allie. Don't focus on anything else, just on me." He knew that would help her. She nodded and curled up into him, breathing deeply, focusing on nothing else up his heartbeats and his breathing.

The Doctor leaned back into his chair, keeping a tight hold onto his Alex and changed the channel back to the Sontaran ship. "Finished?" He whipped away all worry over his brunette for now.

"You will not be so quick to ridicule when you'll see our prize. Behold!" Staan gestured to the TARDIS behind him. "We are the first Sontarans in history to capture a TARDIS."

Alex's eyes didn't open, but she gently squeezed the Doctor's jacket. So that was where the TARDIS went… "Well. As prizes go, that's... _noble_." The Doctor subconsciously rubbed her back gently. "As they say in Latin, _Donna_ nobis pacem." It was now obvious – well, to Alex at least – that the Doctor was talking indirectly to Donna. "Did you never wonder about its design? It's phone box. It contains a phone. A telephonic device for communication. Sort of symbolic. Like if only we could communicate. You and I."

"All you have communicated is your distress, Doctor." Staal answered, oblivious to the Doctor's intent.

"Big mistake showing it to me." The Doctor said. "'Cause I've got a remote control." He lifted up his sonic screwdriver.

Staal looked horrified. "Cease transmission."

"Oh, well." The Doctor lifted his Alex up, as much as it pained him to do so, he loved her there, and got up himself.

"That achieved nothing." Colonel Mace said, disappointed.

"Oh, you'd be surprised." The Doctor answered.

-x-

The Doctor walked over and just snatched the board from 'Martha's' hands. He looked over the papers quickly. Alex walked up next to him. 'Martha' blinked at her now empty hands before folding her arms. "There's carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides but 10% unidentified. Some sort of artificial heavy element we can't trace. You ever seen anything like it?"

"Must be something the Sontarans invented. This isn't just poison, they need this gas for something else. What could that be?" The Doctor muttered to himself.

"Launch grid online and active." Captain Price suddenly said. The two brunettes whirled around.

"Positions ladies and gentlemen, Defcon One initiatives in progress."

The Doctor rushed up to Colonel Mace. "What? I told you not to launch!"

"The gas is at 60% density, 80% and people start dying, Doctor. We've got no choice." Colonel Mace answered.

"Launching in 60, 59, 58, 57, 56… Worldwide nuclear grid now co-ordinating. 54, 53..." Alex shook her head and lifted her hands to her face. This was _so _not going to work.

"You're making a mistake, Colonel! For once, I hope the Sontarans are ahead of you." The Doctor backed up next to Alex. She finally wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face into his shoulder. The Doctor watched the screen.

"North America, online. United Kingdom, online. France, online. India, online. Pakistan, online. China, online. North Korea, online. All systems locked and co-ordinated. Launching in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5..."

"God save us." Colonel Mace muttered. The Doctor ran both hands through his hair, making it stand up in all the weird directions.

"...4, 3, 2, 1..." Alex's heart pounded in her ears. "…0…" The screen shut off. Alex lifted her head, confused.

"What is it? What happened? Did we launch? Well, did we?"

"Negative, sir. The launch codes have been wiped, sir. It must be the Sontarans." Captain Price answered.

"Can we override it?" Colonel Mace asked.

"Trying it now, sir." She answered.

"Missiles wouldn't even dent that ship, so why are the Sontarans so keen to stop you?" He turned back to the clone of Martha. "Any ideas?"

Martha looked at him annoyed. "How should I know?" They stared at her, more mistrust forming around in their eyes.

The Doctor was trying to convince Colonel Mace to back off when Ross' voice came over the radio. "Greyhound 40 declaring absolute emergency. Sontarans within factory grounds, east corridor grid six."

Alex's heart dropped, _Oh God, no_. _Not him_. Colonel Mace answered over the radio. "Absolute emergency, declaring Code Red. All troops, Code Red!"

"Get them out of there." The Doctor whispered.

Colonel Mace paused. "All troops, open fire." Alex squeezed her eyes shut tightly. The Doctor went over to her and hugged her tightly. Those poor men didn't stand a chance against Sontaran soldiers.

"The guns aren't working. Inform all troops, standard weapons do not work." Ross said after a couple of minutes. "Tell the Doctor it's that Cordolaine signal. He's the only one who can stop them." Suddenly there was just static. Alex's heart stopped and she bit back a sob. The Doctor's hold tightened.

"Oh God, no." She whispered, and the Doctor buried his face into her hair, and she could feel his frustration and anger. "Oh my God, no."

"Greyhound 40, report. Over. Greyhound 40, report. Greyhound 40, report!" Colonel Mace commanded.

"He wasn't Greyhound 40, his name was Ross. Now listen to me," The Time Lord's voice rose up to a yell. "And _get them out of there_!"

"Trap one to all stations. Retreat." Finally, Colonel Mace listened to the Doctor's advice. "Order imperative, immediate retreat!" Many of the soldiers were able to get out, but in doing so, they closed off the factory with the Sontarans sealed inside. "They've taken the factory."

"Why? They don't need it. Why attack now? What are they up to? Times like this, I could do with the Brigadier." He turned to Colonel Mace. "No offense."

"None taken. Sir Alistair's a fine man, if not the best. Unfortunately he's stranded in Peru."

"Launch grid back online." Captain Price announced, but the screen soon went black again. "They're inside the system, sir. It's coming from within UNIT itself." She said.

"Trace it." Colonel Mace answered. "Find out where it's coming from, and quickly. Gas levels?"

"66% in major populations and rising." She answered.

-x-

"Why are they defending the factory only after we were inside?" Colonel Mace and the Doctor were sitting in an office in the back of the truck. Alex was pacing back and forth before them, if they were to pay attention, they would have notice a scary rebalance between her and the Doctor's pacing.

"Doctor," The Time Lord turned, and Alex walked over and sat down next to him. "Correct me if I'm wrong."

"You're always right, Allie." The Doctor contradicted gently.

She smiled. "Thank you, now, if you're right, and well, you're _always _right," the Doctor smiled at that. "Then let me ask this… What if what they wanted was not the factory?"

"What?" Colonel Mace asked. The Doctor and Alex's eyes kept locked together.

"You said yourself; they don't need the factory, so what if it was something in _UNIT _that they wanted, not the factory." Realization came onto the Doctor's face.

"Oooh, Allie, you are _brilliant_!" She giggled. "Have I told you how much I love you?"

"Maybe." They giggled together.

"So we've got to recover it." Colonel Mace jumped into the conversation. "This Cordolaine signal thing, how does it work?"

The Doctor took off his glasses and rubbed his face. "The bullets. It causes expansion of the copper shell." He explained.

"Excellent. I'm on it." He got up and left.

"For the billionth time, you can't fight Sontarans!" The Doctor yelled after him. He whirled around; Alex jumped, and took a step back as to not hit him. "Phone," He murmured.

"I don't have it!" She hissed.

"What?"

"It's on my bedroom nightstand… In my room… In the _TARDIS_." The Doctor felt like slapping his face. "It's not my fault, I never use it! I don't have any need for it."

The Time Lord knew that was true so he turned and walked to the nearest officer. He spoke quietly, since the Martha clone was near him. "Phone. Have you got a phone? I need your mobile, quickly, hurry up!" He snatched up the phone quickly and walked back into the office, closing the door. Alex walked over near him, so they could both hear Donna.

Donna quickly answered the phone. "What's happened, where are you?" She asked quickly.

"Still on Earth." The Doctor answered. "But don't worry; I've got my secret weapon."

"What's that?"

"You." Alex raised an eyebrow; she doubted that would make Donna happy.

"Oh. Somehow that's not making me happy. Can't you just zap us down to Earth with that remote thing?"

"Yeah, I haven't got a remote, though I really should. But I need you on that ship. That's why I made them move the TARDIS. I'm sorry, but you've got to go outside." Alex shook her head.

"But there's Sonterruns out there."

"Sontarans." Alex corrected, up on her tippy toes to even get close to the mouth piece of the phone.

"But they'll all be on battle stations right now." The Doctor explained. "They don't walk around having coffee. I can talk you through it."

"But what if they find me?" The Doctor rubbed his face, and Alex knew that he was having trouble asking her this.

"I know, and I wouldn't ask, but there's nothing else I can do. The whole planet is choking, Donna." He said.

Both could hear her walking towards the TARDIS doors. "What d'you need me to do?"

"The Sontarans are inside the factory which means they've got a teleport link with the ship, but they'll have deadlocked it. I need you to reopen the link." The Doctor explained.

"But, I can't even mend a fuse." Alex snatched the phone from the Time Lord.

"Donna," Alex scolded. "Don't talk like that. You can do it. We know you can." The Doctor took the phone back.

"There's a Sonterrun... Sontaran." She corrected.

The Doctor and Alex shared a look. "Did he see you?"

"No, he's got his back to me." Donna answered.

"Right, Donna, listen, on the back of his neck on his collar there's a sort of plug, like a hole. The Probic Vent. One blow to the Probic Vent knocks 'em out." The Doctor said.

"But he's gonna kill me." Alex took the Doctor's hand. He lifted it up and kissed her knuckles.

"I'm sorry. I swear I'm so sorry. But you've got to try." He begged of her, speaking into Alex's hand.

They heard Donna move around, probably to get something that she could use to knock the Sontaran out. Alex figured the best option in the TARDIS was the Doctor's mallet that he used so happily when piloting the TARDIS. They heard the TARDIS doors open and they heard some sort of 'thunk' along with someone's painful gasp. Donna spoke into the phone, triumphant. "Back of the neck."

The Doctor and Alex grinned at each other. "Now then you gotta find the external junction feed to the teleport."

"What… What's it look like?" Donna asked.

"A circular panel on the wall. Big symbol on the front, like a, like a letter T with a horizontal line through it. Or, or two Fs back to back." The Doctor answered.

"Well, there's a door."

"Should be a switch on the side."

"Yeah there is. But it's Sontaran-shaped, you need three fingers."

Alex leaned up again. "You've got three fingers, Donna."

"Oh yeah." They heard a 'whoosh' which must have meant Donna got through.

"I'm through."

The Doctor was practically kissing the phone. "Oh, you're brilliant, you are." Alex giggled.

"Shut up." Donna said. "Right. T with a line through it." The Doctor looked over and reached down and kissed all over Alex's face, if he couldn't kiss the phone, he could always kiss Alex. She giggled again. "And stop kissing Lexi, I need you right now." That got Alex laughing fully. The Doctor pouted, but did straighten up so he could walk her through it.

Alex turned and saw that Colonel Mace returned to the UNIT base. She tugged on the Doctor's arm. "Got to go. Keep the line open!" They rushed out to the Colonel.

"Counter-attack!" Colonel Mace said.

"I said you don't stand a chance!" The Doctor intervened.

"Positions. That means everyone!" He tossed the Doctor and Alex gas masks. They looked at it before sharing a look. The Doctor walked over and got out his coat.

"You're not going without me." The clone said.

"Wouldn't dream of it." The Doctor answered. When they got out, they put on their gas masks. Alex turned to the Doctor, but when she got one look at his hair, she started to laugh hysterically. "What?" He asked indigent.

"Your… Your hair!" She laughed harder. "It wants to stick up, but since there's a strap through the middle, it's sticking up beside it! It looks hilarious!" The Doctor shot her a look through the gas mask.

"Come on, you little bugger."

-x-

Outside of the ATMOS factory, UNIT people gathered. They were all wearing gas masks, including the Doctor and Alex – she had finally got herself together, but she couldn't bear to look at the Doctor, it might start another storm of laughter from her. Colonel Mace was showing them a gun. "Latest firing stock, what do you think, Doctor?"

"Are you my mummy?" The Doctor asked. Alex laughed.

"If you could concentrate. Bullets with a rad-steel coating, no copper surface. Should overcome the Cordolaine signal." The Doctor took the bullet.

"But the Sontarans have got lasers! You can't even see in this fog, the night-vision doesn't work." The Doctor threw the bullet back onto the table.

"Thank you Doctor, thank you for your lack of faith. But this time, I'm not listening." He turned and took off his gas mask, and put his hat back on. He addressed his soldiers. "Attention, all troops! Sontarans might think of us as primitive." The Doctor shook his head. "As does every passing species with an axe to grind. They make a mockery of our weapons, our soldiers, our ideals. But no more! From this point on, it stops. From this point on, the people of Earth fight back and we show them! We show the warriors of Sontar what the human race can do! Trap One to Hawk Major! Go, go, go!" Everyone looked up as a loud engine sound came from the sky. The fog started to clear and the _Valiant _came into view, flying high above. "It's working! The area's clearing. Engines to maximum!"

"It's the _Valiant_!"Alex cried.

"UNIT Carrier Ship Valiant reporting for duty, Doctor! With engines strong enough to clear away the fog." Colonel Mace was proud.

They all took off their gas masks. "Whoa, that's brilliant!" The Doctor laughed, really rubbing hair, making it spike out in even crazier directions.

"Getting a taste of it, Doctor?" The Doctor's face sobered up.

"No, not at all. Not me." He walked back over to Alex.

"_Valiant_, fire at will." Colonel Mace answered into his comm. A bunch of green beams united and the _Valiant _fired at the ATMOS factory. At the same time, UNIT soldiers started an attack on the ground too. This time, it was the Sontarans who were overwhelmed. The UNIT soldiers rushed in. "East and North secure. Doctor?" He rushed away with his soldiers.

The Doctor quickly reached in and pulled out the phone. "Donna, hold on I'm coming." He was able to put the phone back into his pocket just as the Marta clone came up behind them.

"Shouldn't we follow the Colonel?" Martha asked.

Alex couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Oh come on, Martha, we're with a Time Lord! Just like old times!"

She stopped the Nuclear launch one more time. The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver to find their way. "Alien technology, this a way!" The three of them reached the basement, following the signal. The place was completely deserted. "No Sontarans down here. They can't resist a battle. Here we go." They entered the clone lab, where the real Martha was still in hypnotic sleep. The Doctor and Alex ran over to her.

"Oh, Martha." Alex cried.

The Doctor checked her pulse. "Still alive." Alex heard a click and both turned around to see the clone Martha pointing a gun at them, but they hardly looked at her.

"Are we supposed to be impressed?" The Doctor asked.

"Wish she carried a gun now?"

"Oh please." Alex snorted and rolled her eyes. "Of course not."

"I've been stopping the nuclear launch all this time." She made it sound as if she was telling them for the first time. She didn't give enough credit to the two of them. The Doctor was too clever and Alex was picking up quite a few things from him, like observing. They knew all this time.

"Doing exactly what I wanted. I needed to stop the missiles, just as much as the Sontarans. I'm not having Earth start an interstellar war. You're a triple agent!" The Doctor said.

"When did you know?" She asked surprised.

"What, you? Oh, right from the start. Reduced iris contraction, slight thinning of the hair follicles on the left temple."

"And frankly," Alex added. "You _reek_."

"You might as well have worn a T-shirt saying 'clone'. Although, maybe not in front of Captain Jack." Alex smirked, knowing the truth of that statement. "You remember him, don't you? 'Cause you've got all her memories. That's why the Sontarans had to protect her, to keep you inside UNIT. Martha Jones is keeping you alive." He pulled off the head piece from the real Martha's head. She awoke with a gasp. At the same time, the clone fell to the ground in agony. Alex ran over and kicked the gun away from the clone's reach. The Doctor hugged the real Martha. Alex came back over and took Martha's hand, happy to know she was okay.

"It's all right. It's all right, I'm here, I'm here. I've got you, got you." He said.

"There was this thing, Doctor, this alien, with this head..." The Doctor's phone rang.

"Oh, blimey I'm busy. Got it?" He asked into the phone to Donna.

Alex leaned over to the hear Donna answer. "Yes. Now hurry up!"

"Take off the covering. All the blue switches inside, flick them up like a fuse box. And that should get the teleport working." Alex hugged Martha. "Allie, need you!" She was tinier than him. Alex lifted up her hands and ran over to the Doctor. The Doctor got to work on the teleport with the help of Alex. The real Martha sat beside the clone.

"Don't touch me." The clone panted.

"It's not my fault. The Sontarans created you. But... you had all my memories." Martha said.

"You've got a brother, sister, mother and father." The clone murmured.

"If you don't help them, they're gonna die." Martha said.

"You love them."

"Yes. Remember that?"

The Doctor shifted suddenly and shouted from the teleport. "The gas! Tell us about the gas!"

"They're the enemies!" The clone said.

"Then tell me. It's not just poison, what's it for? Martha, please!" The Doctor rushed out with Alex on his tail.

She confessed. "Caesofine concentrate. It's one part of Bosteen, two parts Probic 5."

"Clonefeed!" The Doctor smacked his head. "It's clonefeed!"

"What's clonefeed?"

"Like amniotic fluid for Sontarans. That's why they're not invading, they're converting the atmosphere. Changing the planet into a clone world. Earth becomes a great big hatchery. 'Cause the Sontarans are clones, that's how they reproduce. Give 'em a planet this big, they'll create billions of new soldiers. That gas isn't poison, its food!" He ran back to the teleport with Alex behind him.

"My heart…" The clone said. "It's getting slower."

"There's nothing I can do." Martha answered.

"In your mind, you've got so many plans. There's so much that you wanna do."

"And I will. Never do tomorrow what you can do today, my mum says. 'Cause…"

"'Cause you never know how long you've got…" The clone gave a ghost of a smile. "Martha Jones… All that life." The clone died. Martha frowned and lifted the clone's hand and took the engagement ring off.

"Doctor…" Donna hissed into the phone. The Doctor sat up and grabbed the phone. "Blue switches done." There was another 'swoosh'. "But they've found me!"

He grabbed Alex's hand and got outside the pod before turning the sonic screwdriver to it. Donna, who was standing inside the pod on the Sontaran ship, disappeared and reappeared in the clone factory. She ran over and hugged the Doctor. "Have I ever told you how much I hate you?" Even though she said that, she was happy.

"Hold on, hold on. Get off me, get off me! Gotta bring the TARDIS down." He used the screwdriver again to teleport the TARDIS down. Donna hugged Alex tightly. The two women laugh.

"Right, now, Martha, you comin'?" The Doctor called. Alex smiled at Donna and got up next to the Doctor.

"What about this nuclear launch thing?" Martha asked.

"Just keep pressing 'N', we want to keep those missiles on the ground." He responded. Donna caught sight of the dead clone as Martha got into the pod.

"But there's… two of them." She muttered.

"Um… Yeah…" Alex blinked. "Long story."

"Here we go." The Doctor said happily. "The old team, back together! Well, the new team." He was fiddling with the buttons in the pod.

"We're not going back on that ship!" Donna said fearfully.

"No, no, no. No. I needed to get the teleport working so that we could get to..." They teleported to the Rattigan Academy. "… Here! The Rattigan Academy, owned by…"

Luke came over with a gun pointed at them. "Don't tell anyone what I did! It wasn't my fault, the Sontarans lied to me, they..." The Doctor walked over and snatched the gun from his hands. Alex was behind him, his hand holding tightly onto hers.

"If I see one more gun…" The Time Lord muttered to his brunette. He tossed the gun away and kept walking.

Donna and Martha walked behind them. Donna spoke to Martha, who had the Doctor's coat over her hospital like gown. "You know, that coat, sorta works."

"I feel like a kid in my dad's clothes." Martha said smiling.

"Oh, well if you're calling him dad you're definitely getting over him." They smiled at each other.

-x-

The Doctor was beginning to assemble a device from the things he found in Luke's laboratory. "That's why the Sontarans had to stop the missiles, they were holding back. Because, caesofine gas is volatile, that's why they had to use you to stop the nuclear attack. Ground-to-air engagement could've sparked off the whole thing."

"Wait… so like it would have set fire to our atmosphere?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. They need all the gas intact to breed their clone army." The Doctor paused and grabbed the mallet from Donna's hand and banged on the bottom of the device. "And all the time we had Luke here in his dream factory. Planning a little trip, were we?" He asked the young teen cynically.

"They promised me a new world." He said quietly.

"You were building equipment, ready to terraform El Mondo Luko so that humans could live there and breathe the air with this! An atmospheric converter."

-x-

The four of them ran outside with the atmospheric converter in the Doctor's hands. The four humans looked out on the horizon at London. The whole city was covered in gas. "That's London. You can't even see it. My family's in there."

"If I can get this on the right setting..." The Doctor muttered, setting it up.

"Wait, Doctor, you said that it would ignite the atmosphere." Alex pointed out.

"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" The Doctor pressed a button and a flame shot up into the sky. Just like he had said, the sky ignited. They all flinched at the explosion. The Doctor crossed his fingers, praying it would work. "Please, please, please, please, please, please, please..." Suddenly, a whole appeared and the fire in the sky disappeared quickly.

"He's a genius!" Luke said. They were all laughing relieved.

"Just brilliant." Martha said.

"Doctor, you are _amazing_." Alex said. But she turned and saw the Doctor was still troubled. "What's wrong?"

"Now we're in trouble." He picked up the converter and ran back inside the building. The humans ran in after him. The Doctor ran into the teleport with the converter in his hands. "Right, so... Donna, thank you. For everything. Martha, you too. Oh... so many times. Luke, do something clever with your life." He turned to his brunette, his beautiful, sweet, kind, empathic, brilliant brunette girl. "Allie, you're brilliant, and saved me more than you will ever know." Alex shook her head, knowing what he was saying. "I love you."

"Don't, Doctor," Alex begged. Don't say it.

"You're saying goodbye." Martha said grimly.

"Sontarans are never defeated. They'll be getting ready for war. And, well, you know, I've recalibrated this for Sontaran air, so..."

"You're going to ignite them." Alex put her hands up to her face.

"You'll kill yourself." Donna whispered.

"Just send that thing up, on its own. I don't know... put it on a delay."

"I can't."

"Why not?" Donna asked.

"I've got to give them a choice." The Doctor's eyes landed on his beautiful Alex. He rushed over and grabbed her face and kissed her with all he's got. Alex cried through the kiss. "Allie, I love you so much, and you've saved me more than you will _ever _know. Be brilliant for me."

"Doctor," Alex sobbed. "No, don't, please, don't." He slipped out of her grip and teleported quickly, not bearing to see her tears. Alex bent over as sobs overcame her. Martha and Donna looked at the empty pod in despair. Donna walked over and hugged Alex tightly, her knees bending, threatening to give out, Alex sobbed loudly. _Not my Time Lord, not my brilliant, amazing Time Lord. Anyone but him, oh God_.

-x-

Alex was sitting away from the pod looking at the floor with a completely blank look. What was she suppose to do now? She felt so alone and lost without her Time Lord. Donna's hand was on her shoulder, and Martha was sitting next to her. All of them knew that out of the three girls, the Doctor's death hit Alex the hardest. She looked up and saw that Luke was fiddling with the controls of the teleport. "What are you doing?" She asked emotionlessly.

"Something clever." He answered, standing up. He pushed a key and teleported to the Sontaran ship, at the same time, zapping the Doctor back to Earth. They all looked around to see the ship explode high above in space. The Doctor appeared in the teleport, grabbing the girl's attention. Martha and Alex shot up. He looked confused, breathing deeply. He climbed forward as Martha and Donna rushed to him. Alex put her hands in her hair and turned around, her back to him. She was both furious at him for pulling such a stupid stunt and beyond relieved that he was okay and she was with him again.

Martha ran over to his side and nestled into his side with a smile. Donna walked over and gave the Doctor's arm a huge whack for worrying them so much. He flinched and looked at her confused; she then grasped his arm, relieved he was alive. The Doctor looked over and his eyes found his Alex standing off to the side. He got up and slowly walked over to her. "Allie…?" He asked gently.

She whirled around and gave him a _huge _slap. He stumbled back with a wince, more than surprised. She sobbed and grabbed his suit jacket and hugged him tightly. The Doctor rubbed his reddening cheek but held her tightly to him. He kissed her head. "You _ass_!" He flinched at her angry tone. "Don't you _ever _do that again, you hear me?" She snarled. But her façade of anger broke down as she sobbed again. She hugged him tighter. "I thought I was never going to see you again." She cried.

He smiled. "It seemed I can't die. Who would love and take care of you if I died?" Alex buried her face into his neck. He leaned away and cupped her face, whipping away her tears. "I love you Allie, I couldn't leave you." She smiled through her misty eyes and they kissed intensely. Donna and Martha shared a grin at the adorable couple.

-x-

It was the next day and Alex, Martha, and the Doctor were waiting in the TARDIS for Donna. She finally came in, and Alex noticed she had been crying, she remembered the touching leave she had with her grandfather. "How are they?" Martha asked.

"Oh, same old stuff." She whipped away her tears and tried to sound casual. "They're fine. So!" She changed the subject. "You gonna come with us? We're not exactly short on space." Alex giggled.

"Oh, I have missed all this, but, you know. I'm good here. Back at home. And I'm better for having been away. Besides," She showed her engagement ring. "Someone needs me. Never mind the universe; I've got a great big world of my own now!"

"We better get an invitation!" Alex called back to her jokingly. "Well, maybe just me, if the Doctor comes he might ruin your wedding."

"Oi!" The Doctor said, she laughed at him. He grinned.

Martha laughed as well. "Of course, Alex, you'd better be expecting one." She walked towards the door, but suddenly it shut and the TARDIS shook wildly as it was set into flight. They all clung to different parts to hold their balance. Under the console, the Doctor's right hand in the jar was bubbling wildly.

"What?" The Doctor cried confused. "What?"

"Doctor, don't you dare!" Martha yelled at him.

"No, no, no!" The Doctor defended. "I didn't touch anything! We're in flight it's not me!"

"Where are we going?" Alex yelled over the sounds of the TARDIS.

"I don't know, it's out of control!" The Doctor read the monitor trying to get any sort of hints as to where they were taking off to, but it didn't help.

"Doctor, listen to me! You take me home, take me home right now!" The TARDIS zoomed out of control towards their unknown destination.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Thanks ****quidditchandsonicscrewdrivers for the great idea of this chapter. Um… Unfortunately, I already had this chapter made when you gave me the great idea xD Or else I would have readily made it, lol. Just wanted to say, brilliant idea.**

**Thanks to everyone else for giving me the wonderful reviews ^^**

**So, here's the next chapter you've all been waiting for…**

In the TARDIS, the Doctor and his companions were clinging furiously to the console as the TARDIS flew violently through the vortex. They were clinging to every possible side while the Doctor tried to regain some control. Sparks were flying. Donna, Alex, and Martha were screaming while the Doctor had a deep look of concern. "What the hell's it doing?" Donna yelled.

"Controls aren't working." He tried again with a control and the TARDIS sparked in response. He fell to the floor and saw his hand bubbling excitedly. "I don't know where we're going but my old hand's very excited about it!"

"I thought that was just some freaky alien thing." Donna commented. "Are you telling me it's yours?"

"Well…" The Doctor gave as an answered.

"He got it cut off." Alex said briefly as she could. "And he grew a new one!"

"You are completely… Impossible!" Donna breathed.

"Not impossible," The Doctor corrected. "Just… A bit unlikely!" The TARDIS made one last rebellious explosion, sparks flew. The Doctor and his companions fell backwards. The Doctor landed on the chair next to the TARDIS. Alex landed near his legs. The Doctor looked at the three girls and suddenly ran towards the doors and outside. He exited the TARDIS and looked around curiously. They seemed to have ended up in some sort of underground tunnel, littering with junk and old equipment. Donna, Martha, and Alex followed him soon after.

"Why would the TARDIS bring us here?" He muttered as he took Alex's hand into his own. He took his free hand and sniffed some of the dirt along a broken piece of metal.

"Oh, I love this bit." Martha said.

"Thought you wanted to go home." Donna smirked.

"I know, but all the same…" The Doctor was going about his business, obliviously to their conversation. He licked his hand – which caused Alex to scrunch up her nose and looked at him like he was crazy – and looked off into the distance. "It's that feeling you get."

"Like you swallowed a hamster?" Donna asked. At that moment, the Doctor, Alex, Donna, and Martha heard a loud noise. They looked over at the source of the commotion. Soldiers were coming their way.

"Don't move, stay where you are!" One of the soldiers commanded, they all aimed their guns at the time travelers. The Doctor, Alex, Donna, and Martha lifted their hands defensively.

"We're not armed!" The Doctor announced. "Look, no weapons, never any weapons. We're safe." He moved his hands to prove his point. They didn't have any weapons.

"Look at their hands." Another soldier muttered, as if in amazement. "They're clean." The Doctor and Alex looked at each other. What was the big deal with clean hands?

"Alright, process them. Him first." Two of the soldiers moved towards the Doctor. They grabbed him and dragged him towards a strange machine.

"Oi, oi!" The Doctor cried, ticked and confused. "What's wrong with clean hands?"

"What's going on?" Martha asked.

"Leave him alone!" Alex cried.

The Doctor's hand was forced into the machine and he made a yelp of pain as it whizzed away doing its job. "Something tells me this isn't about to check my blood pressure –" He cried out in pain.

"What're you doing?" Donna asked fearfully.

"Everyone gets process." The main soldier responded, as he kept his gun trained on them.

"What does that mean?" Alex yelled.

"It's taking a tissue sample. Ow ow ow ow ow ow!" He howled in pain. "And extrapolated it! Some kind of accelerator?" The machine released him and he moved back, examining his hand. The three girls rushed over to him.

"Are you alright, Doctor?" Alex took his hand gently and noticed a large 'y' shaped graze on the back of his hand. The girls turned as the larger machine opened up.

"What on Earth? That's just…" Donna trailed off. A woman stepped out of the machine, smoke billowing everywhere. The Doctor, Alex, Donna, and Martha look on curiously as the woman looked around, also curious. She had long blonde hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. She had bright blue eyes and was wearing a normal army uniform.

"Arm yourself." He handed her a gun, which she handled naturally.

"Where did she come from?" Martha asked.

"From me." Alex whirled around and looked at him shocked.

"What?" Alex asked. "How's that?" The woman was arming the gun as the Doctor, looking totally shocked himself, explained the situation to his companions.

"Well… She's… Well… She's my daughter." The three girls looked at him completely shocked.

The woman turned to face them with a smile on her pretty face. "Hello dad."

-x-

The woman joined the soldiers while the Doctor, Alex, Donna, and Martha stayed in the background. "You primed to take orders, ready to fight?"

"Instant mental download of all strategic and military protocols, sir. Generation 5000 soldier primed and in peak physical health. Oh, I'm ready." Alex blinked and shook her head, the way she said that… well, it reminded her of the Doctor.

"I heard you correctly right? You just said _daughter_." Alex pointed out.

"Mm. Technically." The Doctor answered, she shot him a look, _oh don't give me that whole 'technically' crap._

"Technically how?" Martha asked.

"Progenation. Reproduction from a single organism. Means one parent is biological mother and father. You take a sample of diploid cells, split them into haploids, then recombine them in a different arrangement, and grow. Very quickly, apparently." The Doctor rubbed his marked hand.

A loud noise announced something coming down the tunnel. "Something's coming." The woman announced.

Humanoids ran down the tunnel, Alex realized they were half fish half human, shooting away. "It's the Hath!"

"Get down!" She commanded. Donna, the Doctor, and Alex went one way, but Martha went another way. One of the soldiers was down for the count. Alex landed next to him, and tried to help him as he bled.

"We have to blow the tunnel! Get the detonator!"

"I'm not detonating anything!" The Doctor came down next to Alex to help her. A Hath grabbed Martha and pulled her away, while the Doctor's daughter kicked another Hath and picked the detonator.

"Blow that thing, blow that thing!" The last soldier – excluding the Time Lord's daughter – ordered.

"Martha!" The Doctor shouted after their brunette friend. "No! Don't!" Jenny pushed the button, they all ran for cover. Alex tripped and landed roughly on the ground, her foot caught in some debris. _Damnit_! That was her last thought before she covered her head with her arms as the tunnel exploded. When it quieted down, The Doctor whirled around confused as to where his brunette was. "Allie?" He didn't see her with them. His hearts stopped. "Allie!" He ran back to the tunnel, and saw that it was sealed. He saw Alex lying there, motionless. "Allie!" His hearts stopped completely.

"Lexi!" Donna cried right behind the Doctor.

He got to her and got some debris off. He rolled her over and lifted her up. He cradled her in his arms. "Allie," He murmured. "Come on, come on, come on!" He tapped her cheek. "Allie, come on, wake up, speak to me." Just as he thought he was going to die from the thought of her dead she moaned. "Allie!" She reached up and hissed as her arms were covered in bruises and cuts.

"Owie…" She muttered. The Doctor breathed a laugh, so happy that she was alive. He buried his face into her hair. If she had died, the soldiers would have to deal with hell which was the Doctor's wrath.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly, cupping her face.

She whined. The Doctor checked her arms, and saw there were some pretty nasty cuts on them, but nothing too bad. The Doctor fiddled around with his coat before getting out a first aid kit. He waved Donna over, he was going to need her help. He quickly bandaged up her arms. The Doctor took off his coat and wrapped her around it. He kissed her head; still beyond relieved she was okay. She smiled. "I'm okay, Doctor." She said, knowing what he was feeling.

He breathed a laugh. "I'm so glad." The Doctor looked over at his 'daughter' more than upset that she could have killed Alex, and for all he knew, she killed Martha. He swiftly stood up. Donna helped Alex stand up. "Why did you do that?"

"They were trying to kill us!" She defended.

"But they've got my friend! And you almost killed Alex!" He snarled.

"Collateral damage. At least you've still got her, and she's still alive, isn't she? He lost both his men; I'd say you came out ahead." Alex fixed the coat and bit her lip not to make a sound at the pain coursing through her arms.

"Her name's Martha, and she's not collateral damage, not for anyone! Have you got that, GI Jane?" Donna snapped.

"I'm gonna find her." The Doctor turned around to find a way through the collapsed tunnel.

But the other soldier turned around and aimed his gun at them. The Doctor used himself to block the two other women. He lifted a hand. "You're going nowhere. You don't make sense, you three. No guns, no marks, no fight in you… I'm taking you to General Cobb. Now, move."

-x-

They had no choice but to go. The Doctor kept Alex tightly under his arm. She leaned her head against his shoulder. She knew that he was still a little haywire from her 'near death' experience, which was why he was being so protective and touchy. Of course, not like Alex could complain. "I'm Donna." Donna introduced to the woman. "What's your name?"

"Don't know. It hasn't been assigned." She answered.

"Well if you don't know that, then what do you know?"

"How to fight." She answered.

"Nothing else?" Donna asked.

"The machine must embed military history and tactics but no name. She's a generated anomaly." The Doctor explained.

"Generated anomaly. Jenny-rated. Well, what about that? Jenny."

"Jenny. Yeah, I like that. Jenny." Jenny smiled at her new name.

"What do you think, '_Dad_'?" Donna teased.

"Good as any I suppose." He muttered.

"Not what you'd call a natural parent, are you?" Donna commented.

"They stole a tissue sample at gunpoint and processed it; it's not what I call natural parentage." He said annoyed.

"Rubbish! My friend Nerys fathered twins with a turkey bastard, don't bother her." Donna responded.

"You can't extrapolate a relationship from a biological accident." The Doctor said.

"Er, Child Support Agency can." Donna said.

"Look, just 'cause I share certain physiological traits with simian primates doesn't make me a monkey's uncle, does it?" The Doctor commented. Alex shook her head at their arguing.

"I'm not a monkey!" Jenny finally stepped in. The Doctor spared her look before moving on. "Or a child." She muttered.

They reached the human encampment, a huge underground room. "So, where are we?" The Doctor said. That had been bothering him for some time. "What planet is this?"

"Messaline. Well, what's left of it." The soldier answered.

"...663 – 75 deceased. Generation 6671 – Extinct. Generation 6672 – 46 deceased. Generation 6680 – 14 deceased. Generation …" A voice said over what sounded like a comm.

"But, this is a theatre." Donna pointed out.

"Maybe their doing Miss. Siagon." The Doctor sat down onto a bed.

"It's like a town, or a city, underground. But why?" Cline – they learned his name on the way here – finished his reporting to an older soldier who now walked over to Donna, Alex, and the Doctor.

"General Cobb, I presume?" The Doctor stood back up. He put his hands onto Alex's shoulders, he saw her rubbing her arms, they were still in pain, but thankful it lessened. It was now more of a painful steady throbbing than a constant pounding.

"Found in the Western tunnels, I'm told, with no marks. There was an outbreak of pacifism in the Eastern zone, three generations back, before we lost contract, is that where you came from?"

"Eastern Zone, that's us, yeah. Yeah. I'm The Doctor, this is Donna, and this is Allie." His smile become somewhat strained. It was obvious he still wasn't happy about what happened to Alex.

"And I'm Jenny." The blonde added. The Doctor gave her another look.

"Don't think you can infect us with your peacemaking. We're committed to the fight, to the very end." General Cobb said.

"Well, that's alright, we can't stay anyways. We gotta go and find out friend." The Doctor said.

"That's not possible, all movement is regulated. We're at war." General Cobb answered.

"Yeah, we figured that out." Alex spoke. "With the…"

The Doctor leaned down. "Hath."

"Hath!" She said and smiled. "But, 'cause we got a bit out of the loop, Easter zone and all that, what exactly are the Hath?"

General Cobb was walking with them around the theatre. "Back at the dawn of this planet, these ancient halls were carved from the earth. Our ancestors dreamt of a new beginning, a colony where human and Hath could work and live together."

"So, what happened?" The Doctor asked.

"The dream died. Broken, along with Hath promises. They wanted it all for themselves. But those early pioneers, they fought back. They used the machines to produce soldiers instead of colonists, and began this battle for survival."

Donna stopped and went over to a window. "There's nothing but earth outside, why's that? Why build everything underground?"

"The surface is too dangerous." General Cobb answered.

"Then why build windows in the first place?" Donna commented, making a point. "And what's this mean?" She pointed at a number stamp on the wall.

"The rites and symbols of our ancestors. The meanings... lost in time."

"How long has this war been going on?" It seemed like nothing was clear to them, they were just fighting because that was literally all they knew how to do.

"Longer than anyone can remember. Countless generations marked only by the dead." General Cobb explained.

"What, fighting all this time?" Donna asked, coming back over to the group.

"Because we must. Every child of the machine is born with this knowledge. It's our inheritance, it's all we know. How to fight. And how to die." Jenny explained.

-x-

At the human camp, they were looking at a holographic map. The Doctor had his cute, but dorky glasses on again. "Does this show the entire city, including the Hath zones?"

"Yes." Cobb answered. "Why?"

"It can help us find Martha." Alex answered.

"We've more important things to do. The Progenation Machines are powered down for the night shift, but soon as they're active, we could breed a whole platoon from you three." Alex shot the boy a dirty look, _no thank you_!

"I'm not having sons and daughters by some great big flippin' machine!" Donna looked over at Jenny. "Sorry, no offence but you're not... well I mean you're not real."

"You're no better than him!" The Doctor looked over at her for a moment before looking back at the map. "I have a body, I have a mind, I have independent thought, how am I not real? What makes you better than me?"

"Well said, soldier."Alex cut him off.

"Don't we get a say in this?" She snapped. "No thank you! I am _not _having children with some stupid machine!"

"Why's that? Because we're not real?" Alex shot Jenny a look.

"No." She stated sourly. "I want to have children the _natural _way, if ya'll know what that means. As in, I find a husband and have the natural way that it was supposed to be, child birth." Jenny seemed surprised at Alex's answer.

"So, basically you want to have sex with the Doctor?" Donna asked bluntly. The Doctor chocked on his own air as Alex laughed.

"Maybe." That just made the Doctor's state worse. She turned to him, "Breathe, Time Lord, breathe!" She whacked his back to help him. He took deep breaths and just gave them both a look.

Cobb ignored them. "We need more like you if ever we're to find the Source."

"Ooh, the Source, what's that then, what's a Source? I like a Source, what is it?" The Doctor asked, thankfully sidetracked.

"The Breath of Life."

"And that would be…?" Alex asked.

"In the beginning the great one breathed life into the universe. And then she looked at what she'd done, and she sighed." Cline explained.

"She? I like that."

"I second that." Alex said. You didn't get too many 'she's' in religions, even if they weren't real.

"Right, so it's a creation myth." The Doctor said, always scientific he was.

"It's not myth. It's real. That sigh. From the beginning of time it was caught and kept as the Source. It was lost when the war started. But it's here, somewhere. Whoever holds the Source controls the destiny of the planet." The Doctor was looking at the map.

"Ah!" The Doctor suddenly cried pulling out his sonic screwdriver. "I thought so! There's a suppressed layer of information in this map, if I can just…" He used the sonic device on the map and more tunnels appeared.

"What is it? What's it mean?" Donna asked.

"See? A whole complex of tunnels, hidden from sight." The Doctor said, proud of himself.

"That must be the lost temple. The source will be inside. You've shown us the way! And look, we're closer than the Hath! It's ours!" Cobb breathed. The General moved to instruct his soldiers. "Tell them to prepare to move out. We'll progenate new soldiers on the morning shift, then we march. Once we reach the Temple, peace will be restored at long last."

The Doctor stopped him. "Um, call me old-fashioned, but if you really wanted peace couldn't you just stop fighting?"

"Only when we have the Source. It'll give us the power to erase every stinking Hath from the face of this planet!" Alex rolled her eyes, _way to get on the Doctor's 'good' side, General_. She thought sarcastically.

"Hang on, hang on, a second ago it was peace in our time, now you're talking about genocide!" He pointed out.

"For us, that means that same thing." Cobb answered.

"Well then," Alex spoke up with some bit in her tone. She really was turning into the Doctor. "You need to get a new dictionary, when you do look up 'genocide' and I'll tell ya what, there will be a little picture of him there," she pointed to the Doctor, "and the little caption underneath with say 'over his dead body'!"

"And he's the one who showed us the path to victory. But you can consider the irony from your prison cell. Cline, at arms!" Cline pointed his gun at the three of them.

"Oi, oi, oi!" Donna said ticked. "Alright! Cool the beans Rambo!"

"Take them, I won't have them spreading treason. And if you try anything, Doctor, I'll see that your woman dies first." Cobb said speaking about Donna.

"They're so not a couple." Alex stated.

"No, we're, we're not a couple." The Doctor added.

"I am not his woman!" Donna said in agreement.

Cobb nodded. "Then I'll make sure she dies first." He pulled out a gun and pointed it right at Alex's forehead. The Doctor's face turned dark.

"You wouldn't dare." He snarled as he grabbed her shoulders and pulled her out of the way of the gun. He glared darkly at Cobb for even daring to threaten Alex.

"Come on. This way." Cline ordered.

"We're gonna stop you, Cobb. You need to know that." Alex said.

"I have an army and the breath of god on my side, Alex, what'll you have?"

She pointed to the Time Lord behind her. "I have a Time Lord, that's what I have. And I promise you, that's more than enough." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"Lock them up, and guard them." Cobb answered.

"What about the new soldier?" Cline asked. Jenny stepped up but Cobb pushed her away, into Alex's arms. She bit her tongue to stop from making a sound, her arms still very sore.

"Can't trust her, she's from pacifist stock." Cobb answered. "Take them all!"

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Donna, Jenny entered their cells. Donna noticed there were numbers there too. "More numbers. They've gotta mean something."

"Makes as much sense as the breath of life story." The Doctor sighed and sat down.

Jenny looked at him surprised. "You mean that's not true?"

"Nope," Alex sighed and sat next to the Doctor. He instinctively wrapped his arm around her and kissed her temple. "It's just a myth, eh Doctor?"

"Yes, but there could still be something real in that temple, something that's become a myth. A piece of technology, a weapon." He explained.

"So the Source could be a weapon and we've just given directions to Captain Nutjob?" Donna asked, sitting on the other side of the Time Lord.

"Oh, yes."

"We're screwed." Alex commented.

"That's why we need to get out of here, find Martha and stop Cobb from slaughtering the Hath." He noticed Jenny's inquisitive look. "What, what are you, what are you…what are you staring at?"

"You keep insisting you're not a soldier. But look at you! Drawing up strategies like a proper general." Jenny said. Alex had to bite back the urge to laugh; she was _actually _comparing the Doctor to a soldier, which had to be his like all time pet peeve.

"No no," The Doctor contradicted. "I'm trying to stop the fighting."

Jenny thought about that. "Isn't every soldier?" She asked.

"Well. I suppose. But that's… that's… technically... I haven't got time for this! Donna, give me your phone! Time for an upgrade!" Donna handed him her phone as he used the sonic screwdriver on it.

"And now you've got a weapon!"

"It's not a weapon." The Doctor said.

"But you're using it to fight back!" She laughed. "I'm gonna learn so much from you, you are such a soldier!"

"Donna, will you tell her?" Oh, like Donna was going to be any help.

"Oh, you are speechless, I'm loving this! You keep on, Jenny!"

He looked helplessly at his Alex. "Allie?" She smiled and got up. She walked over and swung her arm around Jenny's shoulder. Alex hissed and snatched her arm back. "Allie?" The Doctor asked alarmed.

"Sorry," she winced. "Forgot I couldn't do that right now." She turned back to Jenny. "I'm going to give you one big important detail that is the different between the Doctor and a soldier, Jenny." All three looked over, curious as to what she was going to say. "He gives second chances. No matter whom they are, or what they've done to him or anyone else. He always gives them mercy, he always wants to give them a second chance." That was proven time and time again in her travels with him. "That's the difference between him and a soldier."

She came back over and sat down. The Doctor smiled and kissed her cheek. "I love you." He murmured.

She giggled. "Love you too."

The Doctor went back to phoning Martha. "Doctor?" She heard Martha asked as a greeting.

"Martha!" He was happy to hear her. "You're alive!"

"Doctor! Oh, am I glad to hear your voice!" Alex heard the relief in her friend's voice. "Are you alright?"

"I'm with Donna and Allie; we're fine, what about you?"

Donna wanted to add something. "And, and Jenny, she's fine too."

"Yes, alright," He spoke louder to Martha. "And, and Jenny... That's the woman from the machine, the soldier, my daughter, except she isn't, she's, she's... Anyway! Where are you?"

"I'm in the Hath camp. I'm okay, but, something's going on. The Hath are all marching off to some place that's appeared on this map thing."

The three time travelers shared a look. "Ohhh... That was me. If both armies are heading that way, there's going to be a bloodbath." The Doctor answered.

"What do you want me to do?" Martha asked.

"Just stay where you are, if you're safe there then don't move, d'you hear?" He hung up the phone. Cheers and chants from the soldiers were heard in the prison. "They're getting ready to move out. We have to get past that guard."

"I can deal with him." Jenny moved past him to 'deal' with the guard.

The Time Lord grabbed her arm. "No no no no. You're not going anywhere."

"What?" She asked confused.

"You belong here, with them." Donna and Alex shared a look. Alex stepped up.

"She belongs with us, Doctor." He turned to look at her. "She's your _daughter_." Alex was _not _about to have him leave his daughter behind.

"She's a soldier." He retorted. "She came out of that machine."

"Yes, yes, I know that." Alex rolled her eyes. "That doesn't change a thing. She's still your daughter." The Doctor's face told her he wasn't about to admit anything. She sighed. "Give me your stethoscope." She knew he had it with him. "Come one, give it here."

The Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled it out and handed it to her. "What're you doing?"

"It's not gonna hurt." Alex said softly, motherly. "This'll listen to your heart, I want to hear something." Alex put the stethoscope to the blonde's chest, first to the left, then to the right. After a moment, Alex nodded to herself and pulled it off to give it the Doctor. He had backed up to a wall and was brooding. "Come here, Mr. Brooding," She motioned him over. "I want you to listen to this, and _then _tell me where she belongs."

The Doctor came over and took the stethoscope. He hesitated before putting it into his ears. Alex did the same thing; she placed the stethoscope on Jenny's left side, before placing it on the right. He heard two hearts beating within her. He stepped back and stared at Jenny.

"What is it?" Donna asked softly.

"Jenny has two hearts." Alex answered, her eyes locked onto the Doctor. Donna's face cleared, she knew the significance to that.

"What's going on?" Jenny asked still in the dark.

"Does that mean she's a…?" Donna paused, stuck on the word. "What do you call a female Time Lord?"

"Time Lady, I would imagine." Alex answered. "But it might just be female Time Lord."

"What's a Time Lord?" Jenny asked.

"It's what I am. It's where I'm from." The Doctor answered.

"And that's what you called him before." Jenny said to Alex. The brunette girl nodded. "And I'm from you." The blonde turned back to the Doctor.

"You're an echo, that's all. A Time Lord is so much more. A sum of knowledge. A code. A shared history. A shared suffering." The Doctor became frustrated, but he paused. He spoke in a quieter voice now. "Only it's gone now. All of it. Gone forever." Alex's heart broke for him.

"What happened?" Jenny asked.

"There was a war." Alex answered, her eyes distance. He came over and took her again. "Such a big war." She murmured. The Doctor leaned down and kissed her head. No matter what he did, he knew he could never erase those memories.

"Like this one?" Jenny asked.

The Doctor laughed at the absurdity of the comparison. "Bigger." He answered quietly. "Much bigger."

"And you fought? And killed?" Alex hugged the Doctor tightly. She slid her arms under his and wrapped them tightly around him, her hands between his shoulder blades.

"Yes." The Time Lord answered darkly.

"… Then how are we different?" Jenny asked. The Doctor turned his eyes to her.

-x-

Jenny went to the cell door to talk to Cline. "Hey." She greeted.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you, I'm on duty." Cline said.

"I know. Guarding me." Her tone became flirty. "So does this mean I'm dangerous? Or that I need protecting?"

"Protecting from what?" Cline asked with a chuckle, turning towards her.

"Oh, I don't know. Men like you?" She pulled him closer for a kiss – then grabbed his gun and pointed it at him. He looked at her completely shocked. "Keep quiet and open the door." She ordered with a smile. During this, the Doctor, Alex, and Donna were waiting out of sight.

"I'd like to see you try that." Donna muttered. Alex grinned.

"So would I." She added. The Doctor looked out at the cell.

-x-

They walked downstairs, but stopped when they noticed another guard. "That's the way out." The Doctor whispered. Jenny cocked the gun, but the Doctor put his hands over hers. "Don't you dare." He hissed.

Donna stepped up between the two. "Let me distract this one. I have picked up a few womanly wiles over the years."

"Let's... save your wiles for later. In case of emergency." Donna nodded, knowing what he was saying.

"Fine then, have Lexi do it." All three looked over at her surprised. "Lexi is pretty enough."

Alex didn't even get a chance to open her mouth. "No, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor hissed. "She is _not _doing it!"

"No thank you, Donna." She replied for herself. "I don't want an angry Time Lord on my ass for it later." The Doctor frowned. "And I love him too much to even pretend to flirt with another guy." She added, knowing that would make him happy and kissed his cheek. He nodded, more loose now. He patted around in his pockets until he found a wind-up little mouse. Alex giggled at the cute little toy.

The small little mouse whizzed away. The guard turned and clopped up the stairs to see what it was. He lifted up the small mouse and looked at it curiously. Jenny suddenly came up and gave him a sharp 'thwack' to the back. The Doctor and Alex jumped up next to her. "I was gonna distract him, not clobber him!"

"Well, it worked, didn't it?" She asked. The Doctor picked up the small mouse.

"They must all have a copy of that new map. Just stay there, don't hurt anyone." The little mouse whizzed and he tucked it into his pocket.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex were looking at a map that they stole from the guard. Donna and Jenny were behind them. "Wait!" The Doctor halted. "This is it. The hidden tunnel. There must be a control panel." He used his sonic screwdriver on the wall beside the locked door. Donna noticed yet another set of numbers.

"It's another one of those numbers. They're everywhere." Donna muttered.

"The original builders must've left them. Some old cataloguing system." The Doctor responded.

"You got a pen? Bit of paper? 'Cause, d'you see, the numbers are counting down." Donna pointed out. The Doctor put the screwdriver into his mouth, but Alex reached up and took it from his mouth, holding it for him. He reached into his suit pocket and his coat pocket and got out a pen and paper. He gave them over to her. "This one ends in 1-4, the prison cell said 1-6."

"Always thinking, the three of you." Jenny spoke up. "Who are you people?"

"I told you." The Doctor muttered. "I'm the Doctor."

"The Doctor?" Jenny questioned. "That's it?"

"That's all he ever says." Donna answered.

"So, you don't have a name either? Are you an anomaly too?" Alex snorted in laughter.

The Doctor gave Alex a look. "No." He answered.

"Oh, come off it. You're the most anomalous bloke I've ever met." Donna muttered. The Doctor took off the cover for the control panel.

"Here it is!" He cried and started to mess with it.

"And Time Lords," Jenny continued. "What are they for, exactly?"

"'For'?" The Doctor muttered. "They're not… They're not _for _anything."

"So what do you do?" Jenny asked.

"I travel." The Doctor grunted as he turned a knob on the control panel. "Through time and space."

"He saves planets, rescues civilizations, defeats terrible creatures. And runs a lot. Seriously, there's an outrageous amount of running involved." Donna explained in further detail.

"Got it!" The Doctor cried as the door opened. They heard Cobb's voice farther down the tunnel.

"So… What were you saying about running, Donna?" Alex grinned. They ran but were soon stopped by red beams crossing the tunnel, blocking their way.

"That's not moon lighting, is it?" The Doctor threw the clockwork mouse into the lights. They flinched as it burst into sparkles when it touched the first beam. "No, I didn't think so."

"Arming device." The Doctor muttered. He looked over and went over to fiddle with the controls. Donna noticed yet another set of numbers.

"There's more of these. Always eight numbers, counting down, the closer we get..." Donna muttered to herself as she wrote it down.

"Here we go!" The Doctor said.

"You better make it quick, Doctor." Alex said.

The voices of the soldiers were coming closer. "The General." Jenny announced.

She turned to run back but the Doctor caught her. "Where are you going?"

"I can hold them up." Jenny said.

"No." The Doctor contradicted gently. "We don't need any more death."

"But it's them or us." She argued.

"Sweetie," Alex came over. Jenny looked over at her surprised at the name. "It doesn't mean that you have to kill them."

"I'm trying to save our lives!"

"Listen to me," the Doctor got Jenny's attention back to him. "The killing, after a while it infects you. And once it does you're never rid of it."

"We don't have a choice." Jenny replied.

"There's always a choice." Alex said.

"I'm sorry." She ran off.

"Jenny!"

"This door! Now!" The soldiers caught sight of Jenny. "There she is! At arms!" Jenny opened fire at them and the soldiers did the same. Hearing the shots, Donna and Alex looked very worried. The Doctor tried not to care.

He scowled, working on the arming device again. "I told you. Nothing but a soldier." He said bitterly.

"She's trying to help." Alex walked over to him.

"Don't you dare tell me that there wasn't one point in your long life Doctor where you were the same way." The Doctor refused to look at her; she reached out and took his arm, causing him to look at her. "Donna's right, _she is trying to help_." She ran her hand down his face. "You may not see it, Doctor, but I see such a resemblance in her of you." She murmured. "Give her a chance, Doctor, just like you always do. I know that if you do, she'll turn out to be just like her amazing, brilliant dad."

He quickly reached up and grabbed her hand and kissed her palm. He went back to the arming device and got it shut. "Jenny! Come on!"

"I'm coming!" She called back to him. The Doctor turned off the red beams.

"That's it!"

"Jenny! Come on! We're leaving!" The three time travelers ran through the safe corridor.

"Jenny!" The Doctor called, seeing her. "Come on! That's it!"

"Hurry up!" Donna said.

But just when she reached the corridor, the red beams appeared again. "No, no, no, no!" The Doctor cried. "The circuit's looped back!"

"Zap it back!" Donna responded.

"The controls are back there!" The Time Lord replied.

"They're coming!" Jenny announced.

"Wait! J-Just…! There isn't…!" The Doctor couldn't do anything. He was helpless. "Jenny, I can't!"

"I'll just have to mange on my own. Watch and learn, Father." She threw her gun away and got through the blocked corridor with a series of summersaults.

Alex looked at the scene with wide eyes. "Whoa!" She muttered. "Aw_some_!"

"No way!" Donna was in the same state. Jenny finally got through. "But that's impossible."

"Not impossible. Just a bit unlikely." It seemed the Doctor was easing up to his daughter. He hugged Jenny with a proud smile on his face. "Brilliant! You were brilliant! Brilliant!"

"I didn't kill him. General Cobb, I could have kill him, but I didn't. You were right. I had a choice." Jenny said proud of herself.

"Good job, Jenny." Alex hugged the girl. "Good job."

She squealed and hugged Alex. "Thanks mum." They all paused and Alex broke the hug to look at the girl surprised.

"What?"

She was nervous. "Sorry, got caught up in the moment."

"No, hun, it's okay. Call me whatever you like." The Doctor just looked at her. "What? I'm your girlfriend, she's your daughter, come on, its fine she calls me 'mum'. I think it's sweet." The Doctor shook his head, but Alex took that as a sign that he was just letting her do whatever she wanted.

The soldiers arrived at the other end of the corridor. Jenny and Donna went ahead but the Doctor stayed behind to talk to General Cobb. Alex stalled when she realized this and went back to the Doctor's side. "At arms!" The General commanded.

"I warned you, Cobb." The Doctor said. "If the source is a weapon, I'm gonna make sure you never use it."

"One of us is going to die, Doctor, and it won't be me." Cobb opened fire on the Time Lord and Alex and he ran off too.

-x-

"So, you travel together, but you're not… 'together'?" Jenny asked Donna. Alex and the Doctor were discussing the map and which way to go.

"What? No, no! No way! No, no. We're friends. That's all. I mean, we're not even the same species, there's probably laws against it." Jenny laughed. "Anyways, Lexi's got that all covered." Jenny smiled. "She would be a good mum," Donna commented. "I've got no doubt about that, I also got no doubt it's gonna be the Doctor that's the dad."

"And, what's it liked traveling?" She asked.

"Ah, never a dull moment. Can be terrifying, brilliant and funny – sometimes all at the same time. I've seen some amazing things though. Whole new worlds." Donna explained.

"Oh, I'd love to see new worlds." Jenny replied.

"You will. Won't she, Doctor?" Both brunettes turned around.

"Hm?" He asked.

"D'you think Jenny will see new worlds?" Donna asked.

The Time Lord and his brunette shared a small smile. "I suppose so."

"You mean... You mean, you'll take me with you?" Jenny was completely shocked.

"Can't exactly just leave you here, can we?" Alex asked.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" She hugged the two of them. When she was done, she wrapped her arm around Alex's. "Come on! Let's get a move on! I want to hear all about how you met my dad!" Jenny dragged Alex behind her, the brunette girl laughing.

"Careful, there might be traps!" The Doctor called to them. Alex turned around and gave a thumbs up, showing she understood. The Doctor smiled.

"Kids! They never listen!" Donna noticed that the Doctor still looked troubled. "Oh, I know that look. See it a lot 'round our way. Blokes with pushchairs and frowns. You've got dad-shock."

"Dad-shock?" The Time Lord turned to his best friend.

"Sudden, un-expected fatherhood." Donna explained. "Take a bit getting use to."

"No, it's not that." The Doctor answered.

"Well, what is it then? Having Jenny in the TARDIS is that it? What's she gonna do, cramp your style? Like you've got a sports car and she's gonna turn it into a people-carrier?" Donna teased.

"Donna, I've been a father before." The Doctor said suddenly.

"What?" She asked shocked.

"I lost that a long time ago." He explained. He looked forward, just barely seeing bits of Alex's brunette hair. "Along with everything else."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. Why didn't you tell me? You talk all the time, but you don't say anything." She said.

"I know. I'm just... When I look at her now I can see them. The hole they left, all the pain that filled it. I just don't know if I can face that every day." He explained.

"It won't stay like that. She'll help you. We both will." Donna was sure of that. She could see a change already coming upon him with Alex.

"But when they died, that part of me died with them. It'll never come back. Not now."

"What about Lexi?" The Doctor's face contorted into pain. "You love her so much."

"She's human, Donna." He looked at the floor in front of them. "I do, Donna, so much, more than she would _ever _know. But she's human; I have to watch her get older every day, knowing that there will be one day where she won't be there anymore. And that…" He shook his head. "I can't stand that. I love her _so _much. She's my angel, Donna, my perfect angel. I can't describe how much she's changed me, made me better. I love her. I can't say it enough times, and to even think that she'll be gone one day, it hurts, Donna, it hurts so much. Sometimes I feel its better if I take her back, pretend like I never met her, no matter how much that would hurt me too. But I can't." The Doctor shook his head. "I just… can't. I can't leave her, I can't make her leave. I love her too much to let her go."

"I tell you something, Doctor, something I've never told you before. I think you're wrong." They heard shooting and Jenny and Alex returned to them.

"They've blasted through the beams, time to run again. Love the running! Yeah?"

"Love the running." They smiled at each other. But Alex noticed that the Doctor's smile didn't reach his eyes. She took his hand and looked at him worried. He smiled, but she shook her head, she knew something was up. He kissed her hand and mouthed that 'he loved her'. She nodded, mouthing the same, but decided not to push it. If he was ever ready, he'd come to her.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Donna, and Jenny reached a dead end. "We're trapped." Donna pointed out.

"Can't be. This must be the temple." The Doctor touched a panel on the wall. "This is a door." He muttered.

"And again!" Donna said, finding another number set. "We're down to 1-2 now."

"I've got it!" He opened up a smaller panel off to the side of the door; it must have been what opened the door.

"I can hear them!" Jenny announced a little ways away from them.

"Nearly done." The Doctor responded.

"These can't be a cataloguing system." Donna muttered, still talking about the numbers.

"They're getting closer!" Jenny said.

"Then get back here!" Alex responded.

"They're too similar. Too familiar." Donna mumbled.

"Not yet." Jenny responded.

"Now! Got it!" The door opened. They all got inside the 'temple'.

"They're coming! Close the door!" The Doctor pushed some keys and the door slid closed.

Alex sighed in relief. "That was close." She commented.

"No fun otherwise." The Doctor and Alex grinned at each other.

"It's not what I'd call a temple." Donna pointed out.

"It looks like a…"

"Fusion-drive transport." The Doctor said. "It's a spaceship!"

"What, the original one? The one the first colonists arrived in?" Donna questioned.

"Well, it could be, but the power cells would have run down after all that time. This one's still powered-up and functioning. Come on!" As they ran, they saw someone was cutting through another door.

"It's the Hath!" Jenny said. "That door's not gonna last much longer. And if General Cobb gets through down there, war's gonna break out."

"Look, look, look, look, look!" The Doctor said. "Ship's log!" He got the controls. "'First wave of Human/Hath co-colonization of planet Messaline'."

"So it's the original ship." Alex concluded.

"'Phase One: Construction'. They used robot drones to build the city." The Doctor explained, reading through the logs quickly.

"But, does it mention a war?" Donna asked. The Doctor scrolled down.

"Final entry... 'Mission commander dead. Still no agreement on who should assume leadership. Hath and humans have divided into factions.' That must be it! A power vacuum. The crew divided into two factions and turned on each other. Start using the progenation machines and suddenly you've got two armies fighting a never-ending war!"

"Two armies who are both outside."

"Look at that." She looked at a screen displaying a set of numbers similar to those on the wall.

"It's like those numbers we kept finding in the tunnels." Alex pointed out.

"No, no, no, no, but listen... I spent six months working as a temp in Hounslow Library, and I mastered the Dewey Decimal System in two days flat. I'm good with numbers! It's staring us in the face!" Alex blinked and looked at the numbers again.

"What is?" Jenny asked, voicing Alex's thoughts.

"It's the date." Donna answered. "Assuming the first two numbers are some big old space date, then you've got year, month, day. It's the other way round, like it is in America!"

"Ohhh!" The Doctor smacked his head. "It's the New Byzantine Calendar."

"The codes are completion dates for each section. They finish it, they stamp the date on! So the numbers aren't counting down, they're going out, from here, day by day, as the city got built."

"Yes!" He turned to her and shook her shoulders. "Good work, Donna."

"Yeah! But you're, you're still not getting it." The Doctor looked at her confused, a look clearly saying that he wasn't getting it. "The first number I saw back there was 6012-07-17." The Doctor's facial expression didn't change. "Well, look at the date today."

"07-24." Both the Doctor's and Alex's eyes widened. "No!"

"What does it mean?" Jenny asked.

The brunette girl turned to her. "Seven days." She answered.

"That's it! Seven days!" Donna responded.

"Just seven days?" He asked shocked.

"What d'you mean just seven days?" Jenny asked, still in the dark.

"Seven days since war broke out."

"This war's been going on for a week." Alex added. "Just a week."

"They said years." The blonde contradicted.

"No, they said generations. And if they're all like you, and they're products of the machine…" Donna was cut off by the Doctor, finishing her sentence, easily doing the mental math.

"They could have 20 generations in a day! Each generation gets killed in the war, passes on the legend! Ohhh! Donna, you're a genius!" He complimented her.

"But all the buildings, the encampments, they're in ruins."

"No, they're not in ruins." Alex said, thinking back to how everything looked. "They're just bare, waiting to be filled."

"Oh, they've mythologised their entire history! The Source must be part of that too. Come on!" The Doctor took off with the three girls running behind him. He stopped short when he saw Martha, looking worse for wear.

"Doctor! Alex!"

"Martha!" The two time travelers cried. They hugged each other.

"I should've known you wouldn't stay away from the excitement." The Time Lord said.

"Donna!" Martha cried. She ran over to Donna and they hugged too.

"Oooh, you're filthy, what happened?" Donna asked.

"I, erm, took the surface route." Martha responded.

They heard the voices of the soldiers. "That's the general." The Doctor said. "We haven't got much time."

"We don't even know what we're looking for!" Donna pointed out.

Alex sniffed; she had been sniffing for a minute now. "Is it just me, or can anyone else smell flowers?"

"Yes! Bougainvillea! I say we follow our nose!" The Doctor, Alex, Donna, Jenny, and Martha reached a place that looked like a huge greenhouse inside the spaceship filled with palms and other exotic plants. "Oh yes! Yes! Isn't this brilliant?" In the middle there was a small place around a pedestal that held a glass sphere, containing a shinning gas.

"It's beautiful." Jenny murmured.

"What is it?" Martha asked.

"Is that the 'Source'?" Alex used air quotations.

"Terraforming!" The Doctor answered. "It's a third generation terraforming device."

"So why are we suddenly in Kew Gardens?" Donna asked.

"Because that's what it does." He replied. "All this, only bigger. Much bigger! It's in a transit state. Producing all of this must keep it stable before they finally…" The Hath and human soldiers appeared from opposite sides, cocking their guns as soon as they caught sight of each other. "Stop! Hold your fire!" The Doctor held out his hands.

"What is this?" Cobb asked. "Some kind of trap?"

"You said you wanted this war over, General." Alex said.

"I want this war won!" He snapped.

"You can't win. No one can." The Doctor replied. "You don't even know why you're here. Your whole history, it's just Chinese whispers. Getting more distorted the more it's passed on." He pointed to the sphere. "_This _is the Source. This is what you're fighting over. A device to rejuvenate a planet's ecosystem. It's nothing mystical. It's from a laboratory, not some creator. It's a bubble of gasses. A cocktail of stuff for accelerated evolution. Methane, hydrogen, ammonia, amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids. It's used to make barren planets habitable. Look around you!" He gestured to the 'Kew Gardens'. "It's not for killing, it's for bring life. If you allow it, it can lift you out of these dark tunnels and into the bright, bright sunlight. No more fighting. No more killing." He took the sphere off its pedestal. "I'm the Doctor, and I declare this war is _over_!"

He threw it to the ground. The glass ball shattered and the gases escaped, shining gold and green as they spread out in the air. Amazed by the sight, human and Hath both put the guns to the ground. "What's happening?" Jenny asked, going over to her father.

"The gases will escape and trigger the terraforming process." The Doctor answered with a smile.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"It means a whole new world." The Doctor replied. Jenny laughed with delight, but then she looked at General Cobb – the only one who wasn't enchanted by what's happened. He lifted his gun to shoot the Doctor, but Jenny stepped in front of him.

"No!" The bullet hit her and she collapsed in the Doctor's arms, while the soldiers held down Cobb and took his gun away.

"Jenny? Jenny!" The Doctor cried. "Talk to me, Jenny." He sat down and took Jenny in his lap. Martha checked her pulse then the wound.

"Is she gonna be alright?" Donna asked quietly. Martha just looked at Donna and shook her head without a word.

"Jenny," Alex ran her hands through the blonde's hair motherly. "Sweetie."

"A new world." Jenny whispered. "It's beautiful."

Alex felt like crying. "Jenny? Be strong now." The Doctor was breaking as well. "You need to hold on. D'you hear me? We've got things to do, the three of us. Hey? Hey? We can go anywhere. Everywhere. You choose."

"That sounds good." She whispered.

"Just hang on, Jenny. There's so much to see out there, and you're gonna see it all." Alex whispered.

"You're my daughter and we've only just started." The Doctor said, just as softly. "You're gonna be great. You're gonna be more than great. You're gonna be amazing! You hear me? Jenny?" She closed her eyes and died. The Doctor kissed her forehead in despair, Alex sobbed quietly, and then he found one last straw to clutch. "Two hearts." He lifted his head to look at the two girls. "Two hearts, she's like me. If we wait... If we just wait…"

"There's no sign, Doctor." Martha replied. "There's no regeneration. She's like you, but… maybe not enough."

"No. Too much." The Doctor corrected sadly. "That's the truth of it. She's too much like me." He gently put Jenny down to the ground and kissed her forehead one last time. Then he got up, walked over to General Cobb and picked up his gun. He stands there, panting from anger and despair, pointing the gun at Cobb's head. Donna reached over and gently nudged the brunette girl.

Alex got up and more or less stumbled over to her Time Lord. She couldn't say anything, her throat was too tight, so she just put her hand on his. The Doctor looked over at her, and she buried her face into his chest, tears falling down her cheek. She looked up at him and shook her head gently. He dropped the gun and held onto her tightly. But, he kept his eyes locked with Cobb's. "I never would. You got that? I never would." He lifted up his head, addressing both parties. "When you start this new world. This world of Human and Hath... remember that! Make the foundation of this society. A man who never would!" He took Alex and they both went to sit down next to Jenny's body.

-x-

Jenny was laid out in the theatre room that used to be the human encampment. The Doctor, Alex, Donna, Martha, Cline, and a Hath are around her. Suddenly, beams of light came through the windows. "It's happening." Martha muttered. "The terraforming."

"Build a city, nice and safe underground. Strip away the soil. And there it is." Donna paused. "And what about Jenny?"

"Let us give her a proper ceremony. I think it'd help us. Please." Cline asked. The Doctor, who was a bit farther away from the group, had his arms wrapped tightly around his Alex. Both seemed to be lost in thoughts, the Doctor's face was dark, while Alex's face was sad. The Doctor and Alex nodded their approval.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Donna and Martha were back in the TARDIS. "Jenny was the reason for the TARDIS bringing us here. It just got here too soon, which then created Jenny in the first place. Paradox. An endless paradox." Donna and Martha watched the two of them sympathetically. He turned to Martha. "Time to go home?"

"Yeah. Home." Martha nodded. He started to pull controls, but without his usual enthusiasm.

-x-

Martha and Donna were ahead of them, and the Doctor and Alex were behind them. "Ya know," Alex spoke up. The Time Lord looked over. "I once heard, that 'it's easy to give your life up for something, but it's hard to _live_ for something'."

The Doctor put his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him. "I do have something to live for." He murmured. "My greatest treasure," She looked up. "You, Allie." Her heart melted.

"Aw." She couldn't stop the smile or the blush as she buried her face into his chest. "You're so sweet, Doctor."

"I've learn from the best." He responded with a small smile. Donna stopped on the pathway, and Martha, Alex, and the Doctor all walked up to her apartment. "We're making a habit of this."

"Yeah. And you'd think it'd get easier." She looked at the Doctor. "All those things you've ready to die for. I thought for a moment there you'd finally found something to live for."

"Oh… There's always something to live for." Alex smile as the Doctor's squeezed her shoulders gently. The two time travelers hugged her.

"It was great seeing you, Martha." Alex murmured. They broke the hug and she waggled her finger at the African American woman playfully. "Now remember, I want to get an invitation."

Martha laughed. "You will. You both will. And I expect you to be there." The Doctor gave her a one finger salute.

"Bye, Doctor. Bye, Alex." Martha said.

"Goodbye." The Doctor replied.

"Dr. Martha Jones." Alex winked. They turned around and hand in hand, walked back to the TARDIS.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

The TARIDS materialized on the garden of an English manor house. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna stepped out. "Oh, smell that air. Grass and lemonade and a little bit a mint. Just a hint of mint, must be the 1920s."

"You can tell what the year is just by smelling the air?" Alex asked skeptically.

"Oh yeah." The Doctor answered.

"Or maybe the big vintage car coming up the drive gave it away." Alex and the Doctor looked over as an old fashioned car came driving up.

"The Professor's luggage, Richard." The butler instructed. "Step lively." The Professor, a middle aged man, got out of the car and headed for the door. "Good afternoon, Professor Peach."

"Hello, Greeves, old man." Peach greeted. They turned when they heard a bicycle bell. "Ah, Reverend." The Reverend rode up to the house on his bike.

"Professor Peach. Beautiful day." He dismounted. "Lord's in his Heaven, all's right with the world." He said cheerfully.

"Reverend Golightly." Greeves greeted. "The Lady Eddison requests that you make yourselves comfortable in your rooms. Cocktails will be served on the lawn from half-past four." The three time travelers peered from around the side of the house.

"You go on up." Peach told Golightly. "I need to check something in the library."

"Oh?" Golightly asked.

"Alone." Peach specified.

"It's suppose to be a party." Golightly said cheerfully. "All this work will be the death of you." He entered the house.

"Never mind planet Zog." Donna said, grinning. "A party in the 1920s – that's more like it."

"Oh yeah." Alex giggled.

"The trouble is, we haven't been invited." He reached into his pocket. "Oh I forgot," He pulled out the physic paper. "Yes, we have."

-x-

The Doctor stood outside the TARDIS and knocks on the door. "We'll be late for cocktails!" Alex came out in a black 1920s style dress with a rose print on the skirt. She wore some black flats and put her hair into a stitched up French twist – what could she say? She really liked that style of hair. The Doctor smiled. "You look lovely, Allie."

The girl grinned. She leaned against him. "Thank you." They grinned at each other and he leaned down and kissed her so sweetly on the lips. She melted against him. Soon, they lost track of everything as they just consumed each other in the kiss. That was, of course, until they heard the clearing of a throat. They broke a part to see Donna there, in another lovely 1920s dress, smirking away at them. "Shut up, Donna." Alex mumbled, still breathless.

Thankfully, she didn't say anything. She turned to the Doctor and smiled. "What do you think? Flapper or slapper?"

He smiled. "Flapper, you both look lovely." As Donna closed the doors, the Doctor held out his arms for both girls. They linked their arms with his before they went to join the party.

-x-

Tables were set up on the lawn and servants were finishing setting up the food and drinks. A record player was wound and started. The housekeeper made sure all went smooth. "Look sharp! We have guests!" She instructed to the rest of the servants. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna strode up arm-in-arm.

"Good afternoon!" The Doctor greeted, announcing their arrival.

A servant boy came over. "Drink, Sir? Ma'ams?"

"Sidecar, please." Donna replied.

"And a lime and a soda, thank you." Alex just made a gesture that she would have the same as her Time Lord.

She leaned over to ask. "What's a sidecar?"

"Cocktail." He whispered in response. Alex made an 'o'.

Greeves was near the front of the lawn, announcing all guests. "May I introduce Lady Clemency Eddison." A petit woman arrived fashionably dressed. The Doctor greeted her like an old friend.

"Lady Eddison!" He held out his hand.

Lady Eddison took it, although she looked confused. "Excuse me, but who exactly might you be… And what are you doing here?" She asked politely.

"I'm the Doctor, and this is my lovely Allie Harper." Alex bowed slightly.

"Nice to meet you, Lady Eddison. Lovely party you have."

"Thank you." Lady Eddison replied.

"And this is Donna Noble… Of the Chiswick Nobles."

"Good afternoon, my Lady." Donna said posh. She curtseyed. "Topping day, what? Spiffing! Top Hole!"

The Doctor whispered to her. "No, no, no, no, no. Don't do that." Donna opened her mouth, probably going to do it again, but the Doctor cut her off. "Don't." He held up the physic paper. The three of them grinned. "We were thrilled to receive your invitation, my lady. We met at the ambassador's reception."

"Doctor, how could I forget you?" Lady Eddison said with a smile. "But one must be sure with the Unicorn on the loose."

"A unicorn? Brilliant. Where?" The Doctor asked.

Alex leaned up. "I don't think she means a _real _unicorn." The Doctor blinked, his face clearly saying 'oh.' Alex shook her head with a smile.

"Uh, _the _Unicorn." Lady Eddison explained. "The jewel thief? And nobody knows who he is. He's just struck again. Snatched Lady Babbington's pearls right from under her nose."

"Funny place to wear pearls." Donna said softly.

"May I announce the Colonel Hugh Curbishley, the Hon Roger Curbishley." A younger man pushed a wheelchair in which sat an older man.

"My husband." Lady Eddison stated. "And my son."

"Forgive me for not rising." Colonel Hugh said with a chuckle. "Never been the same since that flu epidemic back in '18."

"My word!" Roger came over to Donna and Alex. "You both are super ladies!"

"Oh!" Donna laughed. "I like the cut of your jib. Chin-chin." Alex rolled her eyes.

"Nice to meet you I'm Alex." The tension coming from the Time Lord behind her was almost apprehensive. "And this is my _boyfriend_." Roger looked behind her and seemed to realize just exactly what the Doctor was silently saying through his eyes. '_She's mine, don't even think about it, mate_'. The brunette girl elbowed the Doctor, her own silent warning to behave.

"I'm the Doctor." The Time Lord introduced.

"How do you do?" They shook hands.

"Very well, thanks." The Doctor wrapped an arm around Alex's tiny waist.

"I didn't know Time Lords got jealous so easily!" She whispered as Roger walked away.

"I was not jealous." The Doctor contradicted. "Just protective."

"And jealous." She added. The Doctor shook his head. "Don't you lie to me, I know what you were feeling, you were jealous."

The Doctor reached down and kissed her temple. "Is it wrong for me to want you all to myself?" His voice was a rumble.

She smiled and tapped her finger to his lovely lips. "No." She smiled. "As long as you behave." He kissed her finger.

A servant came up to Roger and handed him a drink. "Your usual, Sir." Alex watched them out of the corner of her eyes. She could swear there was something in their eyes.

"Ah, thank you, Davenport." Roger took it, and almost flirtatiously said. "Just how I like it." Her eyebrow shot up, but she shook her head, deciding to just put it in the back of her mind for later.

"How come she's an Eddison but her husband and son are Curbishleys?" Donna asked the Doctor.

"The Eddison title descends through her." The Doctor answered. "One day Roger will be a lord."

"Ooh," Alex commented, taking a sip of her soda.

"Miss Robina Redmond." Greeves announced. A young pretty lady dressed in the top of the line fashion joined them.

"She's the absolute hit of the social life." Lady Eddison said, excited. "A Must. Miss. Redmond." She greeted the young woman.

"Spiffing to meet you at last, my lady." Miss. Redmond said.

"Reverend Arnold Golightly." Greeves announced. One of the men they saw earlier came in.

"Ah, Reverend!"Lady Eddison shook his hand. "How are you?" She asked. "I heard about the church last Thursday night, those ruffians breaking in."

"You apprehended them, I hear." Colonel Hugh said with a chuckle.

"As the Christian fathers taught me, we must forgive them their trespasses." Reverend said. "Quite literally."

"Some of these boys deserve a decent thrashing." Roger said. Alex rolled her eyes, although she didn't believe in a God or anything like that, she was still of the opinion that it was better to forgive them than hurt them. Hurting them might just make them rebel even more.

"Couldn't agree more, sir." Davenport took the empty glass from Roger. Davenport's hand brushed against Roger's. Roger cleared his throat.

"Typical." Donna muttered. "All the decent men are on the other bus."

"Or Time Lords." The Doctor added. Donna turned to give him a look, he returned the look. Alex giggled.

"I agree with him." She said.

"Of course you do," Donna rolled her eyes and smirked. "You're dating him."

"Touché." Alex returned the smirk.

"Now my lady," Reverend Golightly spoke up. "What about this special guest you promised us?"

"Here she is." Lady Eddison smiled. "A lady who needs no introduction." Everyone applauded as a woman walked across the lawn towards them. She was not one who liked the attention. Alex couldn't help but feel she was familiar. _Well, of course she is, I've seen the episode_. The name was on the tip of her tongue. Alex mental smacked herself, it annoyed her when something was so close to remembering and yet so far away.

"Oh, no." The woman shook her hand that the clapping. "Please, don't. Thank you, Lady Eddison. Honestly, there's no need." She came over and shook Alex's and Donna's hand. "Agatha Christie."

Alex's mouth dropped open and her eyes went wide. Even the Doctor's eyes went wide. Unfortunately, Donna didn't realize what she was saying. "What about her?"

"That's me." Agatha said.

"No!" Donna said. "You're kidding!" Donna's face was similar to Alex's.

"Agatha Christie." Alex smiled. "It's a complete _honor _to meet you."

"Agatha Christie!" The Doctor shook her hand. "I was just talking about you the other day. I said, 'I bet she's brilliant'. I'm the Doctor, this is Allie Harper, and this is Donna. Oh, I love your stuff! What a mind! You fool me every time. Well… almost every time. Well… once or twice. Well… once. But it was a good once." Alex shook her head; leave it to the Doctor not able to admit that he wasn't fooled.

"You make a rather unusual couple." Agatha said, _of course_, talking about Donna and the Doctor.

"Oh, no, no, no, no. We're not married." The Doctor said.

"We're not a couple." Donna added.

"They really _aren't _a couple." Alex said.

"Obviously not – no wedding ring." The Doctor and Donna looked at their hands.

"Oh… You don't miss a trick." The Doctor muttered with a smile.

"I do see that you're a couple though." Agatha continued. Alex and the Doctor grinned at each other.

Alex shrugged. "Guilty is charged." Just to show off, the Doctor leaned down and kissed Alex's cheek. She giggled. He grinned silly at her.

"And I'd stay that way if I were you. The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture." Their smiles slowly disappeared and Alex turned to the Doctor, silently asking what that was about. The Doctor shook his head.

"Mrs. Christie, I'm so glad you could come. I'm one of your greatest followers. I've read all six of your books. Uh, is, uh, Mr. Christie not joining us?" Agatha's mood seemed to sour a slight bit.

"Is he needed? Can't a woman make her own way in the world?" She smiled, hiding it up.

"Don't give my wife ideas." Colonel Hugh laughed.

"Mrs. Christie," Roger spoke up. "I have a question. Why a Belgian detective?"

"Excuse me, Colonel." The Doctor whispered as he took the newspaper.

"Belgians make such lovely buns." Agatha answered. Everyone laughed, afterwards Donna shared a confused look with Alex, but the girl shrugged.

"Where on Earth is Professor Peach?" Roger asked. "He'd love to meet Mrs. Christie."

"Said he was going to the library." Reverend Golightly said. The Doctor gave Donna and Alex the two finger waved to join him.

"Miss Chandrakala, would you go and collect the professor?" Lady Eddison asked.

"At once, my Lady." She headed for the house.

Alex came over. "Must be important if you gave us the 'two finger wave'." Alex made it a big deal. The Doctor just looked at her. "What? When you watch T.V. it's bad if someone gives the 'two finger wave'." The Doctor just shook his head. Donna came over.

"The date on this newspaper." The Doctor whispered.

"What about it?" Donna asked, voicing Alex's thoughts.

"It's the day Agatha Christie disappears." The Doctor said. Alex and Donna looked at him surprised before looking at each other. "She just discovered that her husband was having an affair."

Alex looked back at her as Agatha interacted with a smile on her face. "Never think to look at her smiling away."

"That's the point, Donna." Alex said, still looking at Agatha. "Which is more convincing, a smile or an emotionless face? It's how I got away with my emotions; I just locked them up and put a smile on so no one would know. No one would think something bad happened to me if I stood there smiling away." She turned back to him. "I've been able to fool everyone, well," Alex realized that wasn't true. "Mostly everyone. I've never been able to fool you." She said to the Doctor. "You're too clever to fool."

"You know what I'm feeling, Allie." He pointed out.

"True, true, I can't lie to you and you can't lie to me. I think we're even." He smiled and kissed her head gently.

"But that's it, Donna, she's British and moneyed. That's what they do—they carry on. Except for this one time. No one knows exactly what happened—she just vanished." The Doctor explained. "Her car will be found tomorrow morning by the side of a lake. Ten days later she turns up at a hotel in Harrogate. Said she'd lost her memory. She never spoke about the disappearance till the day she died. But whatever it was…"

"It's gonna happen." Alex finished.

"Right here, right now." The Doctor said.

Miss. Chandrakala came running out of the house. "The professor! The library! Murder! Murder!"

-x-

The Doctor was the first to enter the library; he had those darn long legs to get him there. Awesomely enough, Alex was right after him, the moment he took off, she took off after him, she was better at the reflex of following him right off the bat. After Alex were Donna and Agatha. The Time Lord ran over to the body. Greeves entered.

"Oh, my goodness." Greeves said.

"Bashed on the back of the head." The Doctor said. "Blunt instrument." He tapped Professor Peach's watch.

Alex looked over. "The watch's broken, it must have broke as he fell," she checked it. "Is that a four or a three?" She couldn't tell.

The Doctor leaned closer to check. "Four, quarter past four." He got up and examined the papers on the desk.

"Bit of pipe." The weapon of choice was right next to the body. "Call me Hercule Poirot but I reckon that's blunt enough."

Agatha took a scrap of paper from the fireplace. The Doctor saw it from the reflection of the bookcase but said nothing. Alex was on his other side. "Nothing worth killing for in that lot, dry as dust." He said.

Donna came over to speak with the two brunettes quietly. "Hold on, the body in the library? I mean, Professor Peach, in the library, with a lead piping?" To Alex, it sounded like something you'd find in the game _Clue_.

The rest of the guest finally came. "Let me see!" Lady Eddison called from the hall.

"Out of my way!" Colonel Hugh commanded.

Lady Eddison entered and saw the body. "Gerald!" She cried. The others arrived.

"Saints preserve us." Reverend Golightly said.

"Oh, how awful." Miss. Redmond said, horrified.

Agatha stood. "Someone should call the police." She said.

"You don't have to." The Doctor pulled out his physic paper. "Chief Inspector Smith from Scotland Yard, known as the Doctor. Miss. Noble and Miss. Harper are the plucky young girls who help me out." Both 'plucky young girls' raised an eyebrow at the phrase.

"I say." Lady Eddison muttered.

"Mrs. Christie was right." The Doctor continued. "Go into the sitting room. I will question each other you in turn."

"Come along." Agatha herded the people out. "Do as the Doctor says. Keep the room undisturbed."

"'The plucky young girls who help you out'?" Donna asked. The Doctor stretched his long self along the floor examining for clues.

"There were no police women in 1926." He answered. Alex kicked his nearest leg. He grunted.

"I'll pluck you in a minute." Donna muttered, having the same thoughts as Alex.

"Why don't we phone the real police?" Alex asked.

"The last think we want is PC Plod sticking his nose in. Especially…" The Doctor pulled something from the crack in the floor. "Now I've found this." He stood up. "Morphic residue."

"Morphic?" Donna repeated. "Doesn't sound very 1926."

"Gets left behind when certain species genetically re-encode." The Doctor said.

"Ah," Alex smiled. "That's why we're not phoning the real police. The murder's an alien. The best people to investigate that, well, is us." Alex paused. "Well, more like 'you', but," She shrugged. "Same difference."

"It means that one of that lot is an alien in human form." The Doctor announced.

"Yeah, but think about it. There's a murder, a mystery and Agatha Christie." Donna pointed out.

"So?" He sniffed the residue. "Happens to me all the time." He held it out for Donna to sniff. She leaned back away from it. It probably smelled bad. He turned around and held it to Alex; she leaned over to smell, but shot back and waved her hand over her nose at the stench it.

"No, but isn't that a bit weird? Agatha Christie didn't walk around surrounded by murders. Not really. That's like meeting Charles Dickens and he's surrounded by ghosts. At Christmas." _Didn't he do that as the Ninth Doctor with Rose_? Alex couldn't exactly remember. She knew that they met Charles Dickens and there were 'ghosts', but she couldn't remember if it was at Christmas or not.

"Well –" The Doctor said.

"Oh come on. It's not like we could drive across country and find Enid Blyton having tea with Noddy. Could we? Noddy's not real, is he? Tell me there's no Noddy." The Doctor took off his glasses and took Donna by the shoulders, looking her straight in the eye.

"There's no Noddy." He said and headed for the door.

Donna and Alex followed him. "But if the murder's an alien in human form, it's like saying," they turned a corner and walked through the hallway towards the stairs. "We're on a train and they _all _did it."

"Murder on a train?" Agatha came out. Alex jumped and whirled around. Sneaky little thing she was.

"Oh, yeah." Donna said. "One of your best."

"But not yet." The Doctor whispered.

"Marvelous idea, though."

"Keep it. You can say it was your idea." Alex smiled, Donna nudged her. The brunette looked over at her red head friend with a confused expression.

"Get her to do a copyright for you." Donna muttered. Alex just rolled her eyes in response.

"Anyway, Agatha, Allie and I will question suspects. Donna, you search the bedrooms, look for clues." The Doctor lowered his voice to a whisper. "Any more residue." He pulled out a magnifying glass from his – small – pocket. Alex looked at the thing amazed and reached into his pocket. He gave her a confused look. Alex mumbled something, his pockets were _huge_ once she got her hand inside it, she was amazed that he could find anything in there. She pulled out one of her favorite necklaces and gasped.

"I've been looking everywhere for this!" She whacked his arm. "Don't steal my things."

"I didn't steal it." He argued. "You gave it to me to hold on."

"Like I'm going to remember that!" He should have known by now she can't remember what she had for breakfast.

"You'll need this." He handed over the magnifying glass.

"Is that for real?" Donna asked with a flat look of disbelief.

"Go on." The Doctor said. "You're ever so plucky." Alex looked at him with her mouth open and stopped herself from laughing. That was so bad. Donna took the magnifying glass and headed for upstairs. "Right then. Solving a murder mystery with Agatha Christie. Brilliant!" The Time Lord said with a lovely grin on his face.

"How like a man to have fun while there's disaster all around him." The Doctor's smile fell.

"Sorry. Yeah." He muttered.

"I'll work with you—gladly—but for the sake of justice, not your own amusement." She walked past him.

"Eh," Alex watched her and then looked at her Time Lord. He looked disappointed. "But I like it when you're excited about things." She said, and he looked over. "You're so cute when you are." He grinned at her and laughed. He took her hand and they followed Agatha to the other guests.

-x-

The Reverend Golightly was sitting in a chair facing the Doctor, Alex, and Agatha. "Now then, Reverend… Where were you at a quarter past four?" He questioned.

"Let me think." Reverend Golightly said. "Why yes, I remember, I was unpacking in my room."

"No alibi then?" The Doctor asked.

"You were alone?" Agatha asked.

"With the Lord, one is never truly alone, Doctor."

-x-

Roger Curbishley now sat in the chair. Alex begged the Doctor if she could try out the questioning – hey, she wanted to play a detective too! The Doctor rolled his eyes; like he could actually deny her if he wanted to. "Now, where were you, Roger?" She asked. She tried to keep a serious and straight face, but she was probably over-doing it.

"Let me think. I was, uh… Oh yes, I was taking a constitutional in the fields behind the house." Roger answered. "Just taking a stroll, that's all."

"And you were alone?" Alex asked.

"Oh yes, all alone." Roger answered quickly. "Totally alone. Absolutely alone. Completely. All the time. I wandered, lonely, as the proverbial cloud. There was no one else with me. Not at all. Not ever." Alex shook her head at his strange behavior.

-x-

"And where were you?" The Doctor asked as Robina Redmond now sat in the chair.

"At a quarter past four…well, I went to the toilet when I arrived, and then, um…" She thought about it. "Oh yes, I remember. I was preparing myself. Positively buzzing with excitement about the party… and the super fun of meeting Lady Eddy."

"Your word is the only thing we have." Alex pointed out.

"That's your problem not mine." She responded with a smile.

-x-

"And where were you, Sir?" The Doctor asked. Colonel Hugh Curbishley now sat in his wheelchair in front of them.

"Quarter past four? Let me think… Oh yes, I remember… I was sitting in me study reading through some military memoirs. Fascinating stuff. Took me back to me days in the army. Started reminiscing. Mafeking, you know. Terrible war."

"Um…" Alex blinked when she realized they had lost him. "Colonel! Snap out of it!"

"I was in me study…"

"No, no, no – right out of it!" The Doctor said.

"Oh, sorry. I got a bit… carried away there." He blushed.

-x-

"Where were you at a quarter past for, my dear lady?" Alex questioned. Lady Eddison now sat in the chair, the last 'suspect'.

"Yes, I remember… I was sitting in the blue room taking my afternoon tea. It's a ritual of mine. I needed to gather strength for the duty of hostess. I then proceeded to the lawn where I met…you, Doctor and you, Alex…" Alex could almost see a flashback to their meeting. "…and I said 'And who might you be and what are you doing here?' and you said, 'I'm the Doctor and this is my lovely Allie Harper and this is Miss Donna Noble…'"

"Yes, yes. You can stop now. We were there for that bit." The Doctor pointed out.

"Of course." She belched. "Excuse me."

-x-

After they had finished questioning the guests, the Doctor and Agatha discussed what they had learned as they paced in front of the fireplace. Alex sat near the chair. "No alibis for any of them. The secret adversary remains hidden. We must look for a motive." She said with a Belgian accent. "Use the little grey cells."

"Oh yes, little grey cells. Good old Poirot." He sat in the chair. "Y'know, I've been to Belgium. Yeah, I remember…" Alex could see it clearly in her mind. They were in a forest the Doctor had a bowie knife cutting a path. Alex had been behind him with a bow and quiver. "We were deep in the Ardennes trying to find Charlemagne…he'd been kidnapped by an insane computer."

"Doctor! Doctor!" The Time Lord snapped out of it.

"Sorry." He said.

"Charlemagne lived centuries ago." Agatha pointed out.

"We've got a very good memory." Alex answered. She was getting better at lying about things like this with the Doctor. She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"For such an experienced detective, you missed a big clue." She smirked, thinking she had one on him.

Too bad for her, she was wrong. "What, that bit of paper you nicked out of the fireplace?"

Agatha's smile fell into surprise. "You were looking the other way."

"Yeah, but I saw your reflection in the glass of the bookcase." He answered like it was nothing. Alex figured to him, it was nothing.

"You crafty man." The Doctor smirked. Alex mentally squealed at his hot smirk. "This was all that was left." The two brunettes shot up and got over to her side. Alex was first, but the Doctor was easily able to just hover over her.

"What's that first letter? N or M?"

"That's an 'M'." Agatha answered. "The word is 'maiden'."

"Maiden!" Alex jumped as the Doctor shouted it. But then his voice lowered. "What does that mean?"

She looked at him. "You mean you just shouted the word without knowing what it meant?" He shrugged. She shook her head.

"We're still no further forward. Our nemesis remains at large. Unless Miss Noble has found something." _Ah_! Alex noticed that sometimes at random times, the tip of the Doctor's tongue would touch the back of his front teeth. It was honestly a cute little quark he had. A commotion was heard upstairs with the distinct voice of Donna crying out 'Doctor' and 'Lexi'. The two time travelers looked at each other before they shot off upstairs.

The Doctor, Alex, and Agatha got there to see Donna outside the door, panting. "There's a giant… wasp." She whispered.

"What do you mean a giant wasp?" The Doctor asked.

"I mean a wasp that's giant!" Donna sniped.

"It's only a silly little insect." Agatha said with a laugh.

"When I say 'giant', I don't mean big, I mean flippin' enormous!" Alex could see the Doctor's face get excited. Of course, she couldn't deny the excitement curling up inside of her too. "Look at its sting!" Alex looked down and her eyebrows shot up as her eyes went slightly wide. _Hello_.

"Let us see!" The Doctor opened the door but the wasp was gone. "It's gone. Buzzed off." Alex giggled at the pun. He went to the window to look out it and see if he could see the wasp.

Agatha looked at the broken stinger. "But that's fascinating."

The Doctor ran back over. "D-D-D-D-D-D-Don't touch it. Don't touch it. Let me." He took out a vial with a stopper; he opened it with his teeth. He gathered a sample. "Giant wasp… Well, there are tons of amorphous insectivorous life forms but…none in this galactic vector."

"I think I understood some of those words. Enough to know that you're completely potty." Agatha shook her head.

"Lost its sting, though. That makes it defenseless." Donna pointed out.

"A creature this size? Gotta be able to grow a new one." The Time Lord answered.

"Uh, can we return to sanity? There are no such things as giant wasps." Agatha said.

"But, that's exactly it." Alex spoke up. "Like you said, Doctor, there's tons of them out there, but why is it here?"

"Brilliant question, Allie." The Doctor muttered, thinking. They got up and started down the stairs when they heard a scream. They ran the rest of the way. They found Miss. Chandrakala lying in the drive, a gargoyle on top of her.

"The poor, little… child." She whispered before she died.

They heard a loud buzzing, the Doctor stood up to get a better look. The women looked up from their crouching. "There!" The Doctor said as they all saw the wasp. "Come on!" He ran back inside. They ran up the stairs to get to the creature which had turned and buzzed up to the roof.

"Well, this makes a change. There's a monster and we're chasing it." Donna had a good point.

"Can't be a monster. It's a trick. They do it with mirrors." Agatha objected. They got to the stop of the stairs and stopped when they saw the wasp. "By all that's holy."

Alex was nudging the Doctor. "Oh my God, oh my God, oh my _God_!" Sure, she didn't like bugs – especially wasps – but seeing a giant one was _awesome_!

The Doctor was grinning with his brunette. "Oh, but you are wonderful!" The wasp finally got through the roof and faced them.

"Now," Alex said, lifting her hands. "Just stop, please, just stop." It rushed at them, stinger first, and they ducked as it passed.

"Oi! Flyboy!" Donna held up the magnifying glass. Alex swore it almost hissed as seeing it and flew away.

"Don't let it get away! Quick, before it reverts to human form!" The Doctor yelled as they chased after it. They ran into the hallway that contained all the bedrooms. Alex opened her mouth to warn the Doctor, but it was too late. "Where are you? Come on! There's nowhere to run—Show yourself!" All the doors in the hallway opened up and everyone stood there, staring at him. "Oh…that's just cheating."

"Tried to warn you." Alex muttered.

"Could have done that a little sooner." The Doctor responded.

"Well _sorry _for you having such a quick mouth." She retorted. The Doctor just gave her a look; she gave him an innocent smile.

-x-

They had no choice but to tell the guests that Miss. Chandrakala was dead. Lady Eddison was in tears. "My faithful companion! This is terrible!"

"Excuse me, my lady," Davenport spoke up. "She was on her way to tell you something."

"She never found me." Lady Eddison said quietly. "She had an appointment with death instead." Alex wandered over to the Doctor. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as he thought. When he looked at her she smiled at him. He smiled back and nuzzled against her face. She giggled very quietly. He smiled, happy to know she was happy. He did it again, causing her to giggle again. He sighed; he loved when he heard her laughter.

"She had said, 'the poor little child'." Alex spoke up, her face still connected to the Time Lord's. "Does that mean anything to anyone?"

"No children in this household for years." Colonel Hugh said. He looked over a Roger. "Highly unlike there will be any."

"Mrs. Christie, you must have twigged something. You've written simply the best detective stories." Lady Eddison said.

"Tell us… What would Poirot do?" Reverend Golightly asked.

"Heaven's sake! Cards on the table, woman! You should be helping us!" Colonel Hugh joined in.

"But—I'm merely a writer." Agatha degraded herself.

"But surely you can crack it. These events, they're exactly like one of your plots." Miss Redmond encouraged.

"That's what I've been saying. Agatha, that's got to mean something." Donna said.

"But what? I've no answers. None. I'm sorry, all of you, I'm truly sorry, but I've failed. If anyone can help us, it's the Doctor, not me." Everyone turned to the Doctor and he looked up from his thoughts.

-x-

Alex came out, drying her hair with a towel. She had to take a nice shower to relax. She saw the Doctor was on the bed, just looking at the wall across from him. Alex had just been wearing a white tank top with some jean shorts. She plopped down next to him and just watched his face. She was sure he was aware of her, he always was. She pulled the towel down, and it polled around her neck. "What is it?"

He reached up and rubbed his eyes. "It's bothering me."

"The wasp?" Alex asked quietly. The Doctor nodded. She smiled. "You'll figure it out, and you'll stop it. I have faith in you."

He smiled. "You always do."

"For good reason, you're always saving the day." The Doctor smiled again and reached out to take her hand. He put it up to his lips, and kept them there. She leaned down and replaced her hand with her lips.

"Mmm…" He sighed against her lips and returned the kiss. His free hand brushed against the back of her neck, playing with strands of her long black hair. He cupped her neck; his fingers cool against her warm neck. She trailed her fingers across his well-sculptured face.

Tongue was added as the Doctor's hands slid down to her hips and tugged gently. She climbed on top of him. Her top half laid over him, while her legs were curled up next to him. Her arms slid up the pillow next to his head. One hand pressed against her tailbone, pulling her as close as she could get, another tangled itself into her hair. He moved. Lifting her up and turning her over, towering over her. To the Time Lord, she was so fragile and delicate. He handled her sweetly and gently.

His most prized treasure.

Alex wrapped her arms tightly around him. They broke the kiss to breathe and he bent down tracing her jaw. He loved her so much, so very, very much. "Allie, I love you." So many people he had lost, but she was suddenly there. Now, he would never let her go. "I love you so very much."

Alex felt something come over the Doctor as he said that. "I love you too, Doctor." It was the only thing she could respond with. He kissed her deeply again.

"I love you." He repeated. "More than you will ever know." She smiled against his lips. They kissed again. It was true; he loved her more than the sun, the moon, the stars, the Earth.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Donna, and Agatha were in the sitting room. The Doctor opened the case to find an array of tools. "Ooh…someone came tooled up…the sort of stuff a thief would use."

The realization hit them all. "The Unicorn—he's here!"

"Great, a Unicorn and wasp." Alex laughed. "Sounds just like our life doesn't it, Doctor?" He grinned.

Greeves entered with a tray. "Your drinks, ladies, Doctor."

The Doctor jumped up to get his, he grabbed Alex's and handed it to her like a gentleman. He turned to the butler and patted him on the back. "Very good, Greeves."

They all got their drinks and Greeves left. "What about the science stuff? What did you find?" Donna asked.

"Hm, Vespiform sting. Vespiforms have got hives in the Silifax Galaxy." The Doctor said, as he pulled out the vial in question.

"Again you talk like Edward Lear." Agatha said.

"But, for some reason, this one's acting like a character in one of your books, Agatha." Alex pointed out. The Doctor took a sip of his drink, weirdly enough, Alex did it in unison.

"Come on, Agatha. What would Miss Marple do? She'd've overheard something vital by now because the murderer thinks she's just a harmless old lady." Donna said.

"Clever idea. Miss Marple—who writes those?" Alex smiled and shook her head.

"Um, copyright: Donna Noble." Alex giggled as Agatha just looked confused.

"Donna, Allie." The Doctor said.

"OK, we could split the copyright." Donna smiled too.

"No," The girls looked over. "Something's inhibiting my enzymes." He jerked forward. "Aaahh!" His two companions rushed to him. "I've been poisoned!" He started to convulse. Alex held out her hands for the Doctor, but she had no idea what to do.

"What do we do, Doctor?" Alex panicked. "What do we do?"

Agatha took the Doctor's glass and sniffed it. "Bitter almonds—it's cyanide. Sparkling cyanide!" The Doctor rushed out of the room, tripping on his way there, and the three women ran after him. The Doctor staggered into the kitchen and grabbed Davenport by the lapel.

"Ginger beer." He said.

"I beg your pardon?" Davenport asked. The request had made no sense to him.

"I need ginger beer." The Doctor rushed towards the shelves.

"The gentleman's gone mad!" One of the maids said. The Doctor found the ginger beer and drank some of it and then poured another good amount all over himself.

"I'm an expert in poisons, Doctor. It's fatal! There's no cure!" Agatha said as the girls finally got to him.

He spat out the liquid and gripped the table. "Not for me! I can stimulate the inhibited enzymes into reversal. Protein! I need protein!" Agatha, Alex, and Donna searched the kitchen.

"Oh!" Alex grabbed some walnuts. "Here!"

The Doctor saw what it was. "Brilliant!" He shoved them into his mouth and tried to talk, unsuccessfully. He started to mime.

"I can't understand you!" Donna said. The Doctor shook one of his hands side to side.

"How many words is it?" Alex asked. The Doctor lifted a finger.

"One. One word. Shake? Milk? Shake? Milk? Milk! No, not milk. U, shake, shake, shake—cocktail shaker! What do you want, a Harvey Wallbanger?"

The Doctor finally swallowed. "Harvey Wallbanger?" He asked.

"Well, I don't know!"

"How is Harvey Wallbanger one word?" He sniped at her.

"What the hell do you need, Doctor?" Alex exploded. Priorities, here! He was dying, need to focus!

"Salt! I was miming salt! Salt! I need something salty!" They rushed back to look for something salty.

Donna found a bag of salt and went back over to him. "What about this?" She asked.

"What is it?" The Time Lord asked.

"Salt!" Donna said as if to say 'duh'.

"That's too salty!"

"Oh, 'that's too salty'." Donna muttered sarcastically.

"What about this?" Agatha held out a jar.

"Hmm." The Doctor grabbed the jar, opened it and drowned out the contents.

"What was that?" Alex asked.

"Anchovies." Agatha replied. The Doctor gestured again, hands up, palms out. _Not again_. Alex thought in despair.

"What is it? What else? It's a song. 'Mammy'. I don't know, 'Camptown Races'?" Donna asked.

"'Camptown Races'?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, all right then. 'Towering Inferno'." Donna corrected.

"It's a shock! Look! Shock! I need a shock!"

"Sorry, Lexi, for this." Alex looked over at her red head confused. "All right, then, big shock coming up." She kissed him. Alex's eyebrows shot up. Donna kissed the Time Lord for a good solid couple of seconds. When the kiss was through, the Doctor threw his head back as a black smoke came out of his mouth. He groaned.

"Ah! Detox." He whipped his mouth. "I must do that more often." He looked at the two girls and they gave him a look. "I mean the-the detox."

"You better mean that." Alex said.

"I love kissing you, Allie." When she opened her mouth to say more, he reached out and kissed her deeply. He broke the kiss and Alex staggered. "Like I said, I love kissing you." She nodded, a small squeak coming from her lips. He grinned at her.

"Doctor you are impossible!" Agatha said in disbelief. He clicked his tongue at her. "Who are you?"

-x-

That night, there was a thunderstorm while everyone sat down for dinner. "A terrible day for all of us. The professor struck down, Miss Chandrakala cruelly taken from us, and yet, we still take dinner." The Doctor said as everyone was served their soup.

"We are British, Doctor." _Well, actually I'm not_. Alex mentally pointed out. "What else must we do?"

"And then someone tried to poison me…" Alex felt her gut clench. She didn't like _anyone _who even _tried_ to hurt _her _Time Lord. "Any one of you had the chance to put cyanide in my drink. But it rather gave me an idea."

"And what would that be?" Reverend Golightly asked politely.

"Well, poison." Everyone stopped eating. Donna more or less chocked on her sip. Alex spat her soup back out and looked at the Time Lord like he was insane. "Drink up." He took a sip of his own soup. Everyone looked at him. "I've laced the soup… with pepper."

_Oh_, Alex mentally sighed in relief. "Ah, I thought it was jolly spicy."

"But the active ingredient of pepper is piperine. Traditionally used as an insecticide." Everyone's face cleared. Thunder cracked. "Oh, anyone got the shivers?" Thunder cracked again and the lights went out. Alex jumped, sure she wasn't afraid of the dark, but that didn't meant she wanted to be sitting in it. One of the windows opened, and Alex jumped again. The Doctor took her hand instinctively for reassurance. The wind snuffed the candles.

"What the deuce is that?" Colonel Hugh asked.

Alex's head perked up. "Shhh, shhh, shhh." She hissed. "Listen, anyone else hear that?" There was a loud buzzing. The noise was getting louder.

"No… No, it can't be." Lady Eddison muttered.

Agatha slowly stood up. "Show yourself demon!"

Everyone ran off in different directions, panicking. "Nobody move! No, don't! Stay where you are!" The Vespiform showed itself. Greeves ushered Donna out of the room. Alex backed up and the Doctor quickly went over to grab her arm. Alex grabbed Agatha's arm on the way out. "Out! Out! Out! Out! Out!" The Doctor took Agatha and Alex into the hall outside the dining room. Greeves and Donna were already there.

"Not you, Agatha." Alex breathed. "You've still got a nice long life to lead." The Doctor grabbed a sword from a display.

"Well we know the butler didn't do it." Donna pointed out.

"Then who did?" The Doctor asked, rushing back into the room. The Vespiform was gone and the lights were back on when they got in there.

"My jewelry…the Firestone—it's gone! Stolen!" Lady Eddison gasped as she felt her neck.

"Roger." Davenport said sadly. Miss. Redmond screamed. Lady Eddison got up and walked around the table.

"My son…my child!" Alex turned around and buried her face into her safety – the Doctor's chest. He wrapped his arm around her waist and looked at the scene grimly. Roger had been stabbed in the back, his face in the soup. Lady Eddison stood over him.

-x-

The Doctor stood by the fireplace and Agatha and Alex sat on the sofa. Alex looked over to see that her Time Lord was upset, more than that he was _angry_. _Angry Time Lord_, Alex thought dryly. He looked over to her, and she lifted her hands to him. He came over and sat next to her. He took her hands and pressed them against his face. She saw his tense body slowly relax as he focused on her soft, lovely touch. She leaned up and kissed his cheek.

Donna joined them. "That poor footman. Roger's dead and he can't even mourn him. 1926. It's more like the dark ages." She came over and sat between Alex and Agatha.

"Did you enquire about the necklace?" Agatha asked. The Doctor looked across the room thinking. Alex laid her head onto his shoulder. Their hands locked together, with their fingers laced.

"Lady Eddison brought it back from India. It's worth thousands." Donna answered.

"This thing can sting, it can fly… It could wipe us all out in seconds—why is it playing this game?" The brunette Time Lord muttered.

"Every murder is essentially the same—they are committed because somebody wants something." Agatha said, also thinking.

"What does a Vespiform want?" He asked cynically.

"Doctor, stop it. The murderer is as human as you or I."

The Doctor's face struck with realization. "You're right. I've been so caught up with giant wasps, I've forgotten." The Doctor got up and crouched next to Agatha. "You're the expert."

"Look, I told you. I'm just a…purveyor of nonsense." Agatha said.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, 'cause plenty of people write detective stories, but yours are the best. And why? Why are you so good, Agatha Christie? Because you understand. You've lived…you've fought…you've had your heart broken. You know about people—their passions, their hope and despair and anger, all of those. Tiny huge things can turn the most ordinary person into a killer. Just think, Agatha. If anyone can solve this, it's you." The Doctor said. Alex saw his words, as always, had an effect on Agatha.

-x-

Later in the sitting room, all the guest had gathered. The Doctor stood in front of the fireplace. "I've called you here on this endless night because we have a murderer in our midst. And when it comes to detection, there's none finer… Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Agatha Christie." The Doctor moved quickly out of the way. He sat down and tugged Alex into his lap.

Agatha came to stand in the Doctor's place. "This is a crooked house…a house of secrets. To understand the solution, we must examine them all. Starting with you…Miss Redmond." Agatha turned to her.

"But I'm innocent, surely." She answered sweetly.

"You've never met these people and these people never met you. I think the real Robina Redmond never left London. You're impersonating her!" Everyone leaned forward, more interested to hear more.

"How silly." Miss. Redmond smiled. "What proof do you have?"

"You said you'd been to the toilet…" Donna cut in.

"Oh, I know this—if she was really posh, she'd say 'loo'." Alex tried not to giggle.

"Earlier today, Miss Noble and I found this on the lawn…" Agatha picked up the tool case. "…right beneath your bathroom window. You must have heard Miss Noble was searching the bedrooms and you panicked. You ran upstairs and disposed of the evidence."

"I've never seen that before in my life." But Alex saw she was starting to get nervous.

"What's inside it?" Lady Eddison asked. _Very good question_. Alex thought.

"The tools of your trade, Miss Redmond, or should I say…the Unicorn." They all turned their heads to her surprised. "You came to this house with one sole intention—to steal the Firestone!"

Miss Redmond – or the Unicorn, Alex supposed she should refer to her now – gave up the act. "Oh, alright then." She said in a cockney accent. "It's a fair cop." She stood up and walked over to the Colonel, who looked nervous being next to her. "Yes, I'm the bleedin' Unicorn. Ever so nice to meet you, I don't think. I took my chance in the dark and nabbed it." She reached under her dress strap and pulled out the necklace. The Doctor stood Alex up and got up himself. He walked next to Agatha. "Go on then, ya nobs, arrest me. Sling me in jail." She threw it and the Doctor caught it.

"So, is she the murderer?" Donna asked.

"Don't be so thick. I might be a thief but I ain't no killer."

"Quite." Agatha backed her up. "There are darker motives at work, and, in examining this household…we come to you…Colonel."

"Damn it, woman! You with your perspicacity! You've rumbled me!" He stood up. Everyone looked surprised.

"You—you can walk? But why?" Lady Eddison asked, shocked.

"My darling, how else could I be certain of keeping you by my side?" Colonel Hugh took her hand.

"I don't understand." She responded.

"You're still a beautiful woman, Clemency. Sooner or later, some chap will turn your head. I couldn't bear that. Staying in the chair was the only way I could be certain of keeping you." Alex melted at that, her face clearly saying '_aw_'. The Doctor smiled, knowing what she was thinking. He took her hand. "Confound it, Mrs. Christie! How did you discover the truth?"

"Um, actually, I had no idea. I was just going to say you were completely innocent." Agatha said. Alex made sure not to laugh.

"Ah… Oh." The Colonel said.

"Sorry." Agatha offered.

"Well, shall I sit down then?" He asked.

"I think you better had." She replied. He sat down but Lady Eddison smiled at him.

"So he's not the murdered?" Donna asked.

"Indeed not. To find the truth…let's return…" The Doctor handed her the firestone. He sat down onto the couch. Alex hoped onto his lap again. He smiled as she leaned back to rest against his chest. "…to this—far more than the Unicorn's object of desire. The Firestone has quite a history. Lady Eddison."

"I've done nothing." She said.

"You brought it back from India, did you not? Before you met the Colonel. You came home with malaria and confined yourself to this house for six months, in a room that has been locked ever since, which I rather think means—"

"Please! Stop!" Lady Eddison couldn't bear to hear it.

"I'm so sorry. But you had fallen pregnant in India…unmarried and ashamed, you hurried back to England with your confidante, a young maid, later to become housekeeper, Miss Chandrakala." They all looked at Lady Eddison.

"Clemency! Is this true?" Hugh asked.

"My poor baby. I had to give him away. Oh, the shame of it." Lady Eddison said, taking a sip of her drink.

"But you've never said a word." Hugh pointed out.

"I had no choice. Imagine the scandal, the family name. I'm British—I carry on."

Alex leaned into the Doctor's ear. He leaned forward to help hear her. "Remind me to never become British and posh." The Doctor smirked.

"And it was no ordinary pregnancy." The Doctor said.

"How can you know that?" She said with wide eyes.

"Sorry, Agatha, but this is our territory." Alex turned to Lady Eddison. "When you heard the buzzing noise in the dining room, you said 'it can't be'. Now, why would you say that?"

"I'm _very _proud of you." The Doctor whispered. She smiled at him.

"You'd never believe it." The Lady said.

"The Doctor has opened my mind to believe…many things." Agatha sat down.

"It was forty years ago…" Lady Eddison started. "…In the heat of Delhi one night. I was alone and that's when I saw it—a dazzling light in the sky. The next day, he came to the house—Christopher, the most handsome man I'd ever seen. Our love blazed like a wildfire and I held nothing back." She took a sip of her drink. "And in return, he showed me the incredible truth about himself." Alex subconsciously felt the Doctor lean forward. He pressed his chest to her back. "He made himself human to learn about us. This was his true shape. I loved him so much it didn't matter. But he was stolen from me. 1885, the year of the Great Monsoon. The River Jumna rose up and broke its banks. He was taken at the flood. But Christopher left me a parting gift—a jewel like no other. I wore it always. Part of me never forgot. I keep it close." Lady Eddison looked close to crying again. "Always."

"Just like a man—flashes his family jewels and you end up with a bun in the oven." The Unicorn said.

"A 'poor little child'. Forty years ago, Miss Chandrakala took that newborn babe to an orphanage. But Prof Peach worked it out. He found the birth certificate." Agatha explained.

"Ah," Alex nodded. "Maiden – as in Maiden name."

"Precisely." Agatha answered.

"So she killed him." Donna spoke up.

"I did not!"

Agatha ignored Donna. "Miss Chandrakala feared that the professor had unearthed your secret. She was coming to warn you."

"So she killed her." Donna repeated.

"I did not!" Lady Eddison protested.

"Lady Eddison… is innocent. Because at this point… Doctor?" The Time Lord slid Alex next to him so he could jump up.

"Thank you." He stood. "Because at this point when we consider the lies and secrets and the key to these events, then we have to consider…it was you, Donna Noble…-"

"What?" She asked. "How did I kill?"

"No, but you said it all along, the vital clue—that this whole thing is being acted out like a murder mystery. Which means…it was you, Agatha Christie." He turned to point at the authoress. Alex just raised an eyebrow at him.

"I beg your pardon, sir?" Agatha asked.

"So, she killed them." Donna asked, into it again.

"No, but she wrote. She wrote those brilliant, clever books. And who's her greatest admirer? The moving finger points…at you, Lady Eddison."

"Leave me alone." Lady Eddison muttered.

"So, she did kill him." Donna pointed out.

"No." Alex rolled her eyes.

"No," The Doctor repeated. "But just think…last Thursday night, what were you doing?"

"Uh, I was uh…I was in the library." She answered. "I was reading my favorite Agatha Christie thinking about her plots, and how clever she must be."

"What does this have to do with the murders?" Alex asked, patiently. She knew it would come out; you just had to get the Doctor started sometimes.

"Just think—what happened Thursday night?" He turned to face Reverend Golightly.

"I'm sorry?" He asked.

"You said on the lawn this afternoon, last Thursday, those boys broke into your church." The Doctor reminded.

"That's correct… They did." He answered. "I discovered the two of them—thieves in the night. I was most perturbed. But I apprehended them."

"Really? A man of God against two strong lads? A man in his forties? Or, should I say, forty years old…exactly." Lady Eddison looked shell shocked.

"Oh, my God." She said. Alex looked confused. She looked questioning at the Doctor.

"Lady Eddison, your child—how old would he be now?"

"Forty. He's forty." Alex's face cleared and she jumped up, positive she didn't want to be near the Reverend anymore. She backed up until she was at the Doctor's side again.

"Your child has come home." Alex whispered.

"Ha!" Golightly laughed. "This is poppycock!"

"Oh? You said you were taught by the Christian fathers, meaning, raised in an orphanage." The Doctor added to the growing mountain of evidence.

"My son!" Lady Eddison muttered. "Can it be?"

"You found those thieves, Reverend, and you got angry. A proper, deep anger for the first time in your life and it broke the genetic code. You changed." The Doctor continued. "You realized your inheritance. After all these years…you knew who you were. Oh, then it all kicks off 'cause this…" He held up the firestone. "…isn't just a jewel—it's a Vespiform telepathic recorder. It's part of you—your brain, your very essence. And when you activated, so did the Firestone. It beamed your full identity directly into your mind. And, at the same time, it absorbed the works of Agatha Christie directly from Lady Eddison. It all became part of you. The mechanics of those novels formed a template in your brain. You killed in this pattern because that's what you think the world is. Turns out we are in the middle of a murder mystery. One of yours, Dame Agatha." He sat at the arm of the sofa. Alex rolled her eyes and smacked the Doctor for slipping up.

"'Dame'?" Agatha asked confused.

"Oh." The Doctor realized his mistake. "Sorry, not yet."

"So he killed them? Yes? Definitely?" Donna asked. She wanted to be positive.

"Yep." Alex nodded.

"Well, this has certainly been a most entertaining evening. Really, you can't believe any of this, surely, Lady Eddizzz—"

"Lady who?" Alex asked.

"Lady Eddizzon…" He struggled to say it, but having no luck keeping the buzzing out of his voice.

"Little bit of buzzing there, Vicar?" The Doctor said.

"Don't make me angry." Golightly snapped. He stood up and walked to the back of the couch.

"Why?" The Doctor challenged. "What happens then?"

"Damn it! You humanzzz! Worshipping your tribal sky godzzz! I am so much more! That night, the universe exploded in my mind! I wanted to take what wazz mine. And you, Agatha Christie, with your railway station bookstall romancezzz… What'zzz to stop me killing you?"

"Oh, my dear God." Lady Eddison cried. She reached out for him. "My child."

"What'zzz to stop me killing you all?" A purple smoke surrounded him and he turned into his Vespiform shape.

"No, Clemency!" Hugh and Greeves pulled Lady Eddison to the door. Everyone backed away from the wasp. "Keep away! Keep away, my darling!" Lady Eddison screamed as the wasp came closer to them.

"No!" Agatha held up the firestone. "No more murder! If my imagination made you kill, then my imagination will find a way to stop you, foul creature!" She ran out of the room. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna ran after her with the Vespiform close after them.

"Great!" Donna said. "Now it's chasin' us!" The three time travelers ran outside and closed the doors behind them. Agatha drove past in her car and honked the horn. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna ran to her.

"Come on!" The Doctor yelled. The Vespiform broke through the doors.

"Over here!" Agatha yelled, calling it to her. "Come and get me, Reverend!"

"Agatha, what are you doing?" The Doctor shouted.

"If I started this, Doctor, then I must stop it!" She drove off. The three of them ran to another car.

"Come on!" The Doctor repeated as they jumped into the car. The Vespiform hesitated before chasing after Agatha. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna followed in a second car.

"You said this is the night Agatha Christie loses her memory." Donna pointed out. _Oh, if only_. Alex thought.

The Doctor reminded her it wasn't that easy. "Time is in flux, Donna! For all we know, this is the night Agatha Christie loses her life and history gets changed!"

"But where is she going?" Alex asked.

The Doctor saw a sign that they passed saying 'Silent Pool'. "The lake! She's heading for the lake! What's she doing?" The Doctor asked to himself. Agatha finally stopped at the lake and got out of the car, just as the Doctor, Alex, and Donna arrived. She held up the firestone.

"Here I am! The honey in the trap. Come to me, Vespiform."

"She's controlling it." Donna stated.

The Doctor got out of the car, Alex right behind him. "Its mind is based on her thought processes. They're linked."

"Quite so, Doctor." Agatha replied. "If I die, then this creature might die with me."

The Time Lord turned to the Vespiform. "Don't hurt her! You're not meant to be like this. You've got the wrong template in your mind."

"He's not listening!" Donna suddenly took the firestone out of Agatha's hand and threw it into the lake. The Vespiform dived in after it. The water bubbled and glowed purple before it slowly died down. The Doctor, Alex, Donna, and Agatha watched in sorrow. "How do you kill a wasp? Drown it. Just like its father."

"Donna," The Doctor said sadly. "That thing couldn't help itself."

"Neither could I." Donna replied.

"Death comes as the end. And justice is served." Agatha said.

"Murder at the vicar's rage." Donna rolled her eyes as Alex just shook her head. "Needs a bit of work." The Doctor said.

"Just one mystery left, Doctor. Who exactly are you?" The Doctor was saved answering as Agatha doubled over in pain. The Doctor caught her and lowered her to the ground.

"Oh! It's the Firestone! It's part of the Vespiform's mind! It's dying and it's connected to Agatha!" Agatha glowed with a purple light that soon faded and she fell unconscious. "It let her go." He told the girls in surprise. "Right at the end, the Vespiform chose to save someone's life."

"Is she alright?" Alex asked.

"Oh, of course! The amnesia! Wiped her mind of everything that happened. The wasp, the murders…"

"And us, she'll forget us." Donna pointed out sadly.

"Yeah, but we solved another riddle—the mystery of Agatha Christie. And tomorrow morning, her car gets found by the side of the lake." They left her car just as it was. "A few days later, she turns up at a hotel in Harrogate…with no idea of what just happened." Agatha paused by some stone steps that lead up to the front lawn of a large stone building. She turned to see the three time travelers standing by the TARDIS. "No one'll ever know." Agatha climbed the steps.

"Lady Eddison, the colonel, and all the staff—what about them?"

"A shameful story. They'd never talk of it—too British. While the Unicorn does a bunk back to London Town, she can never say she was there." The Doctor explained.

"But what happens to her?" Alex asked.

"Oh, great life! Met another man, married again. Saw the world. Wrote and wrote and wrote." He answered.

"She never thought her books were any good, though. And she must have spent all those years wondering." Donna said.

"Thing is, I don't think she ever quite forgot. Great mind like that, some of the details kept bleeding through. All the stuff her imagination could use. Like Miss Marple!"

Donna was upset. "I should have made her sign a contract."

"And, where is it? Hold on… Here we go." He lifted a section of the TARDIS floor and pulled out a chest. "C." He opened the chest. "That is 'C' for Cyberman." He tossed aside a Cyberman chest plate. "'C' for Carrionites." He set down the globe in which they were still imprisoned, as well as a bust of Caesar. "And…" He pulled out a paperback. "Christie, Agatha." He held it up for them to see. "Look at that." It was a copy of Death in the Clouds which had a large wasp on the cover.

"She did remember." Donna said.

"Somewhere at the back of her mind, it all lingered. And that's not all. Look at the copyright page." Donna took the book and looked inside. Alex leaned over to see.

"'Facsimile edition published in the year…5 billion?" Donna asked shocked.

"People never stop reading them. She is the best-selling novelist of all time." The Doctor said.

"I figured Tolkien would have been." Alex said. "Ya know, 'cause of Lord of the Rings."

"Well," The Doctor responded. "He's another one of the best."

Donna sighed. "But she never remembered."

"Well, no one knows how they're gonna be remembered. We can only hope for the best. Maybe that's what kept her writing. The same thing that keeps me travelling. Onwards?"

"Onwards." Alex said with a smile. The Doctor set the TARDIS in motion and they watched with a smile as the column rose and fell.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty One**

"Books!" The Doctor said. "People never really stop loving books." Alex was so happy; he was wearing the blue suit again. She, on the other hand, was wearing a black button up shirt with blue pin stripes on them. For her lower half, it was no surprise she wore some dark wash jeans and some orange converse. Her hair was up in a crown braid.

While the Doctor spoke he picked up his coat and walked out the TARDIS, followed by Donna and Alex. They arrived to a huge but empty reception area. "51st century. By now you've got holovids, direct to brain downloads, fiction mist."

"Bah." Alex rolled her eyes. "You need the smell, that's one of the great things about books, that have that distinct smell."

"Exactly," The Doctor said. They crossed the room and go through a door. They walked down the staircase and got to see the surface: a huge city all filled with bookshelves. "The Library. So big it doesn't need a name, just a great big 'the'." Alex giggled.

"It's like a city." Donna said, amazed.

"It's a world. Literally a world. The whole core of the planet is the index computer, biggest hard drive ever. And up here, every book ever written. Whole continents of Jeffery Archer, Bridget Jones, Monty Python's Big Red Book. Brand new editions specially printed. We're near the equator, so…" He licked his finger then lifted it up to feel the wind. "This must be biographies! I love biographies!"

"Yeah, very you." Donna commented. "Always the death at the end."

"You need a good death." The Doctor said. "Without death, there'd only be comedies. Dying gives us size." Donna picked up a book but the Time Lord snatched it away from her. "Oi! Spoilers!"

"What?" Donna asked. Alex already knew what he meant. She looked around the planet, confused. Something about the way everything looked was giving her a bad feeling, but she just couldn't figure out what it was.

"These books are from your future." The Time Lord explained. "You don't wanna read ahead, spoil all the surprises. Like peeking at the end."

"Isn't traveling with you, one big spoiler?" Alex teased.

"I… try to keep you away from major plot developments. Which, to be honest, I seem to be very bad at, 'cause you know what? This is the biggest Library in the universe. So where is everyone?" Alex suddenly realized what it was that had been bothering. It was silent… It was too silent. "It's silent."

The Doctor went over to an information terminal and started to mess with it with the sonic screwdriver. "The Library?" Alex asked.

"The planet." The Doctor asked. "The whole planet."

"Maybe it's a Sunday." Donna offered.

"No, I never land on Sundays. Sundays are boring." Alex rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Well… Maybe everyone's really, really quiet." Donna whispered, to make her point.

"Yeah, maybe." The Doctor looked at the terminal, working. "But they'd show up on the system."

"Doctor, why are here?" Donna finally asked. "Really, why?"

"Oh, you know, just passing." The Doctor answered vaguely.

"No." Alex said. "First it's let's hit the beach, and then you randomly change your mind and we go to a Library. Why?"

"Now, that's interesting." The Doctor muttered.

"What?" Both girls leaned closer.

"Scanning for life forms." The Doctor explained. "If I do a scan looking for your basic humanoids – you know, your book readers, few limbs and a face." Alex saw the terminals screen: 'filtered humanoids life forms scan; 3; complete'. "Apart from us, I get nothing. Zippo, nada, see? Nobody home. But if I widen the parameters to any kind of life…" He pushed some keys, numbers ran on the screen until it stopped and wrote: 'Error; _.000; life forms number capped at maximum record.' "A million million. Gives up after that. A million million."_

_"But… There's no one else here, you said so yourself." Alex pointed out._

_"And not a sound." The Doctor muttered. "A million million life forms, and silence in the Library."_

_"But there's no one here." Donna insisted. "There's just books. I mean, it's not the books, is it? I mean, it can't be the books, can it? I mean, the books can't be alive?" They all looked at each other and then cautiously reached out towards a book. Just before they could touch it they heard a voice, making them jump._

_"Welcome." _

_"That came from in there." Donna gestured as the Doctor pointed and Alex nodded._

_"Yeah."_

_"Totally." _

_They headed back to the reception. The saw a Node there – it looked like a modern day statue with what looked like a living face mounted on the head. __That can't be a real face__… Alex tried to convince herself. "I am c_ourtesy Node 710/aqua. Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers regardless of species or hygiene taboo."

"That face, it looks real." Donna pointed out.

"Yeah, don't worry about it." The way the Doctor had said that made Alex wonder if it really was a real face.

"But a statue with a real face, though." Donna seemed to figure it out. "It's a hologram or something, isn't it?"

"No, but really, it's… fine." The Doctor watched the Node instead of them.

"Additional." The Node spoke up again. "There follows a brief message from the head librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows. 'Run. For God's sake, run. No way is safe. The Library has sealed itself, we can't... Oh, they're here. Arg. Slarg. Snick.' Message ends. Please switch off your mobile comm. units for the comfort of other readers." Alex felt her heart jump up into her throat.

"So that's why we're here." The Doctor muttered. "Any other messages, same date stamp?"

"One additional message. This message carries the Felman Lux coherency warning of 5, 0, 11…" The Doctor cut her off.

"Yeah, yeah, fine, fine, fine, just play it."

"Message follows: 'Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember… If you want to live, count the shadows'. Message ends."

"Donna… Allie…" The Doctor said.

"Yeah…?" Alex answered for both of them quietly.

"Stay out of the shadows."

"Why, what's in the shadows?"

They went through another door and arrived at an aisle between bookshelves, several floors high, reaching as far as they could see. "So… We weren't just 'passing through'." Alex said.

"Yeah, I kind of, sort of lied a bit." Donna nodded. "I got a message on the physic paper." He showed it to the two women. Alex say what it said, 'The Library, come as soon as you can. x'. "What do you think? Cry for help?"

"Cry for help – with a kiss?" Donna asked teasing him.

"Oh, we've all done that." The Doctor defended. Alex giggled.

"Who's it from?" Donna asked as she gave the physic paper back to the Time Lord.

"No idea."

"Could be a past lover." Alex mentioned. The Doctor froze. "Or, for all we know, a future lover."

"Allie…" He rolled his eyes.

"So why did you come here?" Donna asked, it didn't make sense to come if you don't know who it's from. "Why did you…"

"Donna…" They turned and saw that the lights at the far end of the corridor went out and the darkness seemed to move toward them.

"What the hell…?" Alex muttered.

"Run!" They ran until they reached a door. The Doctor tried to open it but he couldn't. "Come on!"

"What, is it locked?" The Doctor asked.

"Jammed." He responded. "The wood's warped."

"Sonic it, use the thingy!" Donna said.

"I can't, its wood!" The Doctor contradicted.

"It doesn't do wood?" Alex snapped at him. It could do all sorts of things, except open a wooden door? Really?

"Hang on, hang on, if I can vibrate the molecules, fry the bindings, I can shatterline the interface…"

"Oh, get out of the way!" Both moved away. She kicked the door open, they burst into the room, shut the door, and the Doctor grabbed a book to hold it.

They turned. "Oh! Hello! Sorry to burst on you like this. Okay if we stop here for a bit?" Suddenly, a sphere dropped to the floor.

"What is it?" Donna asked.

They walked over to it and the Doctor poked it with his foot. "Security camera. Switched itself off." He picked it up and started to examine it.

-x-

It had been a couple of minutes. Alex was sitting on the Doctor's lap as he sat Indian style. He was sonicing the security camera. "Nice door skills, Donna." The Doctor muttered.

"Yeah, well, you know boyfriends…" Donna said, looking around cautiously. "Sometimes you need the element of surprise."

"Donna, you are amazing." Alex said.

"What was that, what was after us?" Donna asked. "I mean, did we just run away from a power cut?"

"Possibly." The Doctor mumbled.

"Are we safe in here?" Alex asked.

"Course we're safe. There's a little shop." The Doctor motioned to a little sign that said 'shop'. "Gotcha!" The Doctor said. The security camera's lens opened up. Alex moved it and saw some words appearing across a little screen. 'Stop it, no, no, stop it'. "Ooh," The Doctor saw it too. He lifted Alex up with him as Alex gently put the camera down. "I'm sorry. I really am, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He turned to Donna. "It's alive."

"You said it was a security camera." Donna pointed out.

"Yeah," Alex nodded. "It's an alive one." Alex looked down when she saw more words were appearing on the little screen. 'The Library is breached. Others are coming'.

"Others? What's it mean, 'others'?" The Doctor was just as puzzled as her, so she turned to a Node in the room. It had a different face than the one they first met. "Excuse me, what's it mean 'others'?"

"That's barely more than a speak your weight machine, it can't help you." The Doctor pointed out.

"So why's it got a face?" Donna asked.

"This flesh aspect was donated by Mark Chambers on the occasion of his death." Alex face fell as she realized that it really was a _real _face.

"Oh, ew!" Alex made a face of horror.

"It's a real face?" Donna asked, in a similar mood as Alex was.

"It has been actualized individually for you from the many facial aspects saved to our extensive flesh bank. Please, enjoy." _Oh, that just makes things worse_. Alex thought.

"It chose me a dead face it thought I'd like?" Donna asked shocked. "That statue's got a real dead person's face on it."

"It's the 51st century." The Doctor said, as both walked over to Donna. He tried to fix things. "That's… Basically like donating a park bench."

"It's donating a face!" Alex hissed. In horror, Donna backed away from the Node.

"No, wait, no!" He grabbed Donna by the waist, to prevent her from entering into a dark shadow behind her. She slapped his hands away.

"Oi, hands!"

"The shadow, look." Alex came up slowly next to him.

"What about it?" Donna asked.

"'Count the shadows'." The Doctor quoted.

"One." Alex said. "One shadow, it's right there."

"Yeah… But what's casting it?" Alex looked around, as did the Doctor and Donna, but couldn't see anything that could be casting it. Alex's heart sped up with fear and dread.

"Oh!" The Doctor yelled, making his two female companions jump. "I'm thick! Look at me, I'm old and thick! Head's too full of stuff, I need a bigger head!" He slapped his head a couple of times to make a point. They looked down a corridor – it was very dark and the lamp was only blinking.

"Power must be going." Donna commented.

"This place runs of fission cells. They'll outburn the sun." The Doctor said.

"Then why is it dark?" Something in Alex's gut told her she didn't want to know.

"It's not dark." The Doctor said grimly.

Donna turned around and noticed that the shadow they had seen was gone. She reached over and tugged on the Doctor's arm. "That shadow. It's gone."

"We need to get back to the TARDIS." The Doctor said.

"Why?" Alex's voice was a bit small, a tiny bit frightful. The Doctor took her hand, out of reflex.

"Because that shadow hasn't gone. It's moved." Alex's heart jumped before speeding up.

"Reminder: The Library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminder: The Library has been breathed. Others are coming. Reminder: The Library has been breached…" A door burst open, cutting the Node off. Six people in spacesuits entered the room. Their leader walked straight up to the Doctor. She switched her visor to transparent. Alex's heart stopped when it revealed the face of River Song. _Oh… Now I remember_. Alex thought dryly. River smiled at the Doctor.

"Hello Sweetie." Alex remembered that if you watched the six season of Doctor Who, you found that 'Hello Sweetie' was the greeting she always gave the Doctor.

"Get out." The Doctor ordered curtly.

"Doctor." Donna said.

"All of you, turn around, get back in your rocket and fly away!" The Doctor past River and pointed to the ceiling. "Tell your grandchildren you came to the Library and lived, they'll won't believe you."

"Pop your helmets, everyone." River said. "We've got breathers." Everyone did as told, and took off their helmets.

"How do you know they're not androids?" Another woman asked. It was fuzzy but Alex remembered her name was Anita.

"'Cause I've dated androids. They're rubbish."

"Who's this?" An older man asked River angrily. "You said we were the only expedition, I paid for exclusives."

"I lied." River answered easily. "I'm always lying. Bound to be others."

"Dude, cool it." Alex said, dryly. "We're not a part of any 'expedition'." She said with air quotations, throwing him a defiant look. Without knowing it, River peeked at Alex and smiled. Just like she always was.

"Miss. Evangelista, I want to see the contracts." A pretty brunette girl nodded and went over to a backpack.

"You came through the north door, yeah?" River asked. "How was that, much damage?"

"Please, just leave." The Doctor said. "I'm asking you seriously and properly, just lea… Hang on." The Doctor looked around. "Did you say expedition?"

"_My _expedition." Mr. Lux answered. "I funded it."

"Oh, you're not, are you?" The Doctor groaned. "Tell me your not archaeologists."

"Got a problem with archaeologists?" River asked with a smile.

"We're time travelers," Alex rolled her eyes. "We point and laugh at archaeologists."

"Ah." River kept her smile on her face and held out her hand. "River Song, archaeologist."

"River Song, lovely name." He took her hand but instead of shaking it started to drag her away. "As you're leaving, and you're leaving now… You need to set up a quarantine beacon. Code-wall the planet, the whole planet. Nobody comes here, not ever again… Not one living thing, not here, not ever." One of them started to walk off. "Stop right there! What's your name?"

"Anita." She answered.

"Anita, stay out of the shadows. Not a foot, not a finger in the shadows 'till your safely back in your ship. Goes for all of you. Stay in the light. Find a nice, bright spot and just stand. If you understand me, look very, very scared." They just stared at him, River smiling, the others blank. "No, a bit more scared than that." Miss Evangelista looked somewhat scared. "Okay, do for now. You, who are you?"

"Uh, Dave." The black man answered. The Doctor took his arm and walked him over to the doors they came out of.

"Okay, Dave." The Doctor said.

"Oh, well other Dave," The man explained, stopping. "Because, that's proper Dave, the pilot, he was the first Dave, so when we…"

The Doctor took him to the door they came from. "Other Dave, the way you came, does it look the same as before?"

"Yeah." Other Dave responded. "Oh," He seemed to notice something. "It's a bit darker."

"How much darker?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh, like I could see where we came from through a moment ago. I can't now." Other Dave answered.

"Seal up this door." The Doctor ordered. "We'll find another way out." He walked over to the rest of the group.

"We're not looking for a way out." Mr. Lux said. "Miss Evangelista?"

Miss Evangelista walked up to the Doctor, Alex, and Donna with some papers. "I'm Mr. Lux's personal… Everything." She explained. "You need to sign these contracts agreeing that your individual experience inside the Library are the intellectual –" She seemed to have trouble pronouncing that word. Mr. Lux was behind her mouthing the words. " – property of the Felman Lux Corporation."

"Right, give it here."

"Yeah, let's see this."

"Yeah, lovely. Thanks." The three time travelers had the same thoughts. They took the contracts from Miss Evangelista and tore them into two. Like hell they were going to sign a contract like that.

"My family built this Library." Mr. Lux intervened angry. "I have rights."

"You have a mouth that won't stop." River corrected. Alex smirked. "You think there's danger here?" River asked.

"Something came to this Library and killed everything in it, killed a whole world." The Doctor's tone became sarcastic. "Danger? Could be."

"That was 100 years ago." River defended. "The Library's been silent for 100 years. Whatever came here is long dead."

"Bet your life?" The Doctor asked.

She smiled. "Always." The Doctor stared at her for a moment.

"What are you doing?" Mr. Lux asked. Alex walked over to him.

"He said seal the door." Other Dave said.

"Torch!" Alex snatched it right from Mr. Lux's hand as he lifted it up for her.

"You're taking orders from him?" Mr. Lux asked.

"Creepy, isn't it?" Alex asked as she walked away. She gave over the flashlight but realized something. She gasped. The Doctor looked at her. "I called it a torch! I actually called it a _torch_!" She slapped her face. "I'm turning _British_!" River smiled again, without Alex noticed. She was _exactly _like River knew her to be.

The Doctor shook his head and walked to the other side of the room and started to look around, using the flashlight to light up the dark corners. "Almost every species of the universe has an irrational fear of the dark. But they're wrong. 'Cause it's not irrational. It's Vashta Nerada."

"What's Vashta Nerada?" Donna asked.

"It's what's in the dark." The Doctor explained. "It's what's always in the dark." He walked back to the group. "Lights! That's what we need, lights. You got lights?"

"What for?"

"Form a circle, safe area, as big as you can, lights pointing out." The Doctor explained.

"Oi, do as he says." River ordered her crew.

"You're not listening to this man?" Mr. Lux asked.

"Apparently, she is." Alex commented cheekily.

"Anita, unpack the lights." River instructed her crew. "Other Dave, make sure the door's secure, then help Anita. Mr. Lux, put your helmet back on, block the visor. Proper Dave, find an active terminal. I want you to access the Library database, see what you can find about what happened hear a 100 years ago. Pretty Boy, Miss. Punk, you're with me. Step into my office." She walked over to a desk by one of the terminals.

"Professor Song, why am I the only one wearing my helmet?" Mr. Lux asked, his voice slightly muffled.

She smiled. "I don't fancy you." She replied cheekily.

The Doctor walked over to Proper Dave with Alex behind him. "Probably we can help you with that."

"Pretty Boy, Miss. Punk, with me I said." River called from the other side of the room.

Alex paused for a moment then realized who she was talking to. The Doctor realized it as well. "Oh, I'm Pretty Boy?" The Doctor asked pointing to himself, dumbfounded.

"Yes." Donna responded quickly. "Ooh, that came out a bit quick."

"Pretty?" The Doctor asked.

"Meh." Donna shrugged. The Doctor shrugged as well.

"It's better than being 'Miss Punk'." Alex commented as they walked over to River.

"Don't let your shadows cross!" The Doctor ordered. "Seriously, don't even let them touch. Any of them could be infected." They got over to River. The Time Lord leaned against the table and Alex leaned against him. His arms were wrapped around her waist.

River was unpacking her bag; Alex noticed one of them was a blue, TARDIS-shaped book. "Thanks." River said.

"For what?" Alex asked.

"The usual. For coming when I called." River explained.

"Oh that was you?" The Doctor asked.

"You two are doing a very good job, acting like you don't know me. I'm assuming there's a reason." The Doctor and Alex looked at each other.

"A fairly good one, actually." The Time Lord muttered.

"Okay, shall we do diaries, then?" The blonde lifted up her TARDIS-shaped diary. "Where are we this time? Uh, going by your face, I'd say it's early days for you. Yes? So, um…" She flipped through pages of her book. "Crash of the Byzantium, have we done that yet?" The Doctor and Alex just stared at her, expressionless. "Obviously, ringing no bells." She turned several more pages. "Right, um, oh. Picnic at Asgard." Her tone turned sweet. She obviously remembered that one well. "Have we done Asgard yet?" They continued to just stare at her. "Obviously not. Blimey, very early days, then. Huh, life with a time traveler, never knew it could be such hard work."

She looked up and examined their faces carefully, and was surprised by what she saw. "Look at you! You're young."

"I'm really not you know." The Doctor at least gave a sort of smile.

"No, but you are." River said. "You're eyes. You're younger than I've ever seen you." The Doctor leaned away a bit as she ran her hand down his face. She looked down at Alex's face and saw the brunette was looking at her. "Oh, look at you Alex, still the same. No matter how far or long I've seen you, you're always the same."

The two brunettes looked at each other. "You've seen us before, then?"

"Doctor… Please tell me you know who I am?" River's hand dropped to his shoulder.

He looked at it and then back at her. "Who are you?" River's face dropped drastically. They were interrupted by a noise – kind of an alarm but rather strange.

"Sorry, that was me." Proper Dave called. "Trying to get through into the security protocols, I seemed to have set something off. What is that? Is that an alarm?"

"Doctor?" Donna asked. "Doctor, that sounds like…"

"It is." The Doctor muttered.

"It's a phone." Alex finished.

"I'm trying to call out the date core, but it's not responding. Just that noise." Proper Dave explained.

"But it's a phone." Donna said.

The Doctor got over to where Proper Dave was. "Let me try something." The terminal's screen showed the symbol that Alex had seen on the security camera – with 'ACCESS DENIED' written over it. "Okay, doesn't like that, let's try something else."

"Oh, here it comes." Alex muttered as snow came on before it showed a little girl in her living room, drawing something. The little girl turned around.

"Hello?" The Doctor questioned.

"Hello." The girl answered, looking a little alarmed. "Are you in my television?"

"Well, no, I'm, I'm… Sorta in space." The Doctor explained. "I, I was trying to call up the data core of a triple-grid security processor." Alex rolled her eyes, like a little girl could understand that.

"Would you like to speak to my dad?" She asked.

"Or your mom." Alex offered. "That'd be very helpful."

The girl paused, seeming to recognized Alex and the Doctor. "I know you!" She said. "You were in my Library."

"_Your_ Library?" The Doctor asked, confused.

"The Library's never been on the television before. What have you done?" She asked.

"Ah, I… I just rerouted the interface…" The connection broke.

"What happened, who was that?" River asked. The Doctor tried to get the little girl back but all he got was the 'ACCESS DENIED' again.

The Doctor pressed some keys but he couldn't get through, so he ran across the room to the terminal at River Song's workplace. "I need another terminal. Keep working on those lights, we need those lights."

"You heard him, people, let there be light." River said, walking towards him. Alex was right next to him and both looked over to see River's TARDIS diary. Finally, the Doctor reached out for it, but River took it from him.

"Sorry." River said. "You're not allowed to see inside the book, it's against the rules."

"What rules?" The Doctor asked, confused.

"Your rules." River answered a deep sadness in her voice. Without warning books started to fly off the shelves. Alex ducked a bit to make sure she didn't get hit by a stray book.

"What's that?" The Doctor asked. "I didn't do that, did you?" He turned to Proper Dave.

"Not me." Proper Dave answered.

The Doctor turned back to his terminal. The screen displayed the 'ACCESS DENIED' sing, but now with 'CAL' under it. Alex's eyebrows furrowed. "What's CAL?" The Doctor turned around and just looked around, bewildered.

"What's causing that?" River asked, looking around as well. "Is it the little girl?"

"But who is the little girl?" The Doctor asked. "What's she got to do with this place?"

-x-

The Doctor now sat on the counter, talking to the group. "How does the data core work? What's the principle? What's CAL?"

"Ask Mr. Lux." River said.

He turned to the man. "CAL, what is it?"

"Sorry." Mr. Lux said. "You didn't sign your personal experience contracts." Alex rolled her eyes, bad thing to say to the Doctor.

"Mr. Lux, right now, you're in more danger than you've been in your whole life." The Doctor walked right up to the man. "And you're protecting a patent?"

"I'm protecting my family's pride." Mr. Lux said angrily.

"Well, funny thing, Mr. Lux," The Doctor stood tall, looking like the Time Lord he was. "I don't want to see everyone in this room dead, because some idiot thinks his pride is more important."

"Then why don't you sign his contract?" The Doctor looked over at River. She paused. "I didn't either. I'm getting worse than you." Alex grinned, holding back a giggle. The Doctor looked between River and Mr. Lux as if he wasn't sure where to start.

"Okay, okay, okay." The Doctor finally said. "Let's start at the beginning. What happened here? On the actual day, what physically happened?" A door slide open, unnoticed to anyone but Miss. Evangelista.

"There was a message from the Library. Just one. 'The lights are going out'. Then the computer sealed the planet, and there was nothing for 100 years."

"It's taken three generations of my family just to decode the seals and get back in." Mr. Lux added.

"Um… Excuse me…" Miss Evangelista spoke up.

"Not just now." Mr. Lux answered.

"There was one other thing in the last message…" River looked around for her PDA.

"That's confidential." Mr. Lux said.

"I trust this man and this woman." River said. "With my life, with everything." The Doctor and Alex looked at each other.

"You've only just met them."

"No, they've only just met me." River said. Another look was shared between the brunettes.

"Um. This might be important actually…"

"In a moment." Mr. Lux stressed.

"This is a date extract that came with the message." She showed the message on a PDA to the Doctor and Alex.

"'4022 saved. No survivors'." Alex read aloud.

"4022, that's the exact number of people who were in the Library when the planet was sealed." River explained.

"But how can 4022 people have been saved if there were no survivors?" Donna asked.

"That's what we're here to find out." River said.

"And so far, what we haven't found are any bodies." Mr. Lux said.

-x-

Alex whirled around when she heard someone scream. The Doctor ran into the hidden door, Alex right on his heels. The rest of the team followed. They arrived to the lecture room but only found a skeleton there. "Everybody, careful! Stay in the light." The Doctor ordered.

"You keep saying that." Proper Dave said. "I don't see the point." Alex looked at the skeleton. Her gut squeezed.

"Who screamed?" The Doctor asked.

"Miss Evangelista." Proper Dave answered.

"Where'd she go?" Alex asked.

"Miss Evangelista," River called out into the comm. "Please state your current…" They were shocked to hear River's voice echo from the direction of the skeleton. "Please state your current…" She stopped, and then whispered the last word, terrified by the realization. "… Position." She pulled out a piece of the spaceman's collar from behind the skeleton's back. The green lights of the comm. were still on. "It's her. It's Miss Evangelista."

Alex swallowed back any noise that bubbled up her throat. "We heard her scream a few seconds ago. What could do that to a person in a few seconds?" Anita questioned.

"It took a lot less than a few seconds." The Doctor muttered.

"What did?" Anita asked.

"_Hello_?" Alex's heart dropped into her stomach when she realized what was going on. She remembered it from the show.

"Um, I'm sorry, everyone." River said. "Um, this isn't going to be pleasant. She's ghosting."

"She's what?" Donna asked.

"_Hello, excuse me? I – I'm sorry, hello? Excuse me?_" Miss Evangelista questioned.

"That's… That's her, that's Miss Evangelista." Donna pointed out.

"I don't want to sound horrible, but couldn't we just… you know?" Proper Dave asked.

River shot him a look. "This is her last moment… No, we can't. A little respect, thank you."

"_Sorry, where am I? Excuse me_?"

"But that's her." Alex mumbled, barely holding her tears back.

"It's a data ghost." River explained. "She'll be gone in a moment." She turned on her comm. to speak to Miss Evangelista. "Miss. Evangelista, you're fine, just relax. We'll be with you presently."

"What's a data ghost?" Donna asked the Doctor. Alex had the same question.

"There's a neural relay in the communicator, lets you send thought mails. That's it there, those green lights. Sometimes it can hold an impression of a living consciousness for a short time after death. Like an after image." The Time Lord explained.

"My grandfather lasted a day." Anita commented. "Kept talking about his shoelaces."

"She's in there." Donna said.

"_I can't see, I can't… Where am I_?"

"She's just brain waves now. The pattern won't hold for long." Proper Dave explained.

"She's conscious. She's thinking." Donna said, tears in her voice.

"_I can't see, I can't… I don't know what I'm thinking_." Miss Evangelista said that almost as if she could hear Donna.

"She's a footprint on the beach. And the tide's coming in." The Doctor said to Donna.

"_Where's that woman? The nice woman… Is she there?" _Everyone looked confused.

"What woman?" Mr. Lux asked.

"She means…" Donna's voice got stronger. "I think, she means me."

"_Is she there? The nice woman_?"

"Yeah, she's here, hang on." River looked at Donna. "Go ahead. She can hear you."

"_Hello? Are you there_?" Miss Evangelista asked.

Donna shook her head in horror. "Help her." The Doctor whispered.

"She's dead."

"Yeah," Alex's voice broke. "Help her." The Doctor took her shoulder; Alex bit back a sob, but buried her face into his shoulder.

"_Hello? Is that the nice woman_?"

"Yeah. Hello." Donna's voice was shaky. "Yeah, I'm, I'm… I'm here. You okay?"

"_What I said before, about being stupid. Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh_." Everyone's face fell.

"Course I won't." Donna said. "Course I won't tell them."

"_Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh_." She repeated.

"I won't tell them. I said I won't." Donna was trying so hard to be strong.

"_Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh_."

"I'm not going to tell them." The lights on the neural relay were blinking now. Alex squeezed the Doctor's jacket, tears seeping into his shirt.

"_Don't tell the others, they'll only laugh_."

"She's looping now." River explained. "The pattern's degrading."

"_I can't think, I… I don't know, I... I… I… Ice cream. Ice cream. Ice cream_." She kept repeating those words.

"Does anybody mind if I…?" River reached out to the skeleton and took the neural away, ending the words.

"That was…" Donna was in tears. "That was horrible. That was the most horrible thing I've ever seen." The Doctor put his hand onto her shoulder comfortingly. His other arm wrapped tightly around his crying Alex.

"No. It's just a freak of technology." River ran her finger across the neural relay. "But whatever did this to her, whatever killed her… I'd like a word with that."

"I'll introduce you." The Doctor said. He rushed back to the room where they came from, the others followed him. "I'm gonna need a packed lunch."

"Hang on." River jogged over to her bag. She, the Doctor, and Alex crouched down next to it. Searching for food, she first pulled out her TARDIS book.

"What's in that book?" The Doctor demanded.

"Spoilers." River answered simply.

"Who are you?" Alex asked, much more polite.

"Professor River Song, University of…" The Doctor cut her off.

"To us. Who are you to us?"

"Again… Spoilers." She handed him a lunch box. "Chicken and a bit of salad. Knock yourself out."

The Doctor looked at her for a very long moment, before he finally stood up with Alex still in his arms. "Right, you lot. Let's all meet the Vashta Nerada."

-x-

The Doctor was on the ground, examining the shadows with his sonic. Alex and Donna were standing together watching him, with River Song near them. "You travel with him, don't you?" River asked Donna. "The Doctor, you travel with him." Alex was having trouble even looking at the woman. She just kept her eyes locked onto her Time Lord.

"What of it?" Donna tried to put some attitude in her voice.

Going around the room, the Doctor arrived at Proper Dave's feet. "Proper Dave, could you move over a bit?" He asked.

"Why?" Proper Dave asked.

"Over there by the water cooler. Thanks." Proper Dave walked to the rest of the group, and the Doctor continued with his sonicing.

"You know him, don't you?" Alex asked, finally ripping her eyes from the Doctor and to River. "You know him and me, don't you?"

River looked at Alex. "Oh, God, do I know you two. We go way back, you, me, and him. Just not this far back."

"I'm sorry, what?" Donna asked.

River didn't take her eyes away from Alex. Just like she knew she would, Alex didn't look away either. They kept their eyes locked with each other. "They haven't met me yet." Even if she looked at Alex, she spoke to Donna. "I sent them a message but it went wrong, arrive too early. This is the Doctor and Alex before they knew me. And when they look at me, when _he _looks at me, they – he – looks right through me, and it shouldn't kill me, but it does."

Alex finally turned away from River and back to her Time Lord. Her heart squeezed in her chest. She didn't want to hear this; she remembered that River Song was the 11th Doctor's wife. She didn't want to hear that. She wanted to stay in her little bubble, saying that everything was going to work out that he would stay the 10th Doctor.

"What are you talking about? Are you just talking rubbish? Do you know him or don't you?" Donna asked.

She may have said it a little too loudly, since the Doctor spoke up. "Donna! Quiet! I'm working!"

"Sorry." Donna offered.

River turned back to Donna, looking shell-shocked. "Donna? You're Donna? Donna Noble?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"I do know the Doctor and Alex." River said. "But in the future. Their personal future." Alex finally lifted her hands, close to her ears, almost as if she didn't want to hear this. Alex moved over and crouched down to the Doctor.

He looked over to her. "River's talking." She hoped that would be enough to explain, and it was. The Doctor nodded and went back to the shadows, but he bumped his shoulder gently to hers. She smiled at the comforting gesture.

The Doctor stood up. "Okay, we've got a live one! That's not darkness down those tunnels, and this is not a shadow. It's a swarm. A man-eating swarm." He threw the chicken leg from the lunch box into the shadows. But by the time it reached the ground, the bone was the only thing left.

"The piranhas of the air, the Vashta Nerada. Literally 'the shadows that melt the flesh'. Most planets have them, but usually in small clusters. I've never seen an infestation on this scale, or this aggressive." Alex felt her heart start racing.

"What d'you mean, most planets?" Donna asked, as she crouched down next to the Time Lord and his brunette. "Not Earth?"

"Mmmm," The Doctor nodded. "Earth and a billion other planets. Where's there's meat there's Vashta Nerada. You can see them sometimes, if you look. The dust in sunbeams."

"If they were on Earth, we'd know it." Alex doubted that.

"Nah, normally they live on road kill. But sometimes people go missing. Not everyone comes back out of the dark." The Doctor contradicted.

River looked around with her flashlight. "Every shadow?"

"No. But any shadow." The Doctor said.

"So what are we going to do?" You couldn't exactly fight off a shadow.

"Daleks – aim for the eyestalk. Sontarans – back of the neck. Vashta Nerada… Run. Just run." The Doctor said, completely serious.

"Run? Run where?" River asked.

"This is an index point. There must be an exit teleport somewhere." They all looked at Mr. Lux.

"Don't look at me," Mr. Lux objected. "I haven't memorized the schematics."

Alex looked, realizing where they were. "Doctor, the little shop. They always make you go out the little shop, so they could seal you things." The Doctor ran over into the door, and grinned.

"You're right! Brilliant! That's why I like a little shop."

"Okay, let's move it." Everyone made a move to gather their things.

Alex almost had a whip lash as she did a double take when she just happened to look at the ground. "Wait! Dave!" She held her hands out; staring at what had caught her eyes. "Don't move! Just… Don't… Move…"

"Why?" Proper Dave asked. The Doctor brushed his hand across Alex's shoulder as he walked past her to Proper Dave.

"I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. But you've got two shadows." Everyone looked down to see what Alex saw first, just as the Doctor had said, he had two shadows. The team stared at them in horror.

"What do I do?" Proper Dave asked.

"You stay absolutely still." The Doctor ordered. "Like there's a wasp in the room, like there's a million wasps in the room."

"We're not leaving you, Dave." River said.

"Of course not." Alex replied.

"Where's your helmet?" The Doctor asked. "Don't point, just tell me."

"On the floor, by my bag." Anita went to fetch his helmet.

"Don't cross his shadow!" Alex hissed.

Anita took extra care to avoid them and grabbed the helmet. She gave it to the Doctor. "Thanks." The Doctor said. "Now, the rest of you, helmets back on and sealed up. We'll need everything we've got." He helped put the helmet back on Proper Dave.

"But, Doctor, we haven't got helmets." Donna made a _very _good point.

"Yeah, but we're safe." The Doctor said. Alex gave him a look.

"Oh yeah? How so?" She asked.

"We're not, that was just a clever line to shut you up." Alex shot him a look. "Professor, anything I can do with the suit?"

"What good are the damn suits?" Mr. Lux asked. "Miss Evangelista was wearing her suit, there was nothing left."

"We can increase the mesh-density." River answered, ignoring Mr. Lux. "Dial it up to 400%. Make it a tougher meal."

"Okay." He soniced Proper Dave's suit. "800%! Pass it on." He held up his screwdriver to River but she already had a similar one.

"Gotcha!"

"What's that?" The Doctor asked confused.

"It's a screwdriver." River explained briefly.

"It's sonic." The Doctor said, blank look of surprise on his face.

"Yeah, I know. Snap." She went around sealing everyone's suit with her screwdriver. The Doctor watched with suspicion, he then grabbed Donna's and Alex's hand.

"With me, come on!" They ran into the shop.

"What are we doing?" Donna asked, jumping around. "We're shopping? Is it a good time to shop?"

"No talking, just moving! Try it! Right, stand there in the middle. It's a teleport. Stand in the middle. Can't send the others, TARDIS won't recognize them." The Doctor was able to get Donna onto the teleport, but Alex wouldn't move. She had a feeling she knew where this was going.

"What are you doing?" Donna asked.

"You don't have a suit, you're not safe." The Doctor was fiddling with the controls.

"You don't have a suit, so you're in just as much danger as I am and I'm not leaving…" The Doctor cut her off.

"Donna! Let me explain." He pushed a lever and teleported Donna away. "Alright, Allie…" She whacked his hands away when he got close. He gave her a look, now was not the time to be stubborn. "Allie…" He warned.

"No!" Alex said. "I'm staying with you whether you like it or not!"

"No, you're not." He growled. It was way too dangerous. "You don't have a suit."

"Neither do you!" She shot back. "I'm not leaving you. So you're just going to have to suck it up, Time Lord! I'm not going anywhere without you!"

"Doctor!" River called from the other room.

The Time Lord took a couple of deep breaths. He lifted up his finger, she watched him. She saw he was caving. "You stay right next to me." The Doctor ordered. "_Right _next to me."

"Never going to leave it." Alex promised. The Doctor seemed frustrated before he finally grabbed Alex's hand and they rushed out to the other room. When they got there, they found the second shadow gone.

"Where did it go?" The Doctor asked.

"It's just gone." Proper Dave explained. "I… I look round, one shadow. See." He gestured to the empty floor where the second shadow had been.

"Does that mean we can leave?" River asked. "I don't want to hang around here."

"I don't know why we're still here," Mr. Lux said. "We can leave him, can't we?" Proper Dave shot him a look. "I mean no offense…"

"Shut up, Mr. Lux." Alex rolled her eyes.

"Did you feel anything?" The Doctor asked. "Like an energy transfer? Anything at all?"

"No, no, but, look, it's, it's gone." He started to turn around to show the Doctor. Alex felt her stomach jump. She didn't like him doing that.

"Stop there," It seemed the Doctor didn't either. "Stop, stop, stop there, stop moving! They're never just gone. And they never give up." He kneeled down and started to investigate the shadows with the sonic. "Well, this one's benign."

"Hey, who turned out the lights?" Everyone looked at Proper Dave, confused.

"No one." Alex answered. "They're fine."

"No, seriously, turn them back on."

"They are on." River answered.

"I can't see a bloody thing." Proper Dave said, his voice starting to fill with fear.

The Doctor slowly stood up. "Dave, turn around." Proper Dave turned around to the group slowly, his face invisible by the darkness of the helmet.

"What's going on? Why can't I see? Is the power gone, are we safe here?"

"Dave, I want you to stay still, absolutely still." Proper Dave suddenly stiffened. "Dave, Dave? Dave, can you hear me, are you alright? Talk to me, Dave."

"I'm fine, I'm okay, I'm... I'm fine." Proper Dave answered.

"I want you to stay still, absolutely still." The Doctor ordered.

"I'm fine, I'm OK, I'm, I'm fine. I can't... Why can't I? I... I can't... Why can't I? I... I can't... Why can't I? I..." The lights on his comm. were blinking.

"He's gone." River said. "He's ghosting."

_But_… "How is he still standing?" If his flesh was stripping away, the bones wouldn't have anything to hold them up; he should just fall to the floor in a pile of bones and leather.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave's comm. yelled. "Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

Cautiously, the Doctor moved closer to Proper Dave. "Doctor, don't!" River said. Alex reached out to him, a silent cry. The Doctor took her hand into his, but continued to move forward.

"Dave, can you hear me?"

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" He grabbed the Doctor and forced him to kneel, chocking him. His helmet finally lit, and Alex's heart stopped when she saw only a skeleton was left inside the spacesuit. "Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"Excuse me!" River used her sonic screwdriver to stun the skeleton and free the Doctor. The Time Lord jumped away from the skeleton and grabbed Alex's hand tightly.

"Get back, back, back, back!" Alex hissed.

The group backed away, but they were cornered by Proper Dave's skeleton. The skeleton was walking towards them in an awkward manor. "Doesn't move very fast, does it?" River asked.

"It's a swarm in a suit." The Doctor defended. "But, it's learning. "Several shadows reached out from the skeleton of Proper Dave and moved towards the group.

"What do we do? Where do we go?" Mr. Lux panicked.

"See that wall behind you? Duck!" Mr. Lux moved out of the way and River used a sonic blaster to make a whole in the wall.

"Squareness gun!" The Doctor called, impressed.

"Everybody out!" River ordered. "Go, go, go! Move it, move, move! Move it, move, move!" They got out to a shadowy hallway between some bookshelves.

"You said not every shadow."

"But any shadow." The Doctor said.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave's skeleton arrived at the aisle.

"Run!" Alex yelled. River took the Doctor's hand, who had Alex's hand. They all ran.

-x-

The Doctor was fiddling on a lamp with his sonic. River was near him while the rest of the group sat there, panting. Alex was going around, making sure everyone was okay.

"Trying to boost the power." The Doctor called. "Light doesn't stop them, but it slows them down."

"So, what's the plan?" River asked. "Do we have a plan?" She pointed her screwdriver at the light too and the light became stronger.

"You're screwdriver…" The Doctor got down and looked at River. "Looks exactly like mine."

"Yeah. You gave it to me." River said with a smile.

"I don't give my screwdriver to anyone." The Doctor said.

"I'm not anyone." River nodded towards Alex. "What about her? Is she just anyone?" The Doctor looked at Alex for a moment as she walked up to him. He knew the answer to that, though. No, she was not 'just anyone'. But he never needed to give his screwdriver to her, she was always right next to him.

He turned back to River. "Who are you?"

"What's the plan?" River repeated.

"I teleported Donna back to the TARDIS. If we don't get back there in under five hours, emergency program one will activate." The Doctor explained.

"Take her home, yeah." River turned to the rest of the group. "We need to get a shift on."

The Doctor looked at his sonic and suddenly became very worried. "Doctor?" Alex asked, noticing his look.

"She's not there." The Doctor said faintly. He put his up to his ear. "I should've received a signal, the console signals me if there's a teleport breach."

"Well, maybe the coordinates have slipped. The equipment is ancient." River offered.

The Doctor ran to a nearby Node. "Donna Noble. There's a Donna Noble somewhere in this Library. Do you have the software to locate her position?"

The Node turned its head to the Doctor to reveal it was wearing Donna Noble's face. Alex's mouth dropped and her eyes widened. "Oh my God!"

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved." The Node said, in Donna's voice.

"Donna…" The Doctor said horrified.

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

"How can it be Donna? How is that possible?" River asked. Alex walked over to the Node, standing next to her Time Lord.

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

"Oh, Donna." He ran a finger across her face.

"Donna Noble has left the Library."

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?" Proper Dave's skeleton had caught up with them. The Doctor and Alex were too devastated to care; they just stared at the Node in despair.

"Doctor! Lexa!" River called.

"Donna Noble has been saved."

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"Donna Noble has left the Library."

"Doctor, Lexa, we've got to go, now!" She grabbed Alex's hand, who was holding the Doctor's arm. As River pulled Alex away, she inadvertently pulled the Doctor away as well.

"Donna Noble has been saved."

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"Donna Noble has left the Library."

The people were cornered now. Skeleton Dave was coming from one end of the aisle and the shadows moved closer from the other end. "Doctor, what are we going to do?" The Doctor looked back and forth, at a loss.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved."

_To Be Continued_…


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty Two**

"Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?" River used her squareness gun again to make a whole in the bookshelf.

"This way, quickly, move!" River commanded.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

-x-

There was a huge moon on the sunset sky. Inside, River used her sonic blaster to open a way to another room. "Okay, we've got a clear spot. In, in, in! Right in the centre, in the middle of the light, quickly! Don't let your shadows cross. Doctor…"

The Time Lord cut her off. "I'm doing it now." He started to check the shadows with his screwdriver.

"There's no light here. Sunset's coming; we can't stay here for long." The blonde turned to the Doctor. "Have you found a live one?"

"Maybe, it's getting harder to tell." He thrashed at his sonic screwdriver. "What's wrong with you?"

"We're gonna need a chicken leg. Who's got a chicken leg?" Other Dave handed her one. "Thanks, Dave." She threw it into the shadow the Doctor was examining and it got stripped to the bone before it hit the ground.

"Okay, okay…" Alex muttered. "We've got a live one."

"They won't attack until there's enough of them." The Doctor said. "But they've got our scent now, they're coming." Alex walked over near the Doctor. She felt uncomfortable near River.

"Who are they?" Other Dave asked River. "You haven't even told us. You just expect us to trust them."

"He's the Doctor and she's Alex Harper." River said. She turned around to peek at Alex's back. She saw the brunette was a little uptight.

"And who is the Doctor and Alex Harper?" Mr. Lux asked.

"The only story you'll ever tell – if you survive him." River said as an explanation.

"You say they're your friends, but they don't even know who you are." Anita pointed out.

"Listen, all you need to know is this…" River said. "I'd trust those two to the end of the universe. And actually, we've been."

"They don't act like they trust you." Anita said.

"Yeah, there's a tiny problem." River snapped. "They haven't met me yet." She walked over to the Doctor, who was fiddling with his screwdriver. "What's wrong with it?"

"There's a signal coming from somewhere, interfering with it."

"Then use the red settings."

The Doctor and Alex just looked at her strangely. "It doesn't have red settings."

"Well, use the dampers." River said.

Their expressions didn't change. "It doesn't have dampers."

"It will one day." She showed him her sonic screwdriver. He stood up, taking it from her hand in the process.

"So some time in the future, I just give you my sonic screwdriver." It was obvious that he didn't believe her.

She smiled anyways. "Yeah."

"Why would I do that?" The Doctor asked.

"I didn't pluck it from your cold dead hands, if that's what you're worried about." River defended.

"And I know that because…?" He asked. Alex winced; _jeeze Doctor, why don't you give her a paper cut and pour lemon juice on it while you're at it_?

"Listen to me. You've lost your friend, you're angry, I understand. But you need to be less emotional, Doctor. Right now..." River said. Alex shook her head, this wasn't going well.

"Less em… I'm not emotional!" The Doctor defended.

"There are six people in this room still alive, focus on that. Dear God, you're hard work young!" River said.

"Young?" The Doctor replied anger. He scoffed. "Who are you?"

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Mr. Lux apparently had enough of their bickering. "Look at the pair of you! We're all gonna die right here, and you're just squabbling like an old married couple." They looked back at each other.

"Doctor… One day I'm going to be someone you trust completely, but I can't wait for you to find that out." River said. "So I'm going to prove it to you. And I'm sorry. I'm really very, sorry." She whispered something in his ear. Alex's heart stopped. She remembered what it was that River whispered. She felt her heart drop into her stomach. The Doctor's face became stunned. "Are we good?" He didn't answer. "Doctor… Are we good?"

"Yeah…" He answered faintly, lost in his thoughts. "Yeah, we're good."

"Good." She walked back to the rest of the group. Alex didn't even look at her as she walked past the blonde to get to her Time Lord. River watched her back, remembering what Alex had told her.

"_River, you and I both know that there will be a point in time where the Doctor and I will look at you and not know you. However, I'm going to give you a word that will get him to trust you. You must whisper it into his ear. And River, I cannot stress enough times, you are to _only _use this word when this time comes. Not any time before, do you understand?" _River had nodded to Alex and the brunette whispered it into her ear.

Alex reached out and rubbed her Time Lord's arm. He looked over at her and tried to smile. He pressed his forehead to her before kissing it gently. Alex tried to smile back. After a few seconds, the Doctor returned to reality. "Know what's interesting about my screwdriver? Very hard to interfere with, practically nothing's strong enough... Well, some hairdryers, but I'm working on that. So there is a very strong signal coming from somewhere, and it wasn't there before, so what's new, what's changed?"

Everyone just looked at each other. Alex rolled her eyes. "Come on, people! What's new? What's changed?"

"I dunno, nothing. It's getting dark." Other Dave offered.

The Doctor gave him a flat look. "It's a screwdriver, it works in the dark." He then looked up at the darkening sky over the doom and noticed the moon. "Moon rise… Tell me about the moon. What's there?"

Mr. Lux answered this one. "It's not real; it was built as part of the Library. It's just a doctor moon."

"What's a doctor moon?" Alex asked.

"A virus checker. It supports and maintains the main computer at the core of the planet." Mr. Lux further explained.

The Doctor turned on his screwdriver, pointing it up at the moon. "Well, still active, it's signaling, look. Someone somewhere in this Library is alive and communicating with the moon, or, possibly alive and drying their hair. No, the signal's definitely coming from the moon. I'm blocking it, but it's trying to break through..." The Doctor leaned it down, pointing away from him now. Suddenly, Donna's fuzzy image appeared in the Library.

"Donna!" Alex yelled.

The Doctor looked up, surprised. "Donna!" The Doctor echoed.

The image faded away. "Doctor, that was your friend! Can you get her back? What was that?"

"Hold on, hold on, hold on. I'm trying to find the wavelength. Ah, I'm being blocked." The Doctor fiddled with his screwdriver again.

"Professor?" Anita asked. Alex turned a slight bit, hearing fear in her voice.

"Just a moment." River answered, her eyes and screwdriver trained towards where the image of Donna had appeared.

"It's important. I have two shadows..." Everyone whirled around to look at her. They backed away slightly.

"Okay. Helmets on, everyone. Anita, I'll get yours." Alex saw a couple of tears fall from Anita's eyes.

"It didn't do Proper Dave any good."

"Just keep it together, okay?" River said.

"Keeping it together, I'm only crying. I'm about to die, it's not an overreaction." Anita defended. River put the helmet on Anita.

"Hang on." The Doctor soniced the helmet to make the visor go dark.

"Oh God." Alex muttered. "Did they just get in?"

"No, no, no, I just tinted her visor." The Doctor explained. "Maybe they'll think they're already in there, leave her alone."

"D'you think they can be fooled like that?" River asked.

"Maybe. I don't know. It's a swarm, it's not like we chat." The Doctor said.

"Can you still see in there, Anita?" Alex asked.

"Just about."

"Just, just, just... stay back. Professor, a quick word, please." The brunette Time Lord wrapped an arm around Alex.

"What?"

"Down here." They crouched down, Alex being forced to since the Doctor's arm was around her waist.

"What is it?" River asked.

"Like you said," The Doctor started in a low voice. "There are six people still alive in this room."

"Yeah, and?" Alex questioned.

"So… Why are there seven?" As the six of them turned around, they saw another figure in a spacesuit standing in the background.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

"Run!" The Doctor yelled. They ran out of the room with the skeleton of Dave chasing after them.

"Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights? Hey! Who turned out the lights?"

-x-

The group was running through a corridor connecting two high buildings. "Professor, Allie, go ahead, find a safe spot." Alex stalled, and resisted the urge to roll her eyes. _Of course he'd do this_…

"It's a carnivorous swarm in a suit, you can't reason with it." River said, voicing Alex's thoughts. There were just some things that the Doctor _couldn't _reason with. The Vashta Nerada was one of them.

"Five minutes." The Doctor insisted.

"Other Dave," River stopped the man. "Stay with him, pull him out when he's too stupid to live."

"Two minutes, Doctor!" Alex corrected. No way was she giving him so much leeway as five minutes. The Doctor gave a vague nod, showing he understood her. River grabbed Alex's hand and they ran.

-x-

They finally got to a safe spot. Alex was off to the side, slightly curled up, in a defensive position. She liked River Song; don't get her wrong, she's seen the Eleventh Doctor. But… Even so, it made her feel incredible awkward that River knew her, and she didn't know her. River was checking the shadows with her sonic. "You know... it's funny; I keep wishing the Doctor was here."

Alex just hunched her shoulders a bit more, as if she was cold. "The Doctor is here, isn't he?" Anita asked, behind River. "He's coming back, right?"

"You know when you see a photograph of someone you know, but it's from years before you knew them? It's like they're not quite... finished, they're not done yet. Well... yes, the Doctor's here. He came when I called, just like he always does. But not _my_ Doctor. Now my Doctor... I've seen whole armies turn and run away. And he'd just swagger off back to his TARDIS and open the doors with a snap of his fingers. The Doctor... in the TARDIS... next stop: everywhere." The Doctor appeared suddenly, stopping River from saying anything about Alex.

"Spoilers!" The Doctor called, announcing his presence. Alex jumped up and walked quickly over to get to her Time Lord. She was a little uptight, she could feel it. "Nobody can open a TARDIS by snapping their fingers. It doesn't work like that."

"It does for the Doctor." River contradicted.

"I _am _the Doctor."

"Yeah." River scoffed. "Some day."

The Doctor watched her for a moment. Alex walked into his arms. He could feel her strain, and knew it was from being with River. He turned around and walked over to Anita, with Alex in his arms. "How are you doing?"

"Where's Other Dave?" River asked.

"Not coming, sorry." The Doctor answered. Alex squeezed her eyes shut.

"Well, if they've taken him, why haven't they gotten me yet?" Anita asked.

"I don't know." The Doctor looked down to see Anita still had two shadows.

"Maybe tinting your visor made a difference." Alex offered.

"It's making a difference all right. No one's ever going to see my face again." Anita said, upset.

"Can I get you anything?" The Doctor asked.

"An old age would be nice." The Doctor smiled slightly at that. "Anything you can do?"

"I'm all over it." The Time Lord turned to move but Anita called him back to her.

"Doctor... When we first met you, you didn't trust Professor Song. And then she whispered a word in your ear, and you did. My life so far... I could do with a word like that. What did she say?" The Doctor didn't say anything at first. "Give a dead girl a break. Your secrets are safe with me."

"Safe…" The word made him think.

"What?" That couldn't be the word River had told him.

"Safe." The Doctor repeated. Alex looked up at him curiously, what was he thinking? "You don't say saved, nobody says saved, you say safe. The date fragment! What did it say?"

"'4022 people saved. No survivors'." Mr. Lux answered.

"Doctor?" Alex questioned.

"Nobody says saved, nutters say saved, you say safe. But you see, it didn't mean safe, it meant... it literally meant... saved!" The Doctor yelled. He had figured it out. The Doctor ran over to an informational terminal. "See, there it is, right there! A hundred years ago, massive power surge, all the teleports going at once. Soon as the Vashta Nerada hit their hatching cycle, they attack. Someone hits the alarm; the computer tries to teleport everyone out."

"It tried to teleport 4022 people?" River asked.

"Succeeded, pulled 'em all out, but then what? Nowhere to send them, nowhere safe in the whole Library, Vashta Nerada growing in every shadow. 4022 people all beamed up and nowhere to go. They're stuck in the system, waiting to be sent, like emails. So what's a computer to do? What does a computer always do?" The Doctor asked. Finally, Alex understood.

"It saved them." Alex answered with a smile.

"The Library, a whole world of books, and right at the core, the biggest hard drive in history. The index to everything ever written backup copies of every single book. The computer saved 4022 people the only way a computer can. It saved them to the hard drive." The Doctor pushed some books away and drew a large circle to represent the planet. He then made a smaller circle, for the hard drive. He drew an arrow and made a little spot where all the minds were.

-x-

An alarm sounded in the Library. Alex looked around confused. "What is it? What's wrong?" Mr. Lux asked.

"Autodestruct enabled in 20 minutes." A computerized voice answered.

"What's 'maximum erasure'?" Alex asked.

"20 minutes, this planet's gonna crack like an egg." The Doctor explained.

"No!" Mr. Lux turned to them. "No, it's all right; the doctor moon will stop it. It's programmed to protect CAL." The screen on the terminal went blank. Alex figured that was _really _bad.

"No, no, no, no, no, no, no!" The Doctor jumped onto the terminal and used his screwdriver, trying to get it to come back.

"All Library systems are permanently offline. Sorry for any inconvenience. Shortly..." The voice cut off.

"We need to stop this; we've got to save CAL!" Mr. Lux said panicked.

"What is it, what's CAL?" The Doctor asked.

"We need to get to the main computer, I'll show you."

"It's at the core of the planet." There was no way they would be able to get there in time.

"Well, then. Let's go." River said. She turned and soniced the symbol on the floor at the center of the room. It opened up. "Gravity platform."

"I bet we like you." The Doctor said as Alex and he came closer to it.

"Oh, you do." River replied. They all stepped onto the platform and it descended.

-x-

"Autodestruct in 15 minutes." A computerized voice reminded them.

"The Data Core! 4,000 living minds, trapped inside it." The Doctor said. Alex looked up, amazed at the sight.

"Yeah, well they won't be living much longer; we're running out of time." They rushed deeper into the core to find a way to save everyone.

"Help me. Please, help me." Alex looked around when she heard a little girl's voice.

"Oh my God, is that a little girl?" The brunette asked.

They got to some computers. The Doctor looked at the readings. "Computer's in sleep mode." He was pushing keys. "I can't wake it up. I'm trying."

"Doctor, these readings." River muttered.

"What?" Alex asked.

"I know, you'd think it was… dreaming." The Doctor said.

"It is dreaming…" Mr. Lux explained as he pulled off his gloves. "Of a normal life, and a lovely dad, and of every book ever written."

"Computers don't dream." Anita said.

"Help me. Please, help me." Alex looked around; the voice of the little girl was closer now.

"No. But little girls do." Mr. Lux pulled a lever to open a door, and they ran into the next room. A Node turned its head – it was wearing the face of the little girl they had seen on the terminal. She was pleading for help.

"Please help me. Please help me."

"It's the little girl." Alex muttered. "The one we saw in the computer."

"She's not in the computer, in a way she is the computer." Mr. Lux explained. "The main command node. This is CAL."

"CAL is a child?" The Doctor turned to the man, demanding. "A child hooked up to a mainframe? Why didn't you tell me this? I needed to know this!"

"Because she's family!" Mr. Lux snapped. "CAL... Charlotte Abigail Lux. My grandfather's youngest daughter. She was dying, so he built her a library, and put her living mind inside, with a moon to watch over her, and all of human history to pass the time, any era to live in, any book to read. She loved books more than anything. He gave her them all. He asked only that she be left in peace. A secret, not a freak show." The two brunettes looked at each other understanding now.

"So, you weren't protecting a patent, you were protecting her." The Doctor said his voice full of understanding.

"This is only a half life, but it's forever." Mr. Lux ran a finger across the little girl's face.

"And then the shadows came." The Doctor said.

"Shadows. I have to... I have to save. Have to save..." The little girl struggled.

"And she did." Alex smiled. "She saved everyone in the Library, put them into her dreams and kept them safe."

"Then why didn't she tell us?" Anita asked.

"Because she's forgotten. She's got over 4,000 living minds chatting away inside her head; it must be like... being..."

"Being you." Alex finished. The Doctor nodded.

"So, what do we do?" River asked.

"Autodestruct in ten minutes." The computer said.

"Easy! We beam all the people out of the data core, the computer will reset and stop the countdown. Difficult, Charlotte doesn't have enough memory space left to make the transfer. Easy! I'll hook myself up to the computer and she can borrow my memory space!" Alex almost lost her footing and her heart stopped as she whirled around to the Time Lord. _W-What? Time Lord say what_?

"Difficult!" River corrected. "It'll kill you stone dead!"

"Yeah, it's easy to criticize." The Doctor muttered.

"It'll burn out both your hearts and don't think you'll regenerate!" River panicked. Alex felt a large lump in her throat.

"I'll try my hardest not to die. Honestly, it's my main thing." The Doctor said.

"Doctor!" Alex finally spoke up.

"I'm right and this works! Shut up. Now listen, you, Allie and Luxy-boy, back up to the main Library. Prime any data cells you can find for maximum download, and before you say anything else, Professor, can I just mention in passing as your air, shut up!"

"Ha!" River breathed. "I hate you sometimes."

"I know." The Doctor said. Alex reached over and grabbed his arm numbly. The Doctor turned to her. "Oh, Allie, don't give me that." He whipped his thumbs across her face to keep the tears away. "I'm going to be fine. I promise I won't die. I can't die. I have to take care of you."

"Promise?" Alex asked softly.

"Promise." He kissed her forehead.

"Mr. Lux, with me! Anita, if he dies, I'll kill him!" River, Mr. Lux, and Alex left. They ran back up to the main Library. When they got there, however, River stalled. She finally moved to go back.

"River! Where are you going?" Alex asked rushing over to her.

River didn't turn around. "Sorry about this, Lexa." Alex blinked, confused. It made sense however, when River whirled around and punched Alex. The brunette fell into the counter, unconscious. River nodded to herself and ran off.

-x-

Alex's world finally came back to her slowly. At first, her vision was blurry but it soon became clear. Alex blinked, confused for a moment, before it came back to her. Her eyes widened and she scrambled up. She looked around, seeing that everyone was back. The brunette shook her head and ran back to the core of the planet.

-x-

Alex skidded to a stop when she saw the Doctor, handcuffed to a support beam. Alex slowly walked in and saw he was looking at a chair before him. She saw River's TARDIS diary and her sonic screwdriver along with his. Her face fell, knowing what happened. She walked over to the heartbroken Time Lord.

He just looked up at her, face expressionless. "Oh, Doctor." Alex whispered. She took his sonic screwdriver and unlocked the handcuffs. She felt his arms slowly snake around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him to her. For once, it was not Alex needing comfort from the Doctor.

It was the Doctor needing comfort from Alex. The brunette felt her heart break in two when she felt a lone tear fall from the Doctor's eyes. She kissed his head and just held him there.

-x-

Donna walked to the Doctor and Alex through the crowd in the main Library. "Please be patient. Only three can teleport at a time. Do not state your intended destination until you arrive in..." A computerized voice explained.

"Any luck?" The Doctor asked.

"There wasn't even anyone called Lee in the Library that day. Suppose he could have had a different name out here, but let's be honest, he wasn't real, was he?" Donna leaned against the wall next to the Doctor.

"Maybe not."

"I made up the perfect man. Gorgeous, adores me, and hardly able to speak a word. What's that say about me?" Donna mumbled.

"Everything." The Doctor answered, lost in thoughts. Alex gave him a look while Donna looked at him offended. "Sorry, did I say everything? I meant to say 'nothing'. I was aiming for 'nothing', I accidentally said 'everything'."

"Stand right in the middle of the teleport, please. Keep your hands and feet inside at all times." The teleport operated instructed.

"What about you?" Donna asked.

"And remember to switch off your mobile comm. unit."

"Are you alright?" She asked the Time Lord.

"I'm always alright." The Doctor passed it off. Donna and Alex shared a look.

"Is 'alright' special Time Lord code for… 'Really not alright at all'?"

"Why?" The Doctor asked.

"'Cause we're alright too." Alex said. They looked at each other, understanding each other's sorrows perfectly. Then the Doctor took Donna's hand – he already had Alex's hand tightly in his.

"Come on." They turned and walked out of the Library.

-x-

The Doctor put River's TARDIS book on the balustrade. "Your friend... Professor Song... She knew you two in the future, but she didn't know me. What happens to me? Because when she heard my name, the way she looked at me..."

"Donna... This is her diary. My future. I could look you up. What do you think? Shall we peek at the end?" Donna looked at the brunettes for a moment.

"Spoilers, right?" Donna asked.

They smiled. "Spoilers." Alex repeated. They looked at each other, and then decided to resist temptation. The Doctor put River's sonic screwdriver on the book and they turned to leave.

"Come on. The next chapter's this way." The Doctor said.

"_When you run with the Doctor, it feels like it will never end. But however hard you try, you can't run forever. Everybody knows that everybody dies, and nobody knows it like the Doctor. But I do think that all the skies of all the worlds might just turn dark, if he ever, for one moment accepts it._"

The Doctor ran back to the screwdriver and picked it up. "Why? Why would I give her my screwdriver? Why would I do that? Thing is, future me had years to think about it, all those years to think of a way to save her, and what he did was give her a screwdriver! Why would I do that?" The two women had to jog back to keep up with him. He opened a part of it to reveal green lights behind, like ones of those neural relay. "Oh! Oh! Oh, look at that. I'm very good!"

"What did you do?" Alex asked.

He held up the screwdriver to show them. "Saved her!" He ran away. Alex looked at Donna and Donna to her. Finally, they shrugged in unison and figured it was best to just go back to the TARDIS.

-x-

_The Doctor walked back to the TARDIS. He stopped and snapped his fingers and indeed the doors open. He smiled and walked inside to Donna and Alex who were waiting for him. Then he snapped his fingers again to close the door._

_"__Everybody knows that everybody dies. But not every day. Not today. Some days are special. Some days are so, so blessed. Some days, nobody dies at all. Now and then, every once in a very long while, every day in a million days, when the wind stands fair, and the Doctor comes to call... everybody lives_."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty Three**

_Midnight:_

_Donna had convinced Alex to take a girl's day out, as she called it. Alex had to admit, as she did the whole spa treatment, it was refreshing to do this. Take a break from all the excitement, and adventure, and… well, mostly just all the death. She was a little hesitantly at first about leaving the Doctor. Of course, Donna had to tease her about that, but Donna did finally convince her to just let go for a bit and relax. She soon realized that she _did _spend a lot of time with the Doctor. To her, there was no such thing as spending _too _much time with him. But she figured it was time to let them both go off on their own for a bit. _

_Alex got the whole treatment done, and by the end of the day both Donna and her were lying on a chair, both sunbathing. The brunette looked up when she heard heavy footsteps. She saw her Time Lord walking over slowly. Alex smiled but frowned when she saw the look on his face. Alex got up and walked over to her Time Lord and reached out and hugged him. He hugged back very tightly. It was obvious he needed her touch right now. _

_Alex led him to her chair and they sat down. Donna straightened up also worried. The Doctor explained what happened. "What d'you think it was?" Donna asked._

"_No idea." The Doctor answered._

"_Do you think it's still out there?" Alex asked. Her Time Lord didn't answer. _

"_Well, you'd better tell 'em." Donna said. "This lot."_

"_Yeah. They can build a Leisure Palace somewhere else. Let this planet keep on turning, round an Xtonic star. In silence."_

"_Can't imagine you without a voice." Donna said._

_The Doctor smiled weakly. "Molto Bene."_

"_Molto bene." Alex offered, teasing him._

_That faint smiled disappeared quickly. "No, don't do that. Don't. Don't…" _

_Turn Left:_

_An oriental but clearly alien marketplace. A narrow, crowded alley with various people selling their strange wares. The Doctor with Alex next to him walked away from a stall, sniffing his fingers - they joined Donna. They made their way down the alley, laughing. They each have a beverage in their hand._

"_You're going to love this." The Doctor said, grinning. "One, two, three –" They swigged and gave themselves foamy mustaches. Alex clutched her stomach, laughing hysterically. Donna squealed in laughter. "Ah!" The Doctor said, appreciatively. _

"_Lovely!" Alex giggled. The Doctor leaned down and kissed her deeply. _

_Donna rolled her eyes with a smile. "Oi! Get a room you two!" They broke apart and laughed._

_Alex stalled when she saw some pretty jewelry. The Doctor smiled as he watched her. "Want some?" _

_Alex laughed and tapped his nose gently. "You spoil me, Doctor."_

"_That's the point, Allie." They grinned at each other. Donna walked off, a walk she would never forget as she ran into a fortune teller._

_-x-_

_Alex heard a noise and wandered over. Donna had been in there a while. "Donna?" Alex questioned as the two brunettes walked in obviously._

"_Everything alright?" The Doctor asked. Donna looked at them as if she hasn't seen them in years – and in a way, she hasn't. _

_She threw her arms around the Time Lord, gasping with relief. "Oh, God…!" _

_The Doctor laughed. "What was that for?" He asked._

_Donna was so happy to see them. "I don't know!" She turned and hugged Alex tightly. Alex laughed as she broke the hug to throw her arms around the Time Lord again. Alex turned and screamed, her skin crawling when she saw a beetle on the ground._

_A very… Large… beetle. Alex bit her tongue and swallowed as another scream bubbled up her throat. The Doctor went over to Alex's side and saw it too. Alex whacked his arm. She pointed it at the beetle. "You. Get Rid. Now!" Alex hissed. _

"_What?" The Doctor asked._

"_You're a guy! And my boyfriend." Alex squirmed away from the beetle. "And as such, you get rid of it." She went behind him and pushed him towards it._

_-x-_

_Donna was sitting on the Fortune Teller's box and the Doctor was examining the beetle. Alex was curled up next to him, obviously looking at it creped out. The Doctor poked it with an incense stick. "__I can't remember. It's slipping away. You know like when you try and think of a dream and it just sort of... goes." _

"_It just got lucky, this thing. It's one of the Trickster's Brigade. Changes a life in tiny little ways. Most times, the universe just compensates around it, but with you..." The Doctor finished almost proudly. "Great big parallel world!"_

_Donna smiled. "Hold on, you said parallel worlds are sealed off."_

"_They are. But you had one created around you. Funny thing is, it seems to be happening a lot. To you." The Doctor said._

"_What do you mean?" Alex asked._

"_Well, the Library and then this…" He muttered._

"_Just… Goes with the job. I suppose." Donna passed it off._

_The Doctor observed her with his eyebrow furrowed. "Sometimes I think there's way too much coincidence around you, Donna. I met you once. We met your grandfather. Then we met you again. In the whole wide universe, we met you for a second time." The Doctor's voice turned pensively. "It's like something's binding us together." _

_Donna's voice became skeptical. "Don't be so daft. I'm nothing special."_

"_Yes, you are, you're brilliant." The Doctor said fondly. _

_Donna smiled modestly, but then they remembered something. "She said that." She said faintly._

"_What?" Alex asked. "Who did?"_

"_That woman." Donna strained her mind, trying to remember. But she couldn't. "I can't remember."_

"_Well, she never existed now." The Doctor said._

"_No, but she said…" Something about it seemed important to Donna. "The stars… She said the stars are going out." _

"_Yeah, but Donna, that world's gone." Alex said._

"_No, but she said it was all worlds. Every world." The ginger said it slowly, the details coming back to her. "She said the darkness is coming, even here."_

_That caught the Doctor's attention now. "Who was she?"_

"_I don't know." _

"_What did she look like?" The Doctor seemed to already have his own suspicions. _

"_She was…" Donna thought about for a moment. "Blonde." Alex's heart stopped. She tried to breathe correctly, a bitter, ripping feeling started within her chest. _

"_What was her name?" The Doctor asked quietly, with great restrain._

"_I don't know." Donna repeated._

"_Donna, what was her name?" The Doctor asked insistently, his voice trembling._

_Donna remembered Rose kneeling down next to her. "But she told me… to warn you. She said… two words."_

"_What two words?" The Doctor's words were quiet, suppressed urgency, slightly hollow. "What were they? What did she say?"_

_Donna remembered how Rose whispered the words into her ear. After a moment – "Bad Wolf." The Doctor's eyes widened – he was shaking – because now he knew for sure. "Well, what does it mean?" Donna asked, uncomprehending. Alex's heart stopped, and for a moment Alex faded out, knowing what those words meant. A whole different knowing than that of the Doctor's._

_The Doctor leapt to his feet and burst from the tent in one swift movement. Alex snapped out of it. Donna and she ran after him. _

_Everywhere the Doctor looked, there were posters, banners, flags, 'Bad Wolf', 'Bad Wolf', 'Bad Wolf', printed over and over again. The notice on the door of the TARDIS read only 'Bad Wolf', repeatedly, the glowing letters over the door also proclaiming these foreboding words. The Doctor stared at them; in the utmost shock - he wrenched the doors open –_

_The inside of the TARDIS was flooded with a hellish red light. Donna slammed the door shut behind them. "Doctor, what is it? What's Bad Wolf?" Donna asked._

"_It's the end of the universe." The Doctor breathed heavily._

-x-

The TARDIS materialized on the corner of a perfectly normal suburban street. The Doctor rushed through its door with a look of panic on his face. Donna and Alex followed. They took in their surroundings. Alex was wearing a dark blue sleeveless sweatshirt, with a white tank top underneath; some dark wash jeans; and some purple converse. "It's fine… Everything fine." A milk-cart trundled down the road and stopped a short distance way. The Doctor looked around for something out of the ordinary. "Nothing's wrong, it's all fine."

Alex saw the milkman and called out to him. "Excuse me, excuse me!" The man turned to her. "What day is it?" She asked.

"Saturday." The man answered. He gave them a look like they were crazy.

"Saturday! Good!" The Doctor nodded and turned to Alex and Donna. "Good, I like Saturdays."

"So… I just met Rose Tyler?" Alex felt her insides turn in her. But, she was coming back… She remembered this one… Alex kept all emotions locked up.

"Yeah." The Doctor was still casting uneasy looks about him.

"But she's locked away in a parallel world." Donna pointed out.

The Doctor spoke quickly. "Exactly. If she can cross from her parallel world to your parallel world, then that means the walls of the universe are breaking down, which puts everything in danger. Everything. But how?" The Doctor hurried back to the TARDIS, Donna and Alex following him. The Doctor's severed hand which he kept under the console in a jar trembled slightly. The Doctor pottered around the console, apparently engrossed in pushing buttons and pulling levers.

"The thing is, Doctor... no matter what's happening - and I'm sure it's bad, I get that. But... Rose is coming back. Isn't that good?" Alex felt her heart drop. She didn't say anything, just sat there. The Doctor didn't react for a moment. Then he looked up, eyes shining.

"Yeah." The Doctor whispered, smiling brightly. He looked over to Alex, and couldn't help himself. He walked up to her. She looked up and he lifted her up. He danced her around. He was smiling, but his smile slowly diminished as he started to feel her fear, feel her sorrow. She pressed herself to his chest, burring her face into him. She wished this moment would never end, that she could just stay there, with him, no interruptions. But all good things must come to an end. He sat her back down, smiled at her, and kissed her forehead. Donna smiled, just before the TARDIS gave an almighty crash and a shudder which sent them to the floor.

"What the hell was that?" Donna asked alarmed.

"Did that come from outside?" Alex asked. "Or was it us?" The Doctor got up.

"Outside!" The Doctor answered. He ran to the door and opened it – and was faced with nothing but space, lumps of rock floating lazily around them. The Doctor regarded the view with some shock. Donna and Alex joined him.

"We're in space…" Donna's voice was first bemused. "How did that happen?" Then, her voice rose in fear. "What did you do?"

The Doctor ran back to the console and looked at the monitor. What he saw only puzzled him further. "We haven't moved. We're fixed." He paused for a moment. "It can't have… No." He ran back to the door, stared out, utterly disconcerted. "The TARDIS is still in the same place, but the Earth is gone. The entire planet… It's gone."

"What?" Alex asked. How could a planet be gone like that?

-x-

Donna moved around the console, eyes wide with horror. She spoke slowly. "But… If the Earth's been moved… They've lost the sun. What about my Mum? And Grandad? They're dead? Aren't they? Are they dead?" She asked the Doctor urgently, who was immersed in the computer.

"I don't know, Donna. I just don't know. I'm sorry. I don't know." The Doctor said helplessly.

Alex felt her whole insides quiver as the bottom of her stomach dropped open, and her heart fell through. "But, Doctor, that's the whole _world_. Our planet…"

"There's no readings, nothing." The Doctor said stumped. "Not a trace. Not even a whisper. Oh, that is…" The Time Lord straightened, scratching the back of his neck. "Fearsome technology."

"So, what do we do?" Donna asked, her voice trembling.

The Doctor stared blankly ahead of him. "Donna, Allie, we've got to get help." He said.

"But, Doctor, from where?" Alex asked.

He finally looked at them. "Donna… Allie… I'm taking you two to the Shadow Proclamation. Hold tight." He pulled a lever and the rota began to rise and fall.

-x-

The TARDIS shook violently, Donna, the Doctor, and Alex held onto the console for support. The Doctor tried to operate the controls with one hand. "So go on then – what is the Shadow Proclamation?"

"Posh name for 'police'." The Doctor answered. "Outer space police. Here we go!" The Doctor gave a lurch which sent the Doctor and Alex flat on their backs across the console. They looked at each other, before laughing.

"Whoo…" Alex muttered. "That was fun!" She was still giggling. The Doctor jumped up, still chuckling, and helped her up. The TARDIS materialized near a set of stairs. The Doctor emerged cautiously – he, Alex, and Donna were greeted by a group of armed Judoon, who immediately pointed their guns at them. They raised their hands in surrender.

"Sco po tro no flow jo ko fo to to." The Judoon said.

"No bo ho so ko ro toe so." The Doctor responded. Donna and Alex looked sideways at him with a 'what the hell?' expression. "Bo-ko-do-zo-go-bo-fo-po-jo!" It seemed to work. The Judoon lowered their guns. "Ma ho." They started to walk.

Alex turned to him, and she whacked his arm. "Why couldn't you do that when we were on the moon?"

"Wrong Judoon." He whispered. Alex sighed.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Donna were speaking to the Shadow Architect in a room guarded around the perimeter by the Judoon. The Shadow Architect was skeptical at meeting the Doctor. "Time Lords are the stuff of legend. They belong in the myths and whispers of the Higher Species. You cannot possibly exist?" Alex mentally rolled her eyes. _Hello? Planet missing randomly and mysteriously and this is all you can focus on? Come on_. Alex thought.

"Yeah…" The Doctor shrugged. It wasn't important. "More to the point, I've got a missing planet."

"Then, you're not as wise as the stories would say. The picture is far bigger than you imagine. The whole universe is in outrage, Doctor – twenty-four worlds have been taken from the sky." Alex's eyes widened. _What_?

"How many? Which ones?" The Doctor asked incredulously. "Show me!" He ran to a computer and put his glasses on. The Shadow Architect showed him.

"The locations range far and wide. They all disappeared at the exact same moment, leaving no trace." She said.

The Doctor watched the names flash onto the screen, brow furrowed. "Callufrax Minor, Jahoo, Shallacatop, Woman Wept, Clom - Clom's gone? Who'd want Clom?"

"All different sizes." The Shadow Architect said. "Some populated, some not, but not all unconnected."

"What about Pyrovilia?" Donna asked. She made a good point, back in Pompeii it was said that the planet of Pyrovilia was gone.

"Who are these females?" She asked condescendingly.

Alex shot the woman a look. And just to be definite, she walked right up to the Doctor and leaned down next to him. He bumped her gently. Donna didn't like her tone either. "Donna. I'm a human being. Maybe not the stuff of legend, but every bit as important as Time Lords, thank you."

"What? So you don't like humans?" Alex asked sharply. "Ah well, _too bad_. We're with the Doctor whether you like that or not. And, by the way, I'm Alex Harper, and just because we're not _famous _like Time Lords, doesn't mean were less important, got it?" _Old Hag_. Alex thought bitterly. The Doctor smiled.

Donna turned and spoke to the Doctor. "Way back when we were in Pompeii, Lucius said Pyrovilia had gone missing."

"Pyrovilia is a cold case." A Judoon said.

"Why's that?" Alex asked.

"The planet Pyrovilia cannot be part of this, it disappeared over two-thousand years ago." The Shadow Architect said.

"Yeah, but, hang on." Alex said. Her mind was fuzzy, but she remembered. "The Adipose breeding planet was lost too. Miss. Foster said so… But… That must have been a while ago too."

It hit him. "That's it! Donna, Allie, brilliant! The planets have been taken out of time as well as space." He turned and started to tamper with the computer. "Let's put this into 3D." Holograms of the missing planets appeared through the room. "Now, if we add Pyrovilia." He added Pyrovilia which appeared on the map. "And Adipose 3…" He pressed a button, and Adipose 3 appeared. He mused. "There's something missing. Where else, where else, where else, lost, lost, lost, lost...? OH! The Lost Moon of Poosh!"

The Doctor added the Lost Moon of Poosh and then walks amongst the planets which rearranged themselves. "What happened? What'd you do?" Alex asked.

"Nothing." The Doctor answered. Alex walked over to him and looked around at the planets. "The planets rearranged themselves into the optimum pattern." He was appreciative. "Oh... look at that. Twenty-seven planets in perfect balance. Come on, that is gorgeous!"

Donna snapped him out of it. "Oi! Don't get all spaceman, what does it mean?"

The Doctor took Alex's hand and they came too stood next to Donna. "All those worlds fit together like pieces of an engine. It's like a power house. But what for?"

"Who could design such a thing?" The Shadow Architect asked.

"Someone tried to move the Earth once before." The Doctor was deep in his thoughts. "A long time ago…" He was talking to himself. "Can't be…"

-x-

The Doctor and the Shadow Architect were by the computer, clearly at a loss for now. Donna was sitting on the stairs. She whipped a tear away. Alex was near here, just staring off into space. She leaned against the railing of the stairs. Everyone she knew on planet Earth was circling around in her mind. She knew the Doctor was peeking concerned glances at her, she could feel it.

Slowly, the sounds around her were blocked out except for a single sound of a heart beat… Alex flinched and jumped slightly when an albino servant held up a cup and saucer to the two of them. "You need substances." She said, speaking to both of them. "Take the water, it purifies."

"Thanks." Donna said dully. Alex took it with just as much enthusiasm.

"There was something on your back." Alex looked at her. She turned to Donna and shared a look with the red head.

"How did you know?" Donna asked in alarm.

"You are something new." Alex felt uneasy. Even if Donna didn't know what that meant, Alex did.

Donna shook her head slowly and looked away. "Not me. I'm just a temp. Short hand, filing, a hundred words per minute. Fat lot of good that is now. I'm no use to anyone."

"I'm sorry for you loss." She said.

"Yeah, whole planet's gone." Alex mumbled.

The Albino whispered as if imparting a great secret. "I mean the loss that is yet to come." The two girls looked at her. She averted her eyes. "God save you." She went to leave. Alex jumped up and to the servant.

"Wait, wait, wait." She finally turned to the human girl. "Um…" Alex wasn't sure how to ask it, but she kept being told that she was going to change. She wanted to know what that meant.

"You will die, Alex Harper." Her heart stopped. She just stared at the woman for a long moment, uncomprehending.

"… W-What?" She asked her voice just barely above a whisper.

"You will die. I'm sorry. Trust in your love." She rushed off. The Doctor walked over to Alex and took her shoulders.

"Allie?" He asked alarmed. "Allie, what's wrong?" She was white as paper and shaking. She reached out for her safety and gripped his jacket. "What did she say?" The Doctor tried to get her to talk. He saw that she would open her mouth, but no words would come out. "Did she say you were going to change?"

"No." Her voice cracked as she held back tears. "She said… She said I was going to…" Alex couldn't say it for a long moment. "I was going to _die_."

The Doctor froze for a moment, just staring at his shaking brunette. He took her into his arms and buried his face into her hair. Silent tears fell from her cheeks. "No." He muttered, more to himself. "You're not going to die. I won't let that happen." He said. He snapped out of it, and keeping his arms tightly around her, he looked at Donna. "Donna, come on, think. Earth. There must have been some sort of warning. Was there anything happening back in your day, like… Electric storms, freak weather, patterns in the sky?"

"Well, how should I know?" Donna asked, not in the mood. She still thought about it. "Um… No. I don't think so, no."

He sighed. "Oh, okay, never mind."

"Although… The bees were disappearing." Donna offered. Alex perked up, the Doctor always focused on that whenever she mentioned it.

"The bees are disappearing." The Doctor said sarcastically. "The _bees _are disappearing." Alex gave him a look. She was trying to help. Alex whipped her face and slowly slipped from the Doctor's grip. However, realization slowly dawned on him. "The bees are disappearing!" He practically yelled it. He ran over to the computer.

"How is that significant?" The Shadow Architect asked.

Donna rushed over to join them. "On Earth, we have these insects. Some people said it was pollution or mobile signals."

"Or… They were going back home?"

The human girls just stared at him. "Back home where?" Donna asked.

"The planet Melissa Majoria." The Doctor answered.

"Are you saying bees are aliens?"

"That's why!" Alex said. "That's why those nasty little things are evil. They're aliens!"

"Don't be daft." The Doctor said. "Not all of them. But, if the migrant bees felt something, some sort of danger, and escaped... Tandocca!"

The Shadow Architect was beginning to understand. "The Tandocca Scale."

The Doctor turned to the girls and jabbered at top speed. "The Tandocca Scale is a series of wavelengths used as carrier signals by migrant bees. Infinitely small, no wonder we didn't see it. It's like looking for a speck of cinnamon in the Sahara. But look!" He pointed at the screen excitedly. "There it is. The Tandocca Scale." On the screen, there was a trail of blue light. "The transmat that moved that planets was using the same wavelength! We can follow the path!"

Donna and Alex were already half way cross to the TARDIS. "And find the Earth." Alex finished for him. "Well stop talking at that ridiculous high speed and just do it already, Time Lord!" Alex waved her hand for her Time Lord.

The Doctor was hot on their trail. "I am!"

-x-

The Doctor darted to the console's monitor. "We're a bit late. The signal's scattered, but it's a start!" The Doctor ran back to the door, poked his head out to the awaiting Shadow Architect and Judoon. Alex rushed over and pressed her head to the door to listen. "I've got a blip. It's just a blip, but it's defiantly a blip." Alex giggled.

"Then according to the strictures of the Shadow Proclamation, I will seize your transport and your technology." Alex' face fell. _What_? _Why_?

The Doctor was rather taken aback. "Oh, really? What for?"

"The planets were stolen with hostile intent." The Shadow Architect explained. "We are declaring war, Doctor. Right across the universe. And you will lead us into battle." Alex rolled her eyes, _as if _the Doctor would do that.

"Right. Yes. Course I will." It was obvious he wasn't crazy about the idea. "Just go and… get you a key." The Doctor opened the door and grinned at Alex. She grinned back. Of course, he had no intention of coming back out. He flung his coat over the one of the support beams and joined Donna at the console, and threw them a cheeky, wild grin as he pulled a lever.

-x-

The rota rose and fell. The three time travelers held onto the console for support – and it stopped dead. Alex's smile, she always had a smile when hearing the TARDIS fly, fell instantly. "It's stopped…" The Doctor muttered.

"What do you mean?" Donna asked, voicing Alex's thoughts. "Is that good or bad? Where are we?"

He was observing the monitor. "The Medusa Cascade." Alex looked over his shoulder to see they were flying leisurely through the Medusa Cascade. "I came here when I was a child." The Doctor said, reminiscing. "Ninety years old. It was the centre of a rift in time and space."

"So… Where are the twenty-seven planets?" Donna asked.

"Nowhere." The Doctor said quietly. "The Tandocca trail stops dead." He rested his head back against a support. "End of the line."

Donna swallow nervously, but not without faith. Alex watched the Doctor and looked back and forth between the motionless Time Lord and his valiant ship. She could feel panic rise up in her. He wasn't doing anything. She could feel that he was helpless. She could feel that he had given up. But… The Doctor never gave up. Alex tried to calm her hitching breath.

"So, what do we do? Doctor? What do we do?" The Doctor said nothing. He merely continued to watch the screen, with an air of defeat. "Don't do this to us." Donna pleaded. She shook her head in denial and whispered. "No, don't. Don't do this to us. Not now." She spoke more urgently now. "Tell us what we're going to do!" Still, the Doctor said nothing. His wordlessness, his uncharacteristic hopelessness, scared them more than anything.

"Doctor!" Alex's voice was one of panic. "You… You never give up! You never give in! You always find a way!" She was begging now. "_Please_!" Still nothing. Donna put a first put one hand over her mouth, and then the other. Alex ran her hands through her hair. She slid down against the console. He had given up… The Doctor had actually given up. Alex curled up, now completely terrified.

-x-

They all just stood around. Suddenly, a beeping came to their ears. The three of them perked up. Alex and the Doctor shared a look… They knew what that was. The Doctor snapped out of his state of defeat in a second. "_Phone_!"

"Doctor, that's a phone." They looked at each other again. The Doctor had only one phone…

The Doctor answered it. "Martha, is that you?" He didn't seem to get a reply. "It's a signal…"

"Can we follow it?" Donna asked.

He pulled his stethoscope determinedly. "Oh, just watch me." He placed his phone down in front of the monitor and pressed his stethoscope to it. After a few minutes, he got it. "Got it! Locking on!" He pulled a lever, causing a shudder that sent them falling all over the place again. Sparks flew from the console. The whole consol went up in flames. The TARDIS shook violently. Donna and Alex gasped. "We're traveling through time!" The Doctor yelled over the noise. "One second in the future! The phone call's pulling us in! _Three_! _Two_! _One_!"

The Doctor, Alex, and Donna held on tight, yelling like they were on a rollercoaster. The TARDIS hurtled towards the now visible Earth through the transmission. The other 26 planets appeared around it, one by one. The fire had died down and the TARDIS had stopped shaking. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna stared at the monitor, beginning to smile as they realized – they've found it. "The twenty-seven planets!" The red head spotted the Earth on the screen, delighted. "And there's the Earth! But why couldn't we see it?"

"The entire Medusa Cascade has been put a second out of sync with the rest of the universe. Perfect hiding place, tiny little pocket of time. But we found them!" There was a whirring sound, the screen blurred slightly. "Oh, oh… What's that?" The Doctor muttered curiously. "Hold on, hold on…" He turned a knob and peered into the monitor. "Some sort of… subwave network."

The image cleared, the grid of the webcams was shown on the screen – the Doctor, Alex, and Donna replaced Harriet Jones. "Jack!" Alex cried, so happy to see them. "Martha!"

Jack laughed in relief, but then became angry. "Where the hell have you been? Doctor, Lex, it's the Daleks!"

"Ooh, he's a bit nice." Gwen said. "I thought he'd be older."

"He's not that young." Another man said.

"It's the Daleks!" Sarah Jane said. "They're taking people to their spaceship." Sarah Jane and Martha jabbered over each other. The Doctor watched them, with a smile on his face. Alex was next to him, bumping him, as if to silently say 'there they are! There they are!' His smile turned wider as he turned to his brunette.

-x-

"But it's not just Dalek Caan!" Martha said.

"That's Donna!" Sylvia said, spotting Donna.

"That's my girl!" Wilfred said, proud of her. Rose was overcome with seeing the Doctor's face again, but she felt dread when she saw how he looked at the brunette girl. Rose felt a sensation of jealousy and anger pool up in her. Who was that?

-x-

"Sarah Jane!" The Doctor said, beaming. "Who's that boy? That must be Torchwood. Aren't they brilliant?"

"Well, there is a reason why you like humans so much, Doctor." Alex said with a small laugh. He chuckled, knowing how true that was. Rose couldn't stop from just watching the screen fondly; she completely ignored the brunette, as if she didn't even exist.

"Look at you all, you clever people!" The Doctor said fondly.

"That's Martha!" Donna said, recognizing her. "And who's…" She pointed a mischievous look on her face. "… He?"

"Captain Jack." The Doctor turned to her. "Don't!" He shook his finger at her warningly. "Just… Don't!"

-x-

"Doctor, it's me. I came back." Rose said quietly, unable to take her eyes of her. She glared at the brunette. The Doctor had turned to her and grinned at her, she giggled at him. Rose rolled her eyes.

-x-

The Doctor looked from Jack to Sarah Jane to Martha, taking them in, as if looking for someone else. "It's like… An outer-space Facebook!" Donna said. Alex laughed.

"Everyone except Rose…" The Doctor muttered to himself. Alex's smile slowly diminished. Rose felt a high at that. The screen turned to white noise. "Ah…" The Doctor said annoyed.

"We lost them…" Alex said anxiously.

The Doctor turned a knob. "No, no, no, no, no! There's another signal coming through, there's someone else out there." He bashed the top of the monitor. "Hello? Can you hear me?" He then asked hopefully. "Rose?" Alex's heart dropped and she looked away.

He watched the monitor, breathing heavily, waiting, but – "Your voice is different, and yet, its arrogance is unchanged." The Doctor recognized the voice instantly. He froze. Davros emerged from the shadow, shedding light on his shocking form. Alex gasped and put her hands over to face in horror. It was more reflex than anything that caused the Doctor to take her into him, hiding her from the sight. "Welcome… To my new empire, Doctor." Donna took a step back in revulsion. "It is only fitting that you should bear witness to the resurrection and the triumph of Davros, Lord and Creator of the Dalek Race."

The Doctor seemed literally frozen in fear. He cannot speak. "Doctor?" Alex asked.

"Have you nothing to say?" Davros asked.

"Doctor, it's alright." Donna tried to reassure. "We're… We're in the TARDIS. We're safe."

"But you were destroyed." The Doctor said numbly. His voice was shaky. "In the very first year of the Time War." Alex closed her eyes at the onset of images. "At the Gates of Elysiem. I saw your command ship flying into the jaws of the Nightmare Child. I tried to save you…"

"But it took one stronger than you. Dalek Caan himself." Davros answered. Alex opened her eyes, the name sounded familiar.

"I flew into the wild and fire." Dalek Caan said in a sing song voice. "I danced and died a thousand times!"

"Emergency temporal shift took him back into the Time War itself." Davros explained.

"But that's impossible." The Doctor said angry and disbelieving. "The entire War is time-locked."

"And yet, he succeeded." Davros contradicted. "Oh, it cost him his mind, but image – a single, simple Dalek succeeded where Emperors and Time Lords have failed. A testament, don't you think, to my remarkable creation?"

"And you made a new race of Dalek." The Doctor said, scowling. _My God, they are like cockroaches_. Alex thought. That was the perfect parallel to a Dalek. They were cockroaches. The Universal Cockroaches.

"I gave myself to them." Davros responded. "Quite literally. Each one grown cell from my own body." He pulled his leather suit open to reveal his rotten, emaciated form, his lungs and heart visible. Alex pressed deeper into the Doctor, closing her eyes, completely horrified. "New Daleks. True Daleks. I have my children, Doctor. What do you have?"

The Doctor was barely over the shock at seeing him. "After all this time… Everything we saw, everything we lost… I have only one thing to say to you." The Doctor suddenly grinned, "Bye!" He said loudly with full of maniac energy. He pulled a lever, cutting him off. The TARDIS hurtled towards Earth.

-x-

The TARDIS materialized outside a church – the road was full with abandoned cars parked haphazardly, overturned pushchairs and bicycles, scattered garbage, and unnatural silence. As if to underline this message, dogs barked in the distance. "It's like a ghost town." Donna said uneasy as they stepped out.

"Sarah Jane said they were taking people." The Doctor muttered. "But what for?" He turned to the girls, urging Donna to remember. "Think, Donna. When you met Rose in that parallel world, what did she say?"

"Just… The Darkness is coming." Donna said.

"Anything else?" The Doctor asked. Donna thought for a moment – then both the women's eyes were caught by something over the Doctor's shoulder. Alex's face fell from whatever it was, and just stared at the pavement.

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Donna said softly. The Doctor furrowed his brow, uncomprehending. A small smile spread across Donna's face. Alex closed her eyes, despair curling into her. This was it. He was going to turn around, see Rose, fall in love all over again, and she was going to be left… Picking up the pieces. The Doctor followed her gaze, turning around wide eye… And there she was, at the far end of the street – Rose.

She paused as he turned around and smiled with sheer joy. The Doctor could not believe his eyes, for a moment. He was just staring. Rose broke into a run, and then, so did the Doctor. Rose was weighed down somewhat by her gun, but the Doctor more than made up for that, sprinting towards her like's there's nothing else he wanted more, with an expression of pure exhilarations. Alex's eyes drift away from the touching scene with faint tears coming to her eyes. Slowly, her eyes landed on a Dalek.

Her eyes widened and her head snapped over to the Doctor. "_Doctor_!" Alex screamed, but it was too late. The Time Lord turned, instinctive to Alex's shout. His liquid brown eyes just met hers, and saw she lifted her hands to her face in horror.

"Exterminate!" The Dalek drew his attention to it. The Dalek shot at him. The death ray only skimmed his chest, but it was enough. Alex screamed. Alex ran as quickly as her small, damn, legs could take her. Jack appeared in a flash of blue light, and with an impressively quick surmise of the situation, used his gun to blow the top off the Dalek. Rose dumped her gun on the floor and got to the fallen Time Lord first.

"I've got you. It missed you. Look!" She smiled shakily. "It's me, Doctor."

"Rose." He smiled, but then turned. "Allie." He gasped. "Allie." Rose frowned. Who was '_Allie_?' Rose got her answer when that same brunette girl crashed into the ground next to him.

"Oh my God, Doctor." Rose watched as he lifted his hand to her. She took it with tears running down her face. "Oh my God, you're okay. You're gonna be fine." She smiled uneasy.

The Time Lord pressed his knuckles to her cheek. "Shhh…" He muttered. He hated it when Alex cried. "Its fine, Allie. It's gonna be fine." She laughed very quietly and nuzzled against his hand. They smiled shakily at each other. Rose frowned bitterly. He turned to Rose again, and the blonde covered up her disgust. "Long time no see." He said weakly.

"Yeah." She said as though it put it mildly. "Been busy, you know." The Doctor convulsed.

"Doctor," Alex shook. "Don't die. Please, oh God, please, don't die." He opened his mouth, to assure her, but he couldn't though the convulsions his body was going through.

Jack and Donna reached them. "Get him in the TARDIS, quickly. Move!" Between them, Rose, Donna, and Alex helped the Doctor get to his feet. Jack picked up Rose's gun, scanning the area for a threat.

-x-

The three girls laid the Doctor down on the grilling where he twitched and moaned in pain. Rose and Alex watched him helplessly. The Doctor had refused to let go of Alex's hand, and she had her wrapped tightly around his. Rose cradled him, but she saw that he was leaning towards the brunette, holding her hands to his cheeks. Tears were spilling from all the girls' eyes. "What – what do we do?" Donna asked in distress. "There must be some medicine or something!"

Jack threw the guns onto the seat. "Just step back." Jack turned to the blonde and brunette. "Rose! Lex! Do as I say, and get back!"

Rose and Alex couldn't even look away from him, let alone get back. "He's dying." Jack said to them, firmly but gently. "And you both know what happens next."

Donna slowly stood and looked at Jack. "What do you mean?"

"But you can't…" Rose whispered through copious tears. "Not now, I came all this way."

"What do you mean? What happens next?" Donna asked frantically. The Doctor held out his free hand before him – he, Rose, and Alex stared at apprehensively. It was glowing an orange light.

"No." Alex's voice broke. "No, no, please, Doctor, you can't. Not now. Please, don't." She begged. He stared at her, as if taking in the look one last time, she sobbed. He ran his hand down her face, taking in the sight of his beautiful brunette girl.

"It's starting." The Doctor said. His whole body started to glow. He groaned. Rose and Alex looked on, powerless, shaking and crying. Jack finally pried Rose away from the Doctor and took Alex next. He pulled them a safe distance.

"Here we go!" Jack took hold of Rose and Donna. Alex stood off to the side, looking about ready to just run. "Good luck, Doctor." The Doctor strained to his feet.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Donna asked also in tears.

Rose's voice was trembling. "When he's dying, his – his body, it – it repairs itself, it changes."

"Doctor, you can't!" Alex's anguish was ineffectual. "You can't, you can't… you can't." Her voice broke.

"I'm sorry. It's too late." The Doctor said. "I'm regenerating!" He threw his head backwards, his arms flung wide – orange energy exploded from his skin, erupting through the neck and sleeves of his suit. Donna, Rose, Jack, and Alex were forced to avert their eyes. Alex turned around, sobbing, closing her eyes in utter despair. Rose squinted through the blaze to watch as he regenerated, desperate to see what came next.

_To Be Continued_…


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty Four**

Orange energy was exploding from the Doctor's skin. Suddenly, he directed this energy at his hand underneath the TARDIS console – it bubbled and glowed, the energy flowing through it. The Doctor stopped regenerating and stumbled backwards, breathless – the same man. Donna and Rose gaped. "Now, then. Where were we?" He darted back to the console. Donna, Rose, and Jack only stood there, stunned. Alex was relieved beyond belief.

The Doctor got onto his hands and knees before his hand in a jar, which was still bubbling and glowing. "There, now." He said softly. He blew gently onto the jar, and it calmed down – stopped glowing and bubbling. The Doctor smiled, delighted. He sat up. "You see? Used the regeneration energy to heal myself, but as soon as that was done, I didn't need to change. I didn't want to, why would I?" He tweaked his tie. "Look at me! So, to stop the energy going all the way, I siphoned off the rest into a handy bio-matching receptacle - namely, my hand. My hand, there. My handy spare hand." He stood up and spoke to Rose. "Remember? Christmas Day? Sycorax? Lost my hand in a sword fight? That's my hand!" Rose looked slowly from the hand to him, still uncertain. "What do you think?"

"And… You're still you?" She edged towards him.

"I'm still me." The Time Lord's eyes were twinkling. They threw their arms around each other. Rose buried her face into his shoulder. The Doctor's eyes slid over to Alex. He stopped hugging Rose and the blonde was taken back. She watched as he walked over to the brunette. "Allie…?" He slowly reached out for her.

She whirled around and he jumped back, worried about getting smacked again. But Alex sobbed and was still shaking. His eyes softened. He must have really scared her. He reached out again. "Doctor…" She sobbed.

"Shhh now." He took her shoulders. "Look at me, Allie, look at me." He cupped her chin to force her to look at him. "I'm still me." He repeated softer. He ran his thumb down her cheek. They just locked eyes with one another and suddenly they were in a hug. Both had been so scared that they weren't going to see each other again. He buried his face into her hair; she buried her face into his shoulder.

Rose frowned at the scene. It had been her moment, but the girl had to ruin it. It was really starting to bug her, who the hell was this brunette girl anyways? "You can hug me, if you want." Donna said jokingly. Jack laughed, but she added seriously. "No, really, you can hug me." The Doctor and Alex clung to each other, never wanting to let go. The Doctor was beaming.

"Doctor," She felt him perk up, just a tad, his face still buried in her hair. "I love you." She said, her voice muffled by his shoulder.

He sighed, so happy that he could hear that again. "I love you too, Allie. Always." He said his voice just as muffled by her hair.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Donna, Jack, and Rose were gathered around the console. The power cut out. The Doctor shuffled around the TARDIS, trying various buttons. "They've got us. Power's gone… Some kind of chronon loop." There was a great crash and the TARDIS leaned dangerously to one side.

The ship finally titled back and stilled, but Alex guessed they were still moving. "There's a massive Dalek ship at the centre of the planets." Jack was explaining. "They're calling it the Crucible. Guess that's our destination."

"You said that the planets were like an engine. But for what?" Alex asked. She noticed that Rose would frown every time she spoke. She would also give Alex a look. Not a glare, necessarily, but there was some malice in it. Alex, not one to be walked all over on, returned the looks. She stayed near the Doctor, he didn't mind, in fact he still had her tightly in his arms.

The Time Lord's chin was resting on her head. He remembered something. "Rose! You've been in a parallel world, that world's running ahead of this universe - you've seen the future, what was it?"

Rose shot Alex a smug look that the Doctor was asking her. Alex just rolled her eyes, having enough of the blonde's irritable nature. She looked away, and nuzzled into the Doctor's chest. He rubbed her back. "It's the darkness." Rose gave as the only response.

"The stars were going out." Donna added.

"One by one. We looked up at the sky and they were just dying. Basically, we've been building this um... this travel machine, this... uh... Dimension Cannon, so I could... well, so I could..."

The Doctor raised his eyebrows. "What?" He asked.

"So I could come back." Rose answered, as if it were obvious. The Doctor beamed and giggled. Alex felt her heart sink as Rose smirked. He leaned down and kissed Alex's head. The brunette girl felt some comfort from that. "Shut up." Rose continued. "Anyway, suddenly, it started to work. And the dimensions started to collapse." The Doctor's smile slowly faded away. "Not just in our world - not just in yours - but the whole of reality, even the Void was dead. Something is... destroying everything."

"In that parallel world," Rose turned to Donna. "You said something about me."

"The Dimension Cannon could measure timelines, and it's... it's weird, Donna, but they all seem to converge on you."

"But why me?" Donna asked genuinely bemused. "I mean… What have I ever done? I'm a temp from Chiswick!"

-x-

The Doctor was sitting on the ground of the TARDIS. He was looking at the console, thinking deeply. Rose watched as Alex walked over to him. "Hey." She said quietly.

He snapped out of his thoughts. "Hey." He said just as softly. Rose came over as well. "Hey." He repeated to her.

"Hey." Rose sat down next to him. The Doctor looked over at his brunette, confused as to why she hadn't sat down. She was leaning against the console. He motioned her to sit. She shook her head, he frowned.

"Come on, Allie." He said. She sighed and sat down, he opened his legs and she sat between them. She curled up into his chest, and refused to look at the blonde.

"So, who are you?" Rose finally asked.

"Ah," The Doctor said, realizing something. "You two haven't met yet. Rose Tyler, Alex Harper. Alex Harper, Rose Tyler."

"Hi." Alex greeted quietly.

"Nice to meet you." Rose said, Alex shot her a look, she could hear the rude tone in Rose's voice. The Doctor pressed his lips to Alex's head. The Doctor went on to explain how Alex and him met. He didn't notice how Alex was suddenly quiet, never imputing much, unless he encouraged her.

"So…" Rose blinked. "If she's from a parallel world, shouldn't she be going back?" The Doctor's smile was whipped away. He tensed up.

"No." He said suddenly, sure of himself.

"But Doctor, she can't stay here –"

"No." He repeated. However, panic was starting to rise up into his eyes. "No. She's staying."

"Doctor –"

"No!" He shot up and knocked Alex onto her back. They looked at him surprised. He ran a hand through his hair frustrated. "Allie," He picked her up. "You're not going to leave, right?" He asked, and she could see the panic in his eyes. So many people had already left him; it was obvious he didn't want her to leave.

"No." She said softly. "I'm not leaving."

"You're staying, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah."

"Doctor, she's from a different world, she has to go back at some point." Rose objected.

"_No_!" He turned and stormed off to another side of the TARDIS.

Alex watched him before whirling around to Rose. "Ya know what? I've been keeping quiet because you're Rose Tyler and he cares about you. But ya know what? I don't care anymore. I hate anyone that upsets him. So listen up, Tyler, 'cause I'm only going to say this once. I'm not leaving him, I'm not going, and you better just suck it up, 'cause I'm not ever leaving him unless _he _wants me to leave. Not you, Tyler, _him_. If you really loved him you would have left him alone when you saw that he was upset, but _no_, you just _had _to keep going, because you're just selfish bitch who cares for no one but herself."

Rose's eyes shinned with anger but Alex turned and rushed over to her Time Lord before she could say something. Alex found him leaning against another beam, his hands over his face. She could feel he was straining. She reached out slowly. "Doctor…?"

He turned sharply, causing Alex to flinch her hand back. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Allie," He grabbed her and held her tightly.

"I'm not going anywhere, Doctor." She said softly. "Nowhere. Well, not anywhere without you." She felt him smile. "I'm staying with you, always. Just like I promised." He sighed, feeling better now that she's admitted that. He couldn't figure out why Rose would do something like that to him. He kissed Alex's head. A beeping drew them from their moment. He walked over to the monitor.

"The Dalek Crucible." The Doctor announced. "All aboard." The TARDIS zoomed towards the huge planet-shaped Crucible.

"The TARDIS is secure." A Dalek announced. Alex could hear them through the valiant ship's doors.

"Doctor!" A deeper Dalek voice spoke up. It spoke with authority and coldness that shook Alex deeply. "You will step forth or die!"

The Doctor was watching the doors, also hearing the Daleks. "We'll have to go out. 'Cause if we don't, they'll get in."

"You told me nothing can get through those doors." Rose pointed out alarmed.

"You've got extrapolator shields." Jack added.

The Time Lord turned back to Rose and Jack. "Last time we fought the Daleks, they were scavengers and hybrids and mad. But this is a fully fledge Dalek Empire… At the height of its power. Experts at fighting TARDISes, they can do anything." Jack and Rose realized the vulnerability of their position, their eyes widen with fear. "Right now, that wooden door… Is just wood."

Donna and Alex stood apart from them, staring straight ahead, not listening because all they could hear was the steady beating of a heart, becoming louder, and closer… "What about your dimension jump?" Jack asked, in the background of the women's minds.

"It needs another twenty minutes," Rose answered, her voice just as faint. "And anyways, I'm not leaving."

"What about your teleport?" The Doctor asked.

"Went down with the power-loss." Jack answered.

"Right then. All of us together… Yeah." He finally looked at the two girls, noticing their lack of interactions. "Donna? Allie?" Donna and Alex didn't react. They were staring straight ahead, eyes moist, mouths open, heads filled with the heartbeat. The Doctor went to Donna first, concerned. "Donna?" He snapped her out of her trance when he took her shoulders.

"Yeah." She replied, focusing now.

"I'm sorry, there's nothing else we can do." The Doctor said.

Donna nodded. "No, I know." He turned to his brunette. She was standing now, looking at the TARDIS doors without seeing them.

"Allie?" He walked over to her. She could hear the heartbeat, but something else was coming to her mind. Sounds of fire, a huge, crackling fire, she could hear it everywhere. It was like she couldn't escape it. She could hear the faint sounds of screaming as people died, but the sound of the fire tuned them all out.

He cupped Alex's face. She snapped out of it and her head turned to the Doctor. "Huh? What?" She asked a little bewildered.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"No. I'm okay." She replied.

He watched her for a moment, "I'm sorry." He repeated. "But we don't have any other choice, Allie."

"No, no, Doctor." Alex said. "I know." The Doctor nodded, mouthing 'okay', and turned to the doors.

"Surrender, Doctor, and face your Dalek masters." That same deep Dalek voice commanded.

"Daleks." Rose laughed nervously. "Heh."

"Oh God." Jack laughed as well. They were watching the Doctor, so absolutely confident in him.

"Can't get any better than this." Alex added. She was smiling. The Doctor turned to them.

"It's been good, though, hasn't it?" He asked. Donna smiled. "All of us… All of it… Everything we did…" He turned to Donna. "You were brilliant." Her smile widened and she nodded. "You were brilliant." He said to Jack. Jack grinned. "You were brilliant." He said to Rose. She smiled sadly. "And you…" He turned to his Alex. "Oh, you were brilliant." Alex smiled at him. "Blimey." The Doctor turned to the doors, resigned. Rose and Jack followed him. After a deep breath – Donna and Alex made a move to follow him. They got near the door when the heartbeat sounded up again in their minds. They paused. They looked at each other, as if silently asking 'do you hear that too?' they turned to the console, eyebrows furrowed.

"Donna? Allie?" The Doctor called over his shoulder. "It's no safer in there…" Donna gave herself a little shake as Alex shook her head. They turned back to the doors – it closed. Upon hearing the doors slam shut, the Doctor rushed back to the doors.

"What?" Alex tried the doors. They wouldn't budge. "What?" She slammed her hands against the doors.

"Doctor?" Alex tried the handles again, still nothing. "What've you done?" Donna asked.

"It wasn't me, I didn't do anything." The Doctor replied through the doors.

"Oi!" Alex kicked the doors. "This isn't funny, let us out! We're not being left behind!"

She could hear the Doctor on the other side. "What did you do?" He asked the Daleks.

"This is not of Dalek origin." He answered.

Both girls were now banging on the doors and yelling. "Doctor! Doctor let us out!" Alex cried.

"Doctor!" Donna echoed.

"Stop it." The Doctor said to the Daleks angrily. "They're my friends. Now, open the doors and let them out."

"This is Time Lord Treachery." The Supreme Dalek answered.

"Me?" The Doctor asked. "The door just closed on its own!"

"Nevertheless: The TARDIS is a weapon and it will be destroyed." The TARDIS fell through a trap door that opened underneath it. Donna and Alex stumbled around as the TARDIS fell through a long tunnel.

"What're you doing?" The Time Lord yelled, staring at the trapdoor in horror. "Bring it back!"

-x-

The TARDIS was gaining speed. Both women tried to keep their bearings, grabbing onto anything.

-x-

"What've you done? Where is it going?" The Doctor asked urgently, panicking.

"The Crucible has a heart of Z-Neutrino Energy. The TARDIS will be deposited into the core." The Supreme Dalek said.

"But you can't," The Doctor said in horror. "You've taken the defenses down!" His voice rose. "It'll be tore apart!"

-x-

The TARDIS shot out of the tunnel and into the core, which resembled the sun, a burning ball of fire. The lights around the console smashed inside the TARDIS. Donna and Alex screamed. Small fires sprung up around the grilling. The TARDIS sunk further into the energy.

-x-

Rose advanced to the Supreme Dalek. "But Donna's still in there!" She objected.

"So is Lex." Jack added. "Let them go!" He said angrily.

-x-

Donna and Alex were crouched down by the console, emitting small screams. They shielded themselves from small explosions and sparks and fire flying all around them.

-x-

"The females and the TARDIS will perish together! Observe." A holographic screen appeared above them – they turned to look at it. The Doctor approached it with dread as he saw his TARDIS bobbing in the energy. "The last child of Gallifrey is powerless." The Doctor watched in horror, powerless indeed.

-x-

Absolute chaos, sparks flying, glass smashing – the smoke was beginning to choke Alex and Donna.

-x-

The Doctor couldn't take it. "Please." He said, beseeching the Supreme Dalek. "I'm begging you, I'll do anything!" He looked from the Dalek to the screen. He could see it so clearly, Alex's face, dying in the TARDIS. He could see Donna's face next to hers, also dying. Finally, he gestured to himself. "Put me in their place!" His face was growing redder as he yelled. "You can do anything to me, I don't care, just get them out of there!"

-x-

Donna was on her hands and knees. Alex was sitting against the console. They were coughing and panting – then they stopped, their eyes caught by the hand, their heads filled with the heartbeat. An ethereal glow of the hand was reflected on their faces. They reached out and touched the jar. The orange energy engulfed them. They gasped, shaking violently – the jar broke.

-x-

The Doctor watched the screen through gritted teeth, breathing heavily, and trembling. He could see Alex – _his _Alex – so clearly in his mind. He promised he would always protect her… He promised that he would never let anything hurt her… He had failed. She was dying. The knife in his hearts was so deep, digging into him, turning slowly, painfully. "You are connected to the TARDIS. Now, feel it die." The Doctor broke into a sweat.

-x-

The destruction of the TARDIS continued around the two women, but they seemed strangely immune to it. The energy had now left them and had now engulfed the hand, which lied on the grill. Alex's vision was blurry as she seemed to just fade in and out. She turned lazily to the hand, watching it. Its fingers twitched. Donna and Alex watched it, brows furred in confusion, as the energy spread outward from the hand into the shape of a man. When the shape was fully formed, it suddenly sat up – the energy was shaken from it, to reveal the Doctor, eyes wide, in all his bare man glory.

"It's you…!" Donna muttered amazed as Alex was.

"Oh yes." The Doctor answered.

Alex looked down and then up quickly. She blushed. "You're naked." She squeaked.

"Oh yes." The TARDIS continued to smash around them.

-x-

"Total TARDIS destruction in ten rels." The Supreme Dalek announced. Rose went over to the motionless Doctor and took his hand. He seemed to make a face, he wanted Alex's touch, her touch always made everything better, and yet, there she was, on the screen, dying. "Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five!"

-x-

From his position on the floor, the Doctor pressed a button on the console with gritted teeth and wild eyes.

-x-

"Four! Three! Two! One!" The TARDIS faded away. "The TARDIS has been destroyed. Now, tell me, Doctor… What do you feel?" The Doctor watched the screen still, a dark expression clouding his face. "Anger? Sorrow? Despair?"

"Yeah." The Doctor whispered. Rose looked at him all the concern of one of the few people who knew what the TARDIS meant to him.

"Then, if emotions are so important, surely, we have enhanced you."

The Doctor wasn't the only one that was feeling. Jack cared for Alex as well. Sure, they bickered, but everyone knew that they cared for each other… Like brother and sister. "Yeah? Feel this!" He turned and shot the Supreme Dalek. The bullets bounce off him ineffectually.

"Exterminate!" The Supreme Dalek sent a death-ray Jack's way and he screamed in pain and fell to the floor, apparently dead.

Rose fell to her knees beside him in distress. "Jack! Oh my God. Oh, no…"

The Doctor knelt beside her. "Rose…" He said softly, so only she could hear him. "Come here. Leave him."

"They killed him." Rose whispered, horrified.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Escort them to the vault." The Doctor pulled Rose to her feet, his arm around her. "They are the playthings of Davros, now." A Dalek lead the Doctor and Rose from the room. The Doctor glanced back at Jack, who winked.

-x-

The TARDIS glided away from the Crucible. The Doctor was wearing his blue trousers and a burgundy top as he stood on the railing, mending the TARDIS by the door. "All repaired." The new Doctor jumped off the railing and pulled on his blue jacket. "Lovely. Shh! No one knows we're here. Gotta keep quiet. Silent running, like on submarines when they can't even drop a spanner. Don't drop a spanner. I like blue, what do you think?"

Alex watched from the TARDIS seat. Oh yeah, she remembered this part, and dear God it was one of her favorites. She kept quiet, not wanting to spoil it. "You – are – bonkers!" Donna said.

"Why?" The new Doctor asked confused. "What's wrong with blue?"

It was obvious that Donna was highly disturbed. "Is that what Time Lords do? Lop a bit off, grow another one? You're like worms!"

"No, no, no, no, no, I'm unique. Never been another like me! Because all that regeneration energy went into the hand - look at my hand, I love that hand..." He wiggled his fingers. "But then you touched it – _Wham_!" Donna jumped out of her skin. A small gasp escaped her lips like she wanted to scream. "Shhh!" The new Doctor hissed. "Instantaneous biological metacrisis. I grew... out of you. Still, could be worse."

"Oi! Watch it, Spaceman." Donna said ticked. Alex had more than enough fun just watching them with a smile on her lips.

"Oi! Watch it, Earth-girl." The new Doctor said, matching her tone. "Oh!" They stared at each other, mouths in identical 'Oh!' shapes. "I sound like you. I sound all… all sort of, rough."

"Oi!" Donna said, ticked again.

"Oi!" The new Doctor matched.

"Oi!"

"Spanners, shhh!" The new Doctor hissed, reminding her what was going on. Donna buttoned up, lips pursued. "Must've picked up a bit of your voice, that's all. Is it? Did I? No. Oh! You are kidding me, no_ way_. One heart…" He felt his chest. "I've got one heart. This body… has got only one heart."

Donna was absolutely gob-smacked. "What?" She placed her hand on his chest too. Alex remembered in the episode hearing the heartbeat. "What, like you're human?"

"Oh, that's disgusting." The new Doctor said.

"Oi!" Donna went at it again.

"Oi!" The Doctor repeated.

"Stop it!" Donna said crossly.

"No, wait, I'm… Part Time Lord, part human." He looked at the girls. "Well, isn't that wizard?" He said.

"We kept hearing that." Alex finally spoke up. "That heartbeat. We kept hearing it."

"Oh, that was me. My single heartbeat." The new Doctor went over to the console, waving his hand dismissively. "'Cause I'm a – complicated event in time and space, must've rippled back. Converging on you two."

"But why us?" Donna asked.

"Because you're special." The new Doctor said simply.

"I can see Lexi being special." Donna said. "But I keep telling you: I'm not."

"No, but you are," He said simply. "You…" He looked at her as if he just realized. "Oh… You really don't believe that, do you?" He gestured to his head. "I can see, Donna… What you're thinking. All that attitude, all that lip, 'cause all this time… You think you're not worth it."

"Stop it." Donna said weakly. Alex saw that his words were right; she just didn't want to admit it.

"Shouting at the world 'cause no-one's listening. Well… Why should they?" The new Doctor said.

"Doctor?" Donna said upset. "Stop it."

"But look at what you did…" He said gently, proudly. "No. It's more than that, it's like…" He searched his thoughts. "We were always heading for this. You came to the TARDIS." Alex could see it from the episode. _A ball of light, Donna, hurtled towards the TARDIS whilst it was in orbit around a supernova. Donna appeared in the TARDIS in her wedding dress_.

"And you found me again." _Inside the Adipose Industries, Donna was behind the glass door gesturing to herself excitedly to the Doctor and Alex through the window at the opposite side of the office_. "Your granddad." _Wilf saluted_. "Your car!" _Donna opened the trunk of her car where it was parked near the TARDIS_. The new Doctor's voice colored with dawning realization. "Donna, your car! You parked your car right where the TARDIS was gonna land, that's not coincidence at all!" He spun around on the spot, fingers to his temple. "We've been blind! Something's been drawing us together for such a long time."

"But you're talking like…" Donna was breathless. "Destiny. But there's no such thing… Is there?" Alex felt her head spinning.

The new Doctor was holding his head, probing his mind. "It's still not finished. It's like… The pattern's not complete. The strands are still joining together. But heading for what?"

-x-

The TARDIS gave a sudden great shudder. When it steadied, the new Doctor looked at the monitor. Alex felt her gut squeeze. She was getting a bad feeling. She looked around at the top of the TARDIS, looking past it to the twenty-seven planets. "It's the planets." The new Doctor announced. "The twenty-seven planets." The new Doctor watched the monitor, resting his chin on his hand, trying to work it out… "Single-stream Z-Neutrinos compressed into…" He faltered as he seemed to realize what it was. "No. No way." He muttered.

The glow emanating from the planets brightened. Alex swallowed back the urge to gag. Her gut was squeezing so tightly in her. After a couple of minutes, the glow died down. Alex was looking at the Doctor, fearful. "Doctor?" Her voice cracked. "What was that? What did it do?" The new Doctor had no words – he merely stared at the monitor in shock.

-x-

The new Doctor dashed around the TARDIS, putting together some device. "So, what is that thing?" Donna asked, voicing Alex's thoughts.

"It's our only hope. A Z-Neutrino biological inversion catalyser."

"Hello? Earth-girls here." Alex said. They weren't as smart as a certain Time Lord – or, she supposed in this case, half Time Lord. "English please."

The Doctor was screwing in a part of the device. "Davros said he built those Daleks out of himself. His genetic code runs through the entire race. If I can use this to lock the Crucible's transmission onto Davros himself…"

"It destroys the Daleks?" Donna asked hopefully. Alex started to frown… But that would be… Alex couldn't even admit the word in her mind.

"Biggest backfire in history." The new Doctor answered. Finally, he got it done.

-x-

In the meantime, Martha had gotten through to the Crucible. She had just shown the Osterhagen Key. Of course, the Doctor spoke up at that, destroying a whole planet with billions of people was never an option. However, Martha argued with him.

"'Cause there's more than that. Now, I reckon the Daleks need these twenty-seven planets for something, but what if it becomes twenty-six? What happens then? Daleks? Would you risk it?"

"She's good." Rose said impressed.

"Who's that?"

"My name's Rose. Rose Tyler." Rose answered.

"Oh my God… He's found you." At first, Martha was quite overcome. But then something occurred to her. "Alex." The Doctor felt his hearts squeezed in his chest at her name. "Doctor, where's Alex?" She asked sternly.

The Doctor couldn't answer her, so Davros did. "Gone, Martha Jones." Martha's face became horrified. Alex was gone? No way. It was impossible. "She went up with the TARDIS." The Doctor's face fell into despair.

"But, Doctor… Oh my God." Martha muttered. His face was contorted into pain. He loved her so much, and he had let her die. He hated himself so much. "… Alex." Martha whispered.

-x-

Alex sneezed. _Mmm, _Alex thought as she rubbed her nose. _Maybe someone's talking about me_.

Within a couple of minutes, the new Doctor was ready. "Ready. Maximum power." The new Doctor kicked a lever upward with his foot and pulled another one. The TARDIS titled sideways. To the delight and surprise of everyone, the TARDIS began to materialize with a familiar grinding of engines and gentle wind.

"But that's…" The original Doctor was thrown. Dalek Caan giggled. Rose's and Martha's mouth were hanging open.

"Impossible." Davros whispered.

Jack had other thoughts. "Brilliant." He said, awed and impressed. The original Doctor's mouth was hanging open in disbelief. Davros rolled backwards, afraid. The new Doctor ran towards him, the device in hand.

"Don't!" The original Doctor said in panic.

Too late – Davros pointed at him and electricity flew from his finger and hit the new Doctor in the chest. He fell to the floor, winded but not badly hurt. "Doctor!" Alex cried and ran to him. She crashed into the floor to check on him.

"Allie…" The original Doctor breathed. His hearts were singing so completely relieved and happy to see she was okay. Alex turned and their eyes locked. Both could see the other was relieved.

"Doctor…" Alex mouthed, happy to see her original Time Lord was okay.

"Allie…" He mimicked. They continued to stare at each other, not being able to look away. Rose frowned bitterly.

"Lexi! Doctor!" Alex finally turned.

"Donna!" Donna picked up the device.

"I've got it! But I don't know what to do with it!" Davros sent her flying backwards with the same electricity with which he hit the new Doctor.

"Donna!" Alex screamed again. The Doctor echoed her. Davros grinned as she landed in a heap at the opposite end of the vault. "Donna! Oh my God, are you okay? Donna!" Rose was absolutely stunned.

"Destroy the weapon." Davros ordered. A Dalek fired a death-ray at the device, which exploded. "I was wrong about your warriors, Doctor. They're pathetic. However," He rolled over to Alex. She turned and stared at him boldly. "Here she is… Alex Harper. The most important Child of Time."

Alex blinked, bewildered. "See her," Everyone looked over as Caan spoke in a sing-song voice. "See her as she is. The most important child of Time. Changing the Doctor so much. No one is more important." He giggled.

Alex pointed to herself. "Me?" She asked. "Me?" She repeated.

"You seemed surprised." Davros pointed out.

"I am, if I'll be honest. However," Alex thought about it. "I doubt anyone else is."

"I'm not." Jack said.

"I'm not either." Martha threw in.

"Of course not." Alex shrugged.

"How come there's two of you?" Rose asked, sick of hearing how 'special' and 'important' Alex was to the Doctor.

"Human biological metacrisis. Never mind that, now we've got no way of stopping the Reality Bomb." The original Doctor answered.

"Detonation in twenty rels! Nineteen…" The supreme Dalek started to count off.

"Stand witness, Time Lord. Stand witness, humans." Davros activated the holographic screen, showing the twenty seven planets. He then spoke to them mockingly. "Your strategies have failed, your weapons are useless, and… Oh – the end of the universe is come."

They watched the screen, breathing heavily in dreadful anticipation, utterly powerless. "Nine… Eight… Seven… Six…" Slightly breathless, Donna pulled herself upright behind the control panel. Throughout the countdown, the company exchanged glances, bracing themselves…

The Doctor looked at Rose. She was proud, until Alex caught his eye. He looked away to her. She glared at Alex. She was too busy to care. Alex looked at her Time Lord. They lifted their hands slightly, in unison, as if to reach out to the other. They braced themselves for what was to come…

"Five… Four… Three… Two… One…" The bomb powered down, the screen went dead. An alarm sounded. Daleks, humans, and the Doctor looked around in confusion.

Donna finally spoke up, with confidence in her voice that had not been heard before. "Oh… closing all Z-Neutrino relay loops using an internalized synchronous back-feed reversal loop." She flipped a switch, easy. "That button there." Alex looked at her with a smile, beyond impressed.

"Donna, you can't even change a plug!" The original Doctor said completely bemused.

"You want to bet, Time boy?" Donna asked with a grin. Alex laughed.

"You will suffer for this." Davros said. Donna cocked her head to one side as if she didn't think so, somehow. She flicked a switch, electrocuting Davros' arm. He shrieked.

"Oh…! Bioelectric dampening field with a retrogressive arc inversion." Donna explained. Alex shook her head with a smile. She had gotten that so quickly.

"Exterminate her!" Davros commanded furiously.

"Exterminate! Exterminate!" The Doctor looked at her fearful but Donna didn't seem bothered in the slightest – she merely pressed a few buttons, flicked a few switches. "Exterminate! Exterminate!" And the Daleks powered down, their blaster-guns twitched uncontrollably. "Weapons nonfunctional!"

"What?" Donna spoke up again, acting as if it was nothing. "Macrotransmission of a K-filter wavelength blocking Dalek weaponry in a self-replicating energy blindfold matrix?"

Alex wasn't the only one that was amazed. The Doctor was amazed as well. "How did you work that out? You…"

The new Doctor cut him off. "Time Lord." He said. "Part Time Lord."

"Part Human!" It was obvious Donna was loving it. "Oh, yes! That was a two-way biological metacrisis." Donna grinned. "Half Doctor… Half Donna."

"The Doctor-Donna." The original Doctor spoke, realizing something as he stared at Donna. "Just like the Ood said, remember? They saw it coming! The Doctor-Donna." Donna smiled.

"Holding cells deactivated." Donna said, flicking some switches. The holding cells disappeared. "And seal the Vault. Well, don't just stand there, you skinny boys in suits - get to work!" Both Doctors dashed to join Donna at the control panel.

"Stop them! Get them away from the controls!" Davros suddenly ordered. The Daleks advanced.

"And…" Donna flicked a switch. "Spin."

"Help me. Help me." A Dalek begged as he spun in circles. Jack chuckled and Alex laughed – all the Daleks were spinning on the spot uncontrollably.

"And the other way…" She pressed a button, turned a dial – and they spun the other way, their upper and lower halves facing different directions.

"What did you do?" The new Doctor asked.

"Trip-stitch circuit-breaker in the psycho-kinetic threshold manipulator." Donna answered.

"But that's brilliant!" The new Doctor said beaming.

"Why did we never think of that?" The original Doctor asked the new Doctor.

"Because you two… were just Time Lords! You dumbos. Lacking that little bit of Human, that gut instinct that goes hand-in-hand with planet Earth. I could think of ideas that you two couldn't dream of in a million years! Ah, the universe has been waiting for me! Now… let's send that trip-stitch all over the ship. Did I ever tell you –" She gestured to herself. "Best temp in Chiswick." She wiggled her fingers in a typing motion. "A hundred words per minute."

"Ha!" The new Doctor said. The Daleks continued to spin around unable to stop themselves. Jack darted to the TARDIS.

"Doctor," The original looked up. "Go on." Donna said. They had a few minutes before they were ready to send the planets home. Both knew what she was talking about.

The Time Lord looked over at his Alex. She looked back at him. It didn't take long before they ran to each other. Alex jumped into his arms. He spun them around. They laughed relieved. They pressed their cheeks to each other. "Oh my God, Doctor!" Alex laughed with tears in her eyes.

"Allie!" He was feeling the same way. He finally set her down, but their arms were still tightly around each other. "Oh, Allie." He breathed. She was okay. She was with him again. He buried his face into her hair. "Oh, my sweet Allie." He murmured.

Alex whipped the tears away from her eyes. She couldn't stop saying 'oh my God'. She couldn't describe how happy she was to be with him again. "Oh Doctor," She breathed. "Doctor." She chanted his name like a prayer. He repeated her name in response.

They finally broke the hug, but were still close to each other. Alex's hands were cupping his neck. He had his hands still wrapped tightly around her waist. He lifted one of his hands up and ran it down her face. "Sorry," Her voice cracked. "For you know… Making you worry."

He laughed in relief. "I don't care, Allie. I'm just so happy you're okay." He pressed his lips to her forehead. She closed her eyes and snuggled into him again, so happy to be with him again.

"Doctor," Donna called, they were ready. The Doctor kissed Alex's forehead before giving her a quick, but loud kiss. Alex was breathless as he ran back to the controls. "Come on then, boys, we've got twenty-seven planets to send home. Activate magnetron."

"Stop it at once!" Davros commanded again. Jack emerged from the TARDIS with his and Rose's guns.

"Mickey!" Jack chucked a gun to Mickey.

"You will detest!" Mickey turned and pointed the gun at Davros, halting him.

"Just stay where you are, Mr." Mickey ordered.

"Out of the way!" Jack kicked a Dalek out of the way, sending it spinning off down a corridor.

Rose and Sarah Jane pushed a Dalek in between them. "Good to see you again!" Sarah Jane said to Rose.

"Yeah, you too!" Rose responded. The Dalek was sent flying off, babbling to itself – it thudded against the other wall. Martha pushed one away, too.

"Ready?" Donna asked the Doctors. They nodded. "And reverse!" She and the Doctors eased out two rods each out of the controls. The planets disappeared in flashes of light, one by one.

"Off you go, Clom." The original Doctor said.

"Back home, Adipose Three!" The new Doctor said.

Donna flicked two switches with her hands and one with her foot. "Shallacatop! Pyrovillia! The Lost Moon of Poosh. Topping. Ha!"

"Ha!" The new Doctor echoed.

The planets continued to disappear. "We need more power." The original Doctor announced.

"So," Alex asked. She was still fuzzy on something. "Mind telling the rest of us _humans _what's going on?" She asked. The original Doctor grinned at her, still so happy that she was okay. He was floating.

Donna first gestured to the original Doctor. "He poured all his regeneration energy into his spare hand, I touched the hand -" She then gestured to the new Doctor, who grinned. "- he grew out of that, but that fed back into me. But, it just stayed dormant in my head 'til the synapses got that little extra spark, kicking them into life. Thank you, Davros!" Donna thanked before continuing. "Part Human… part Time Lord. And I got the best bit of the Doctor." The new Doctor raised his eyebrows. "I got his mind."

"So there's _three _of you?" Sarah Jane asked.

"Three Doctors?" Rose confirmed.

"I can't tell you what I'm thinking right now." Jack said distracted.

"Oh, that is _so _awesome!" Alex grinned. "And here I thought it was cool just to have one Doctor, but _three _Doctors! Even better!" She laughed.

"You're so unique that the timelines were converging on you. Human Being with a Time Lord brain." The original Doctor said.

"But you promised me, Dalek Caan." Davros turned to said Dalek. "Why did you not foresee this?" Dalek Caan giggled.

"I think he did." Alex said.

"Oh he did," The original Doctor confirmed. "Something's been manipulating the timelines for ages… getting Donna Noble to the right place at the right time."

"This would always have happened. I only helped, Doctor." Alex blinked, surprised.

"You… Betrayed the Daleks?" Davros asked.

"I _saw _the Daleks." Caan retorted. "What we have done throughout time and space. I saw the truth of us, Creator, and I decreed 'no more'." _Wow, that's shocking_… Alex thought.

"Head's up!" Jack cried. Everyone turned as the Supreme Dalek descended.

"Davros," The Supreme Dalek spoke. "You have betrayed the Daleks."

"It was Dalek Caan." Davros defended.

"The Vault will be purged! You will all be exterminated!" He sent a death-ray towards the central column causing sparks to fly. Alex ducked out of the way. She blocked the sparks with her arms. The original Doctor grabbed her shoulders, holding her tightly.

"Like I was saying feel this!" Jack used his gun to blast the Supreme Dalek in half.

"Oh," The original Doctor was examining the central column. "We've lost the magnatron! And there's only one planet left oh -" He suddenly laughed at how typical it was. Alex peeked over and just sighed and rolled her eyes. Of course it'd be the only one left, _of course_. "Guess which one. Look, we can use the TARDIS!" He ran to the TARDIS, Alex still tightly in his hands. He didn't want her to get out of his sight for even one second.

The original Doctor rushed to the console, pressing various buttons. However, after a couple of minutes, Alex heard Daleks screaming before hearing small explosions. The brunettes shared a look of alarm as they heard the commotion. The original Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS – Alex behind him – to see the chaos. "What have you done?" He asked horrified. Alex looked around and winced. Genocide… The new Doctor had actually committed genocide.

"Fulfilling the prophecy." The new Doctor answered. Everyone within the vault was suddenly sent flying around – the new Doctor observed with a wild expression in his eyes.

"Do you know what you've done?" The original Doctor asked furiously. "Get inside the TARDIS!" The new Doctor did so. "Everyone! All of you inside run! In, in, in, in, in!" They all ran into the TARDIS.

The Doctor squinted through the fire. Alex was next to him. "Davros?" He asked urgently. He held his hand out. "Come with us! I promise we can save you!"

"Never forget, Doctor – _you_ did this! I name _you_, forever; _you _are the Destroyer of Worlds!" He screamed as he was engulfed in flames. Alex bit her lip.

"Two will still die." Caan said. "Love. Trust in the love that you have, that is the only way." Alex felt as if she locked eyes with Caan. "You will die, Alex Harper." The Doctor turned back to the TARDIS. He grabbed Alex's arms when she didn't move; she just stared at Caan fearfully. Why did that keep coming up?

He dragged her into the valiant ship. He closed the doors and kissed her forehead. "Allie," She finally looked at him and he could see the fear. "I'm never going to let that happen." The Doctor ran to the unusually crowded console. "And! Off we go!" He pulled a lever – the TARDIS shuddered as it started and they all fell about, hanging onto the console for support. The new Doctor raised his eyebrows at Sarah Jane and grinned – she grinned back.

"But what about Earth?" Sarah Jane made a good point. "It's stuck in the wrong part of space."

"I'm on it." The original Doctor spoke into the monitor. "Torchwood Hub, this is the Doctor. Are you receiving me?"

"Loud and Clear." A woman answered. "Is Jack there?" Alex rolled her eyes; they couldn't get him to leave.

"Can't get rid of him." The original Doctor answered, glancing at Jack. "Jack, what's her name?" He asked.

"Gwen Cooper." Jack answered with a grin.

"Tell me, Gwen Cooper; are you from an old Cardiff family?"

Gwen and Ianto glanced at each other. "Yes." She answered, not seeing the relevance. "All the way back to the eighteen hundreds."

The original Doctor and Rose peered at her in delight. Alex shuffled a bit off to the side; she felt a little left out but tried to ignore it. "Mm, thought so." The Doctor turned to Rose. "Spatial genetic multiplicity…"

"Oh, yeah!" Rose said appreciatively.

"Yeah, yeah! It's a funny old world!" The original Doctor grinned at Alex, still _completely _oblivious to the girls' tension towards each other. Alex smiled at him.

"Doctor," Alex started, patiently. "Focus."

He snapped out of it, knowing she was right. "Now, Torchwood, I want you to open up that Rift Manipulator - send all the power to me."

"Doing it now, Sir." Ianto answered.

"What's that for?" Martha asked.

"It's a tow-rope. Now then, Sarah - what was your son's name?" The original Doctor asked.

"Luke," Sarah Jane responded. "He's called Luke. And the computer's name is Mr. Smith."

"Calling Luke and Mr. Smith!" The original Doctor called. Luke jumped from where he had been sitting dejectedly in the attic. "Come on, Luke, shake a leg!"

"Is mum there?" Luke asked.

"Oh, she's fine and dandy." The original Doctor said with a smile.

"Yes, Yes!" She was laughing in relief to hear his voice.

"Now, Mr. Smith, I want you to harness the Rift power and loop it round the TARDIS, you got that?"

"I regret I will need remote access to TARDIS basecode numerals." Mr. Smith responded.

"Oh, blimey." The Doctor said. "That's gonna take a while." Before anymore could be said, the monitor turned to snow. "Oh," The Doctor banged on the monitor. "Another signal's coming through."

"Hello?" Alex's head snapped up and her eyes widened. "Can anyone hear me?"

"Grace!" Alex rushed to the monitor with wide eyes. "Grace, is that you?"

"Who is this?" Finally, a picture came onto the monitor, very fuzzy. It showed a girl sitting in a basement. She was surrounded by all sorts of computers. She was a pretty girl. She had dark brown, curled, and sweet hunter green eyes. She was wearing a beige tank top with a flower printed skirt.

"Grace!" Alex laughed, so happy to see her friend. "Grace, I can't believe it!"

"Who the hell are you?" Grace asked.

Alex rolled her eyes. She forgot that she looked different in her world. "It's me, Grace, its M's!"

"M's?" The original Doctor finally asked, looking at her.

"What?" Alex defended herself. "My mom worked for M&M mars, so I got the nickname 'M's'." He shook his head.

"How do I know it's you?" Grace asked skeptically.

Alex just looked at the girl flatly. "Polar." She said simply. She knew that Grace would understand. Grace had a small stuffed polar bear that she had named 'Polar'. Alex had a dinosaur that she had named 'Dinosaur' so they were even. She gave the original Time Lord a look not to ask.

Grace's eyes widened. "M's!" Her pretty face suddenly contorted into anger. "_Where the hell have you been_?"

"What?" Alex retorted. "We haven't seen each other in a while and that's the greeting I get?"

"You just disappeared!"

"It's not like it was my fault!"

"Allie," she looked at the original Doctor and remembered her priorities.

"Grace I need you to do something for me."

"What?"

"I need you to get the TARDIS basecodes and send them over to Mr. Smith." If there was anyone who could do that quickly with just computers, it was Grace.

"Allie, that will take a while."

"Not Grace." Alex retorted gently. "She's a computer genius." Grace just stared at the Doctor – he had finally came into the monitor's view, Alex had pushed him out of the screen when she first heard Grace's voice. "Grace, please, I need your help. You can gawk later." She snapped out of it and got to work.

"Mind telling me what's going on?" The brunette girl asked as she worked.

"Um…" Alex blinked slowly. "Well… I'm not entirely sure how or why, but somehow I was watching _Doctor Who_ one moment, and the next moment I wake up and I'm in the Doctor Who world." Alex knew Grace could figure out the rest of her story.

"Who are you suppose to be then?" Grace asked.

Alex shrugged again. "Remember my character I made? Alex Harper?" Grace nodded. "Well, I'm her."

"What?"

"I don't know how, again, but I look like her. Brunette hair with brandies blue highlights, Egyptian blue eyes, tiny, ya know blah blah blah."

"So you go by Alex now?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "So if you could be so kind as to call me that, that'd be great, thanks."

"Can I call you Lex?"

She held up a finger. "Hold on." She leaned over to see Jack. "Jack, you mind sharing the nickname 'Lex' with my friend?"

He smirked. "Of course not." He answered flirtatiously.

She leaned back with a roll of her eyes. She saw that Grace was about ready to squeal. Oh yeah, Alex forgot that Grace was a big Jack fan. "You can call me Lex."

"Oh my God," She squealed. "I'm going to share a nickname with Jack?" Alex laughed.

"Yeah."

The original Doctor raised an eyebrow. Alex laughed again. "Grace is a big fan of Jack." She told. "Probably as much as I'm a big fan of you." The original Doctor smirked. He liked the sound of that, she giggled and pushed him gently. His smirk turned into a cheeky grin.

"Done!" Grace announced. "Now, show me Jack!" She demanded. Alex waved Jack over. The Captain came over with a smirk of his own. Grace squealed the moment Jack appeared on the screen. Alex held her hands out, pretending to be Vanna White. Jack laughed, of course loving the attention.

After Grace got her share of Jack, and after telling Jack that all he needed to do was show more of his chest off in his show Torchwood they were off again. Mr. Smith easily got the codes. "Now then, you lot." He went over to Sarah Jane. "Sarah – hold that. And Mickey – you hold that. Because, you know why this TARDIS is always rattling about the place? Rose – that, there." He indicated to the control. "It was designed to have six pilots and I have to do it single handed. Martha - keep that level. But not anymore! Jack - there you go, steady that. Now we can fly this thing -" He finally got to Jackie. He hesitated there. "No, Jackie. No, no. Not you." He patted her on the shoulder. "Don't touch anything, just... stand back. - Like it's meant to be flown! We've got the Torchwood Rift looped around the TARDIS by Mr. Smith. We're gonna fly planet Earth back home." He took his place at the console. "Right then. Off we go!"

He pulled a lever and off they went. The TARDIS was hardly shaking at all as the Doctor and his friends worked as a flawless team. The new Doctor and Donna strolled around the console, watching them work. Alex leaned against the console next to the original Doctor. They grinned at each other, the lovey-dovey eyes obvious. The original Doctor turned and gestured to a button. "Rose." He said.

Jack pumped a lever. Martha grinned excitedly at her brunette friend. Sarah Jane pulled a lever slowly. "That's really good, Jack. I think you're the best." Alex laughed softly when she heard that. Man, Donna was bad, she could be worse than Jack was, and that was saying something. Jackie giggled. Donna joined the new Doctor and they leaned against a support, chuckling.

And finally, the Earth was set in its rightful position beside the moon. The TARDIS drifted away from it. They all whooped and cheered – everyone hugged everyone – they were absolutely ecstatic. They had done it. Donna wrenched Sarah Jane away from Jack and threw her arms around him.

The original Doctor broke the hug with Rose to hug Alex. He lifted her up off the floor and spun her around. They were still giggling happily. They nudged each other's face lovingly. "I love you." She whispered, but desperation tinged her voice. She couldn't bear him leaving, it would kill her.

He ran his hand down her face. "I love you too." His eyebrow furrowed. He didn't understand the desperation in her. "What's wrong, Allie?" He had to know.

"I love you." She said, as if that was the answer. "I love you so much."

"I love you more." He responded. "Tell me what's wrong, love." He kissed her cheek gently. He wanted to soothe away all her fears.

"I love you." She repeated. He frowned, upset that she wouldn't tell him what was wrong. She could sense it. "Would it be okay if I give you one word?"

He nodded. Anything was better than this. "Yeah."

She swallowed, building up the courage to say it. Finally, she said it. "Rose." She whispered hoarsely. The original Doctor blinked, thrown off. What did Rose have to do with this? He leaned her away from him and looked into her eyes, if he didn't understand what was wrong; all he had to do was look into her eyes.

Then he saw it. His face cleared. Alex finally looked away, she was thankful though, that he finally got it. However, the Doctor cupped her chin and made her look at him again. "Oh Allie," He murmured. Alex could feel faint tears in her eyes. He hugged her again. How could she think he'd do that to her?

He looked over at Rose as she hugged her mother, and he knew. As much as he hated to do it, he had to choose. Alex or Rose. That was the choice. He closed his eyes and hugged Alex tighter to him. He knew that she knew what was going through his mind. Her mouth opened and she let out a silent sob. She knew, if he choose Rose, she'd let him go. Even if it tore her apart so deeply inside her, she's let him go, to make him happy. Because, to her, that was the most important thing in the whole universe now, making him happy. If he was happy, she'd deal with all the pain of the universe for him.

He kissed her head. She broke the hug, not able to stand it anymore. She whipped her tears away, and took one finally look. Their eyes locked. The Doctor frowned; it upset him that she thought so readily that he would choose Rose. Alex blinked, bewildered at what she found in his eyes. He made the decision clear in them… He was choosing her. Not Rose, _her_.

Alex laughed freely. He smiled. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. She sobbed, this time so happy. He was choosing her. _He_ was choosing her. He was choosing _her_. She was so happy. "Doctor," She chanted his name again.

"Allie," She snuggled into his neck. "I love you."

Those words had a whole new meaning to them now. "I love you too." She murmured. He kissed her head.

-x-

The TARDIS materialized. The Doctor, Alex, and Sarah Jane emerged, gazing around at the normality of their surroundings – not far away, a church bell rang. "You know… You act like such a lonely man. But look at you! You've got the biggest family on Earth!" The Doctor shared a smile with Alex. Sarah Jane held her arms out to him and he hugged her tightly. She let go and suddenly and backed away. "Gotta go! He's only fourteen! It's a long story! And thank you!"

The Doctor and Alex smiled warmly and waved. She waved back and then, she was gone, running down the sidewalk. Next, Jack and Martha came out. The Doctor grabbed Jack's teleport and started to disable it with his sonic screwdriver. "I _told _you, no teleport." He scolded. "And Martha, get rid of that Osterhagen thing, eh? Save the world one more time."

Martha smiled. "Consider it done." Jack saluted the two brunettes, as does Martha. The Doctor and Alex gave them a one finger salute. Jack and Martha walked away, hand in hand.

"You know," Jack said. "I'm not sure about UNIT, these days. Maybe there's something else you could be doing…"

The Doctor and Alex smiled at their retreating backs. Mickey emerged from the TARDIS. "Oi!" Alex laughed. "Where are you going?"

"Well, I'm not stupid – I can work out what happens." Mickey explained. "And hey, I had a good time in that parallel world but my Gran passed away. Nice and peaceful. Spent her last years living in a mansion. There's nothing there for me, now. Certainly not Rose."

"What will you do?" The Doctor asked.

"Anything!" Mickey laughed. "Bran new life. Just you watch." Mickey did a knuckle bump with the Doctor and Alex gave him a hug. "See you, boss. Bye Alex." He winked and ran off to catch up with Martha and Jack. "Hey, you two!"

Jack sighed in mock exasperation. "Oh… I thought I got rid of you." The Doctor and Alex turned back and went inside the TARDIS. He walked over to the console. "There's time for one last trip." The Time Lord said. "Dårlig Ulv Stranden." Both the new Doctor and Alex looked at him curiously. "Better known as…"

-x-

The TARDIS materialized on the sand on a day just like before. Jackie emerged first, followed by the new Doctor and Rose. "Ugh, fat lot of good this is!" Jackie said in disgust. "Back and beyond, bloody Norway! I'm going to have to phone your father. He's on nursery run." Rose looked around – what's she doing here again? "I was pregnant." Jackie said to the new Doctor. "Do you remember? Had a baby boy."

The Doctor, Alex, and Donna stepped out of the TARDIS. "Ah, brilliant!" The new Doctor said. "What did you call him?"

"Doctor." Jackie answered.

The new Doctor obviously wasn't sure what to say to this. "…Really?" He asked.

"No, you plum." Jackie shook her head. "He's called Tony!"

"Hold on," Rose finally spoke up. "This is the parallel universe, right?"

"You're back home." The original Doctor said.

"And the walls of this world are closing again… Now that the reality bomb never happened. It's a dimensional retroclosure." The new Doctor smiled. "See, I really get that stuff now."

"Great," Alex rolled her eyes. "Now I'm going to be the only one that's out of the loop. That's just wonderful."

"No," Rose muttered, completely bewildered. She was close to tears again. "But I spent all that time trying to find you; I'm not going back now!"

"But you've got to." The original Doctor said, taking a step towards her. "Because we saved the universe, but at a cost. And the cost is him." He looked at the new Doctor. "He destroyed the Daleks. He committed genocide. He's too dangerous to be left on his own."

"You made me!" The new Doctor said, confused and little bit angry.

"Exactly," The original Doctor answered. "You were born in battle – full of blood and anger and revenge." He turned back to Rose. "Remind you of someone?" Alex could see that Rose knew who he meant, but she wouldn't say it. "That's me. When we first met." Rose looked at him with tears in her eyes. "And you made me better. And now you can do the same for him."

"But he's not you." Rose said quietly in tearful frustration.

"He needs you. That's very me." The Doctor contradicted gently.

"But it's better than that, though." Donna spoke up. "Don't you see what he's trying to give you?" She looked at the new Doctor. "Tell her, go on."

Rose turned to face the new Doctor. "I look like him and I think like him… same memories, same thoughts, same everything. Except, I've only got one heart."

"Which means?" Rose asked.

"I'm part human." The new Doctor explained. "Specifically the aging part. I'll grow old and never regenerate. I've only got one life… Rose Tyler." He paused, a lingering look between them. "I could spend it with you. If you want."

Rose looked uncertain. "You'll grow – grow old at the same time as me?"

"Together." The new Doctor answered. Rose put a hand to his chest, feeling his one heart beating. The Doctor, Alex, and Donna watched with small smiles. A grinding sound from the TARDIS made them all look around.

"We've got to go. This reality's sealing itself off." A tear rolled down Rose's cheek. "Forever." The three of the time travelers turned back to the TARDIS. Rose went after them.

"But it's still not right." Rose said. They turned back. Rose looked back at them. Rose's voice became quiet and exasperated. "Because… The Doctor's… Still you."

The Doctor nodded towards his clone. "And I'm him."

"Alright. Both of you answer me this." One Doctor stood on either side of her, identical expressions, identical positions, identical hands in their pockets. "When I last stood on this beach on the worst day of my life… What was the last thing you said to me?" She was looking at the original Doctor. "Go on, say it."

"I said, 'Rose Tyler'." He said.

She looked at him expectedly. "Yeah and how was that sentence going to end?"

"Does it need saying?" The Doctor asked, as if he was in enough pain.

Rose looked at him for a moment, and then turned to the new Doctor. "And you, Doctor? What was the end of that sentence?"

He put his hand on her arm and leaned down, whispering something intimately into her ear. When he pulled away, Alex knew what he must have said, for Rose pulled him towards her by the lapels of his suit and kissed him on the lips. The original Doctor swallowed and turned away. Alex reached out and took his hand. She smiled sadly at him. He echoed her smile. Rose wrapped her arms around the new Doctor and he does the same to her, returning the kiss. When the doors of the TARDIS close, Rose spun around with a small gasp. She ran towards it but it was already dematerializing and she could only watch it fade away. The Doctor went to her and slipped his hand into hers. They looked at each other.

-x-

Donna adjusted the monitor, pottering around the controls. The Doctor was leaning against a support, that awful sorrow back in his eyes. Alex leaned against him, watching Donna. A similar look was in Alex's eyes. Donna babbled on, conversationally. "I thought we could try the planet Felspoon… Just 'cause. What a good name, 'Felspoon'. Apparently, it's got mountains that sway in the breeze. Mountains that move. Can you imagine that?"

She twisted a knob unnecessarily. "And how do you know that?" Alex asked quietly.

"Because it's in his head! And if it's in his head, it's in mine." Donna explained.

"And how does that feel?" The Doctor asked his tone just as quiet as Alex's.

"Brilliant! Fantastic! Molto bene! Great bit of universe packed into my brain. You know you could fix that chameleon circuit if you just try and hotbind in the fragment links and superseding the binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary, binary –" Donna took a deep breath. "I'm fine."

The Doctor straightened, brow furrowed, but in sadness rather than confusion. "Nah, never-mind Felspoon. You know who I'd like to meet? Charlie Chaplin. I've heard he's great, Charlie Chaplin. Shall we do that? Shall we go and see Charlie Chaplin?" She picked up the phone as if to speak into it. "Shall we? Charlie Chaplin? Charlie Chester, Charlie Brown. No, he's fiction, friction, fiction, fixen, mixen, rixten, brixton –" Donna gasped and doubled over as though winded. The Doctor went to her. "Oh my God."

"Do you know what's happening?" The Doctor asked.

Donna was unwilling to admit it, but there it was. "Yeah."

"There's never been a Human-Time Lord metacrisis before now." The Doctor explained in a low voice. "And you know why."

"Because there can't be." Donna answered quietly, her eyes moist. She averted her eyes from his, pretending to be busy with the controls. "I want to stay."

"Look at me." She wouldn't. "Donna, look at me." She looked at him finally with a certain defiance.

"I was going to be with you two... Forever." Donna was shaking.

"I know." The Doctor whispered gently.

"The rest of my life… Travelling… In the TARDIS. The Doctor-Donna." After a moment, it dawned on her what this meant. "No. Oh my God…" She was shaking her head, backing away from him, eyes filling with tears. Alex looked away, tears falling from her eyes. He stepped towards her and took Donna by the shoulders. "I can't go back. Don't make me go back. Doctor… Please. Please, don't make me go back."

"Donna." The Doctor said, looking her in the eyes. "Oh, Donna Noble. I am so, so sorry." She looked up at him, in fearful panic, trembling. "But we had the best of times. The best." Tears spilled down Donna's cheeks. "Goodbye." The Doctor whispered.

"No." Donna said franticly as he placed his fingers on her temples and closed his eyes. "No, please! Please! No, no! No!" Alex remembered seeing a flashback of their adventures from the show, but this time it was going back as the Doctor erased each one of them from her mind. "No!" She fell into his arms, unconscious. He caught her and just held her for a moment.

-x-

Alex stood in the console, just stared blankly for a moment. She could feel the tears still fall from her eyes. She heard the doors of the TARDIS slowly open. She felt more than heard the Doctor behind her. "Allie…?"

Alex finally turned and looked upon a soaked, lonely, depressed Time Lord. More tears fell from her eyes and she wrapped her arms around his neck and sobbed into him. The Doctor held her tightly to him and looked at the console. He would regret this. He knew he would, but he had to. Everywhere they went… The echoes of her dyeing followed them. He had to do this to keep her safe.

He kissed her head gently and walked to the controls. He set them to one last destination. Their last trip together, the Doctor thought. When the TARDIS stilled, Alex looked at him confused. She turned to the doors before back to him. He motioned her to go out. She walked out and blinked, confused. They were now a couple of blocks away from Donna's house, in her apartment.

The brunette turned back to the Time Lord, silently confused. He walked over to her and kissed her with everything he had. Alex responded, but when she realized what he was saying, she broke the kiss and looked at him alarmed. "Goodbye, Allie Harper." Alex couldn't even open her mouth. "I love you more than you will ever know." All her precious memories of him faded away from her mind. Alex's eyes closed and she collapsed into his arms.

For a long moment, he didn't move. He just kept her in his arms, savoring her warmth. He closed his eyes and finally picked her up and set her on the bed. The Doctor traced her peaceful face for one last time, knowing it would be the last. She would be safe. The Time Lord leaned down and kissed his precious Allie one last time on the kiss, savoring it. He then kissed her forehead.

He couldn't stand it anymore; he turned and left her there, whispering one last goodbye to her.

Alex moaned as her mind finally started to work. She tried to chase the dream that she had, of that mysterious man that she loved, but she just couldn't reach it. She opened her eyes, to find herself in her apartment. She cracked her neck and looked down, confused as to why she was wearing her normal clothes in bed. "Hmmm… Must've taken a nap."

Alex shrugged and stood up. She was hungry. With that in mind, she walked out of her room and into the kitchen.

As she made her food, she was unaware of the lonely man watching her through her window, savoring one last look before leaving her to her own life, never knowing what just happened.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty Five**

**Hey my lovely readers. Ha! Fooled ya, lol. No, the last chapter was **_**not **_**the last of my story. I just wanted to make you sweat a bit, lol. I know, I know, I'm evil. Anyways, I know that in chapter 23 I had a little flashback in the beginning, but… since – as all who have watched The End of Time know – that episode is the **_**saddest **_**one of them all. So, again, sorry, but I just couldn't make myself put any sort of flashback for it. _But_, to make it up to you, I've put up three chapters as you can see. So, I'm sure I'm forgiven by at least most of you lol :) please enjoy.**

**So, here's the chapter you've been waiting for…**

The TARDIS was flying out of control. Alex winced as the console gave another loud spark. She had seen the love of her life regenerate, and there had been nothing she could do. She was devastated. Gallifrey had come into the sky, and within seconds, all of her memories had come back to her. Of course, she was beyond pissed at the Doctor for erasing her memories. But, when she got to him, it had been too late. He had already gone through the radiation to save Wilfred.

The Doctor took her back to the TARDIS. It was to be their finally journey together, at least, her last with the 10th Doctor. He took her to see Donna's wedding. He took her to see Jack and Martha. When it was finally done, both could see he was ready to regenerate. The Doctor hugged her so tightly, neither one wanting to let go. Alex sobbed so much. The Doctor slowly let her go, and gave her one finally kiss. "_I love you Allie Harper_." He had whispered to her. She backed away, and slid to the ground as he threw his arms out, regenerating.

Alex came back to reality when a little voice reminded her of what was just barely hanging on outside. Alex rushed over and landed on her hands and knees right before the newly-regenerated Doctor.

Another pang went through her heart as she thought of the Doctor… Her Doctor. Ignoring it, Alex reached out and heaved Eleven into the valiant ship. However, the sound of bells came to their ears, and the new Doctor turned as Alex looked up. They saw they were about to hit 'Big Ben'. Shit. Alex thought dryly. Eleven pointed the sonic screwdriver at the TARDIS controls and slipped out as the TARDIS sped up, narrowly missing the top of the tower.

Alex was thrown back by the power, but regained herself and helped Eleven get back into the TARDIS. To be honest, it was hard to even look at the man. She couldn't even bring herself to call him 'the Doctor', even in her mind. She peeked a glance at the brunette man but looked away, seeing her love regenerating from her mind's eye.

The TARDIS was thrown back and the two time travelers were thrown down deep within the TARDIS. Alex gasped for breath once she was able to pick herself up from the water. They were in the swimming pool… Which was in a library. It would have been completely unbelievable, but now, it was just every day for her.

Eleven pulled out his sonic screwdriver, and aimed them at the doors; they opened up, smoke billowing out of them. He then seemed to get a rope with a grappling hook attached to it, out of nowhere. Alex just shook her head, slightly bemused and climbed up the rope after Eleven. He grabbed onto the edge of the TARDIS doors with first one hand, and then the next.

The brunette Time Lord popped his head out, only to see a small ginger hair girl staring at him. "Can I have an apple?" He asked, randomly. "All I can think about – apples. I love apples. Maybe I'm having a craving. That's new – never had cravings before." He straddled the edge of the TARDIS and looked back down, helping Alex out. "Whoa! Look at that!"

Alex jumped down onto the ground and shook her head. She was dripping wet, and it was _freezing_ out there. "Are you okay?" The small girl asked in a thick Scottish accent.

The Doctor put both legs over the side, sitting on the edge. "Just had a fall." He answered. "All the way down there, right to the library."

"And a hell of a climb back up." Alex muttered to herself, ringing her hair out. Eleven peeked at her, it was the first time she had spoken since his regeneration. He knew so very well that this was difficult for her. More than difficult, there were no words to describe how hard this was for her.

"You're soaking wet." The girl pointed out.

"We got dunked in the swimming pool." Alex answered.

"He said you were in the library."

"Yeah." She grinned. "There's a swimming pool in his library."

"Are you two police?" The scot asked.

"Why?" Eleven retorted, looking at her carefully. "Did you call police?"

"Did you come about the crack in my wall?" She threw back.

"What cra…?" Eleven couldn't even finish that. "Agh!" He fell to the ground in a huff. Alex went over and reached out. She hesitated, the pain still so fresh, but put her hands on his shoulders.

"Are you alright, Mister?" The little girl asked.

Eleven kneeled on the ground. "No, I'm fine, it's okay. This is perfectly norm…" He opened his mouth and released regeneration energy.

"Who are you?" She asked.

Eleven raised his hands and Alex saw that he was still regenerating. "I don't know yet." He confessed. "I'm still cooking."

"I'm Alex." The brunette women introduced. "Alex Harper. I know who I am."

"Does it scare you?" Eleven suddenly asked.

"No, it just looks a bit weird." The little girl answered.

"No, no, no." Alex leaned closer to the girl, looking her in the eyes. "The crack in your wall. Does that scare you?"

"Yes."

Eleven jumped up. "Well, then, no time to lose. I'm the Doctor. Do everything I tell you, don't ask stupid questions and don't wander off." He strode off with purpose, but ended up running right into a tree. With an impressive '_smack_' the tree knocked him to the ground.

Alex and the girl walked over to him. "Maybe you shouldn't be moving…" Alex muttered as she raised an eyebrow at him. He looked at her, and he could see so much pain and despair in her eyes. He could feel his hearts responding, just like they did in his past regeneration. Even if he was a different man, he still had the same feelings, and he hated it when Alex was in pain.

"You alright?" Eleven turned back to the girl.

"Early days." He responded. "Steering's a bit off."

"You think?" Alex asked sarcastically. If she was being cheeky with him it meant that it was slowly – _slowly_ – getting better.

-x-

They were in the girl's house now. Alex watched the… Doctor… as he looked around. She took a deep breath; that was hard, even in her mind to admit he was the Doctor. But, she knew, he was the Doctor. But he was a different man… _Ugh, this is so confusing_. The brunette woman moaned in her mind.

"If you're a doctor, why does your box say 'Police'?" The girl asked. She handed him an apple.

The Doctor took the apple from her, looking slight affronted; sniffed it, took a bite, chewed it once or twice, and then lazily spat it out, not taking his eyes off the girl. She looked quite taken aback as the piece flew past her, looking at him when he coughed slightly, holding up the apple. "That's disgusting." The Doctor coughed. "What is that?"

"An apple." She responded.

"Apples are rubbish." The Doctor said. "I hate apples."

"A minute ago, you said you loved them." Alex smiled faintly. She had loved the Eleventh Doctor, don't get her wrong. Back in her world, she had watched him, and he had grown on her. But, now, it was different, the man she loved regenerated, and it was going to take a while for her to get over that, knowing that this man in front of her now, was the man she was going to get.

The Time Lord watched her. He saw that the smile didn't reach her eyes, it wasn't _her_ smile. But it would have to do, with the situation they were in. "No, no, I love yogurt. Yogurt's my favorite. Give me yogurt." The ginger ran to the fridge, got out a yogurt. He took it from her eagerly, ripped the lid off, drank a bit – and then projected it quite far across the room. She looked slightly disgusted, staring at him with yogurt on his face. "I hate yogurt, it's just stuff with bits in."

"You said it was your favorite." The girl objected.

"New mouth, new rules." He whipped his hand across his mouth, smearing yogurt around. "It's like eating after cleaning your teeth, everything tastes _wroooo_ – argh!" He jerked again, still feeling his regeneration, flinging his hand up to slap his forehead as he straightened once more.

"What is it? What's wrong with you?" She asked.

"Wrong with me?" The Doctor asked. "It's not my fault. Why can't you give me decent food? You're Scottish, fry something." She went over to the stove, and turned the gas on. He rubbed his hair with a towel in the mean time. Alex put her hair up into a messy bun, to get it out of her face. She fried some bacon for him. "Bacon!"

He sat down and tapped the end of his fork on the table. She put the bacon on a plate and gave some to the both of them. Alex didn't even bother to hesitate, she was starving. She gracefully inhaled the food. She loved bacon. The Doctor took a mouthful, and started chewing. The girl giggled, but it stopped when he made a disgusted face and spat it back out onto the plate. Alex made a face at his table manners.

"Bacon. That's bacon." He leaned towards the girl seriously. "Are you trying to poison me?"

"Oh please." Alex rolled her eyes. "I love bacon." The Time Lord glanced over at her. She liked bacon? The Doctor stored that in his brain. He always did that when he found out something she liked, that way he could give her more. Now that the Doctor thought about it, he knew Alex was right, he really did spoil her.

The little girl got up again and turned the gas on to cook. This time, she cooked beans for them. "Oooh," Alex licked her lips. "Beans. Beans are good."

"You see? Beans."

"I don't trust you." Alex stared at him right in the eye. "You're probably going to spit this right back out the moment it's in your mouth."

"I might not." The Doctor defended. Alex raised an eyebrow, giving him a look that told him she doubted it. The Doctor threw her a look, though Alex thought it looked more like a pout.

She put some beans onto a plate for the both of them. Just like before, Alex didn't bother to hesitate and dug right into it. "Mmm…" She licked her fork. "These are some good beans." The little girl smiled at her.

The Doctor tried them, but just like Alex predicted, they were quickly spat out in the sink. The little girl and Alex shared a disgusted look. "Beans are evil." The Doctor said, completely serious. "Bad bad beans."

The little girl spread some butter onto a piece of bread. "Bread and butter." The Doctor was smiling again. "Now you're talking." Both girls shot him a look, obviously not believing him. She slid it across the table. Within a moment, he was outside and Frisbee the plate away from the house. Alex heard it crash in the distance, _did I hear a cat?_ Alex blinked; did the plate hit a poor, innocent cat? "And stay out!" He brushed his hands and came back inside.

-x-

The Doctor paced back and forth in the kitchen. The girls were looking in the fridge to find him something. "We've got some carrots." The little girl offered.

"Carrots? Are you insane? No, wait, hang on. I know what I need. I need... I need... I need..." He pulled out two boxes, one from the freezer, and one from the fridge. "Fish fingers and custard."

"Oh that's disgusting." Alex said, looking at him. He looked over. "I get fish fingers, I love fish fingers. But fish fingers and _custard_? _Ew_."

"Don't diss the custard." He aimed a finger at her; she threw him a look and slapped his hand away. He hissed.

She raised her own finger and pointed it at him. "New regeneration or not I'm still not afraid to smack you." The Doctor leaned slightly back. He had forgotten about that, which was stupid really. He should have figured no matter what she wasn't afraid to smack him if he was out of line. He nodded. She lowered her finger.

The Doctor cooked the fish fingers and now had a huge clear bowl, with custard it in. The little girl was across from him, with a huge tub of ice cream. Alex was in between the two of them, with scads of candy on the table. The girls watched as he lifted the entire bowl and drank some custard, Alex made a face. It was still disgusting to her. He put the bowl down, showing he had a rather fetching custard mustache. He wiped it away.

"Funny." The little girl said.

"Am I?" The Doctor asked. "Good. Funny's good."

"What's your name?" Alex asked.

"Amelia Pond." She answered.

"Ohh, that's a brilliant name. Amelia Pond, like a name in a fairytale. Are we in Scotland, Amelia?"

Amelia sighed. "No. Had to move to England. It's rubbish."

"Tell me about it." Alex muttered. She was still holding strong, her American accent still thick and clear in her voice. Something occurred to Alex. "What about your mom and dad? We've been making quite a bit of noise; shouldn't they have woken up by now?"

"Don't have a mum and dad. Just an aunt." The small ginger answered.

"I don't even have an aunt." The Doctor said.

"You're lucky." Amelia said. Alex smiled.

"I know." He paused. "So, your aunt, where is she?"

"She's out." Amelia answered.

"And she left you here all on your own?" Alex asked surprised.

"I'm not scared." Amelia answered.

"Course you're not! You're not scared of anything. Box falls out of the sky, man and woman falls out of the box, man eats fish custard. And look at you! Just sitting there. So you know what we think?"

"What?" She asked.

"That must be one hell of a scary crack in your wall." Alex said. When Alex looked closely at Amelia's face, she saw that she was right. The poor girl looked quite worried indeed.

-x-

They went into her bedroom. When Alex saw the crack she felt her gut squeeze. She followed the Doctor and ran her fingers delicately across the crack. Something about it really bothered her. The Doctor was poking around the crack curiously. "You've had some cowboys in here." Amelia was behind them, hanging around the doorway. "Not actual cowboys. Though, that can happen."

"I use to hate apples." Alex turned. "Then my mum put faces on them." Amelia was holding an apple. She handed it to them. It had a smiley face carved into it. Alex smiled and ran her finger across the face. The Doctor watched her; happy to see that there was a smile on her face.

"She sounds good, your mum." The Doctor tossed the apple in the air and caught it. "I'll keep it for later." He put it into his pocket and went back to examining the crack. "This wall's solid and the crack doesn't go all the way through it. So here's the thing –"

Alex cut him off. "Where's the draft coming from?" The Doctor smiled to himself, happy to know that his pride of her was still fresh. Human or not, she was good.

The Doctor ran the sonic screwdriver along the crack and then checked the readings. "Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey." Alex peeked over his shoulder to read, but she couldn't make out the readings. "You know what this crack is?"

"What?" Amelia asked.

"It's a crack." They looked back at the said crack. The Doctor pressed his face to the wall and ran his fingers along it. "I'll tell you something funny, if you knock this wall down, the crack would stay put, 'cause the crack isn't in the wall."

"Where is it then?"

Then Alex remembered what it said in the show, she remembered what the big deal about the crack was. "Everywhere. Literally, everywhere. It's like a split within the skin of the world."

"Two parts of time and space that should have never touched… Pressed together. Right here, in the wall of your bedroom. Sometimes – can you hear –?"

"A voice, yes." Amelia nodded.

The Doctor darted over to her bedside table, picked up a glass of water, and his arm jerked backwards, flinging all the water out. He looked at the glass and then behind him as if he was surprised the glass was now empty. He then came back over to the wall, and pressed the glass to the wall, putting his ear to the other end. A whisper of a voice suddenly became clear.

"'Prisoner Zero'?" The Doctor muttered to himself.

"'Prisoner Zero has escaped'." Amelia repeated. "That's what I heard. What does it mean?"

The Doctor straightened up and pulled the glass away. "Does that mean on the other side there's a prison?" Alex asked.

"Probably." The Doctor answered. "And they've lost a prisoner, and d'you know what that means?"

"What?" Amelia asked.

"You need a better wall." The Doctor leaned down and picked her desk up, dragging it away from the wall. Alex helped him out.

"The only way to close the breach is to open it all the way." The Doctor explained quickly. "Forces will invert, and it will snap shut… or…"

"What?"

The Doctor paused for a moment. "You know when grownups tell you everything's gonna be fine, and you think they're probably lying to make you feel better?"

Obviously she knew this, sighing slightly. "Yes."

There was a beat of silence. "Everything is going to be fine." Alex said, knowing what was going on in his head. The Doctor held his hand out to her, and she took it. Alex stood tall, next to the Time Lord, looking like one herself. He turned back to the wall, keeping Amelia safely behind him, raised the sonic screwdriver, and flicked it on. The crack glowed with a brilliantly bright light, before prying itself open. Inside was mostly blackness, except for the faint outline of bars somewhere in the distance.

"Prisoner Zero has escaped." A deep voice repeated on a loop.

The Doctor stared and then took a step forward. "Hello? Hello?" Suddenly, a very large eyeball filled the space. The Doctor took a step or two back, startled, and Alex jumped a bit, as the eye rested on them. The eye abruptly fired some little glowing ball of light which curved round and hit the Doctor's pocket. He fell onto Amelia's bed. The crack closed, slowly.

"There. You see, I told you it would close. Good as new." The Doctor explained.

"What was that thing? Was that Prisoner Zero?"

"No. I think that was Prisoner Zero's guard. Whatever it was, it sent me a message. Physic paper." The Doctor said. "Takes a lovely little message." He read it. "'Prisoner Zero has escaped'. But why tell us…" He paused. Alex and the Doctor shared a looked of dawning realization. "Unless…"

"No." Alex said. "No way."

"What?" Amelia asked. "Unless what?"

"Unless Prisoner Zero escaped through here." The Doctor and Alex were already looking around the room, looking for any clues.

"But he couldn't have, we would have noticed something." Alex said. They ran out of the bedroom, Amelia followed them. He stopped abruptly on the landing. They did a double take at one of the doors around them, and then continued to look around.

"It's difficult, brand new for me," Alex knew it was hard for her only because her eyes weren't as good as a Time Lord's. "But there's something we're missing." He turned his head very slowly to face the door he glanced at twice. "Out of the corner of our eyes." Alex moved her eyes as well, following his eyes. Something wasn't quite right about that door… Alex knew she was getting a bad feeling.

Suddenly, Alex heard the sounds of the cloister bells ringing in the TARDIS. The Doctor and Alex looked at each other in alarm and ran down the stairs. "No, no, no, no, no, no!" Amelia followed.

Outside, in the back garden again, Amelia was chasing the Doctor and Alex back to the TARDIS. "We've got to get back there!" Alex freaked. "The engines are phasing, they're gonna burn!" Sure, she wasn't Time Lord, but she did know some things about the TARDIS from the Doctor.

"But… It's just a box!" Amelia pointed out. "How can a box have engines?" The Doctor and Alex were fussing around the TARDIS. The Doctor was on one side and Alex on the other, tying the ropes around the doors.

"It's not a box." The Doctor explained. "It's a time machine."

"What?" Amelia asked, obviously not believing them. "A real one? You've got a real time machine?"

"Not for much longer, if we don't stabilize our engines." Alex said. She looked back at the Doctor. "I'm talking like you."

"You'll get use to it." The Doctor grinned at her. "Five minute hope in the future should do it." He said. Alex nodded, she trusted him, even now.

"Can I come?" Amelia asked hopefully.

"No, not yet." Alex answered. "It's probably not safe in there. Just give us five minutes, make sure it's safe. We'll be right back."

"People always say that." Amelia muttered. The two time travelers paused at what they were doing and looked at each other.

The Doctor jumped down and crouched down in front of her. "Are we people? Do we even look like people? Trust us. I'm the Doctor and she's Alex Harper." Amelia smiled, reassured. He leaped back up, and helped Alex to do the same. They took one last look at the little ginger. The Doctor looked at Alex and she looked back.

They grinned and jumped in. "Geronimo!"

"Wohoo!" Alex laughed. The TARDIS doors slam shut behind them. The two got to the console and started pressing the right buttons, to get the TARDIS to calm down. Well, it was more like the Doctor was pressing the right buttons, and was telling Alex was buttons to press.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor finally asked.

Alex looked up, confused. "It's what we had to do, Doctor. She was just a little girl and –"

"I don't mean Amelia." Alex stalled for a moment at what she was doing; she ran her hands down the TARDIS controls.

"I…" She swallowed. "No." She answered, truthfully. "It… It still hurts, Doctor, it hurts a lot." The Time Lord came up next to her. "I mean… The Doctor… _My_ Doctor is gone. I felt like I died when you regenerated. Because I knew, I knew, that it meant I would never see you like that again. I know you're still the Doctor, but at the same time, you're a new man. And…" Alex rubbed her face. "It's so confusing. It killed me to even look at you, because all I could see what the tenth regenerating. I felt like, I had let you down. I mean, I knew this was coming; it's what happened in the show. And I thought… I thought if I was here, I could change it, but… I couldn't. I couldn't stop it. It was like watching my parents all over again."

The Doctor took her into a hug as she started to silently cry. "All my feelings are still there, Alex." He felt her perk up slightly. "All the feels I felt before, are still there, they're just… waiting to be rediscovered."

Alex laughed dryly. "Time. It seems we both need time. I mean, I don't want to go back home. Of course not, who'd want to give this up." She shook her head. "And, I made a promise to you." He raised an eyebrow. Alex smiled a tiny bit. "Remember? I promised I would never go anywhere without you. New regeneration or not, I still hold my promise."

The Doctor smiled. "Let's start over, shall we?" He held out his hand. "Hello Miss. Alex Harper, I'm the Doctor."

"Nice to meet you, Doctor." She took his hand and they shook them. "You can call me Allie if you wish." They smiled at each other. "Now, let's get these engines under control." The Doctor smirked and they got back to work.

-x-

The TARDIS materialized again. Alex and the Doctor stepped out. Alex waved a hand over her mouth and coughed as smoke continued to billow out of the doors. The windows of the valiant ship were tinted amber. The Doctor looked around curiously. "Amelia!"

The two brunettes ran to the door. They had figured out what it was that had bothered them so much last time. "Amelia!" Alex shouted, hoping the girl could hear her. "We worked out what it was! We know what we were missing! You have to get out of there right now!"

The Doctor pressed the sonic screwdriver to the lock, but had to click it several times before it would work. Alex figured that the sonic screwdriver was somewhat connected to the TARDIS, which in itself it connected to the Doctor. None of them were exactly looking their best. The sonic device finally worked, and they headed inside, still calling her name as they ran upstairs, straight to the suspicious door. "Amelia! Amelia! Are you alright? Are you there?" The Doctor tried to use the sonic screwdriver on this door, and it spluttered slightly.

"Prisoner Zero is here, Amelia! Prisoner Zero is here!" Alex kept repeating it, hoping that would somehow help for Amelia to come out. "Prisoner Zero is here, in your house, Amelia! He's…" A floorboard creaked behind them, they turned, and a cricket bat smacked them hard in the face in one blow. They fell to the floor, unconscious.

-x-

Alex moaned and slowly shook her head, her eyes focusing. Alex looked around, she saw the Doctor next to her, also waking up, and they were against a radiator. She looked over and saw a police woman with _gorgeous_ ginger hair, speaking into a radio. "White male and female, mid-twenties for the male, early twenties to late teens for the female, breaking and entering. Send me some back up, I've got them restrained." The woman finally turned to face them, one hand on her hip. "Oi! You, sit still."

The Doctor cleared his throat. "Cricket bat. We're getting… Cricket. Bat."

"You were breaking and entering." The Doctor stared at her curiously, before trying to stand up abruptly. He fell back down again, quickly, realizing that he was handcuffed to the radiator. Alex lifted her hand and realized she was in the same predicament.

"Oh, that's much better. Brand new me, whack on the head. Just what I needed." The Doctor told Alex.

"Do you want to shut up?" The policewoman asked. "I've got back-up on the way!"

"Hang on, no, wait – you're a policewoman." The Doctor stated the obvious.

"Really, Doctor?" Alex asked. "_Really_? It took you that long to figure that out?"

The man shot her a look. "I've been busy." _With what_? Alex rolled her eyes.

"And you're breaking and entering." The policewoman said. "You see how this works?"

"What are you doing here, anyways?" Alex asked and looked around; trying to peek into the room that Alex remembered was Amelia's. "Where's Amelia?"

The officer stared; this name obviously rang a bell. "Amelia Pond?"

"Yeah, Amelia." Alex turned back to the officer. "Little Scottish girl with pretty ginger hair."

"We promised her five minutes, but the engines were phasing, I suppose we might have gone a bit far." The Doctor explained. "Has something happened to her?"

The policewoman stared at them, warily. "Amelia Pond hasn't lived here in a long time."

"How long?" Alex asked.

"Six months."

The Doctor and Alex looked at each other. "No, no, no, no. We can't be six months late, we said five minutes. We promised." The Time Lord sniffed. The policewoman turned away from them, clicking her radio.

"What happened to her?" Alex asked, straining to get her attention again. "What happened to Amelia Pond?"

"Sarge," the policewoman said, talking into her radio again. "It's me again. Hurry it up; these people know something about Amelia Pond." The Doctor and Alex looked past her to the door again.

-x-

It's been a couple of minutes now, and everyone was still where they were. "We need to speak to whoever lives in this house right now." The Doctor suddenly said.

"I live here."

"But, you're the police." Alex pointed out.

"Yes, and I live here. You got a problem with that?" The time travelers' eyes moved to the door, and then back to her, they kept their gaze on her from then on.

"How many rooms?" The Doctor asked.

"… I'm sorry, what?" The policewoman asked.

"On this floor. How many rooms on this floor?" The Doctor specified. "Count them for me, now."

"Why?"

"Because the answer could change your life." Alex said, completely serious.

"Five." She answered. "One, two, three, four, five." She pointed them out.

"Six."

She laughed. "Six?"

"Look." Alex said.

"Look where?"

"Exactly where you don't want to look. Where you never want to look. The corner of your eye. Look behind you." The Doctor explained. She turned, doing exactly that, and suddenly she could see the door.

"That's… That's not possible. How is that possible?"

"There's a perception filter around the door." Alex explained, saying what the Doctor had told her. She looked at the Doctor. "We should have seen it, last time we were here." The Doctor nodded, obviously agreeing.

"But that's a whole room." The policewoman muttered. "That's a whole room, I've never noticed."

"The filter stops you from noticing." The Doctor explained. "Something came here, a while ago, to hide, and it's still hiding, and you need to un-cuff us now!"

"Don't have the key, I lost it." Alex stared at the policewoman's back in shock.

"How the hell could you have lost it?" Alex asked. The woman stared to move towards the door, away from the time travelers.

"Stay away from that door!" She ignored him, going towards the door. "Do not touch that door!" She ignored him again, reaching out to touch the door handle. "Listen to me, do not open that –!" She ignored him, turning the handle and stepping inside the room. "Why does no one ever listen to me? Do I have a face that nobody listens to?" He paused. "Again." He started to feel around his pockets.

"Doctor, what are you doing?" Alex asked.

"My screwdriver, where is it?" The Doctor asked aloud. "Silver thing, blue at the end, where did it go?"

"There's nothing here." The policewoman said, still inside the room.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Well, duh, it's stopped you from seeing the whole _room_! What makes you think it'll let you see it?"

"Now please, just get out!" The Doctor said.

"Silver, blue at the end?" The two brunettes looked at each other.

"My screwdriver, yeah." The Doctor answered.

"It's here." The woman answered.

"Must've rolled under the door when you hit us with a cricket bat." Alex couldn't stop herself from saying that last bit with some bite to it. Seriously, breaking and entering did _not_ result in giving someone the right to use a cricket bat.

"Yeah. Must've. And then it must've… jumped up on the table." Alex looked over at the Doctor and saw that something was very wrong.

"Get out of there." The Doctor's voice rose to a yell. "Get out of there! Get out! Get out of there!" Both brunettes tried to strain against their handcuffs to see if they could spot anything from inside. "What is it? What are you doing?" Didn't he say to get out of there?

"There's nothing here, but…" It sounded like she could feel something was wrong. The beast was probably near here, but it was using a perception filter.

"Corner of your eye." The Doctor said.

"What is it?" She asked.

"Don't try and see it, if it knows you've seen it, it will kill you. Don't look at it!" The Doctor called to her. "Do not… Look." There wasn't even a moment of silence after he said when she screamed.

"Get out!" Alex screamed. She ran out of the door and slammed it shut behind her. She ran back over to him.

"Gimme that." The Doctor grabbed his sonic screwdriver. He quickly aimed it at the door and it locked. He then turned to himself and aimed the sonic at his handcuffs, but it now spluttered badly. "Oh, what's the nasty alien done to you?" He asked, whipping away the slime on it.

"Will that door hold it?" The policewoman asked.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, course." The Doctor's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "It's an interdimensional multiform from outer space, they're all terrified of wood." She gave him a scathing look, and the door suddenly flashed yellow from within.

"What the hell is it doing?" Alex asked.

"I don't know." The Doctor peeked up at the door before going back to whipping his screwdriver. "Getting dressed? Run." He told the policewoman. "Just go, your backup's coming, we'll be fine."

"There is no backup." The woman said.

"What?" Alex asked. "We heard you on the radio, you called for backup."

"I was pretending, it's a pretend radio." She answered.

"But you're a policewoman." The Doctor said.

"I'm a kiss-o-gram!" She pulled off her hat, and all her tightly done hair falls out loosely. There was no time for staring, though, as the door crashed down at the other end of the corridor. A man and a large black Rottweiler stepped out, staring at the three of them.

"… But it's just…" The ginger muttered.

"No it isn't. Look at the faces." The dog started to growl before barking. But when Alex looked closer, she saw that the dog's face wasn't moving. However, the man's face was. It was the man that was barking.

"What?" The – not – policewoman said. "I'm sorry, but what?"

"It's all one creature." Alex saw that both heads moved in unison. "One creature disguised as two. Clever, old multiform. A bit of a rushed job, though, got the voices a bit muddled, did you?" The Doctor asked and the creature stared at him. "Mind you, where did you get the pattern from? You'd need a physic link, life feed, how'd you fix that?"

The creature didn't answer and the man growled again. He took a step towards them. He opened his mouth and revealed large, pointy teeth. "Shit." Alex bit her tongue, and without thinking she grabbed the Doctor's hand, just like she always did. The Doctor knew he didn't have time to peek at her, but squeezed her hand nonetheless.

"Stay away!" He paused. "Apparently, we're safe, wanna know why?" He patted the fake policewoman's shoe. "She sent for backup."

"I didn't send for backup!" She repeated.

"I know," The Doctor said. "That was a clever line to save our lives. Okay, yeah, no backup!" The man closed his mouth and stopped growling. "And that's why we're safe. Alone we're not a threat to you. If we had backup then you'd have to kill us."

"Attention Prisoner Zero." A voice suddenly spoke from outside. Alex recognized it as the same voice that had been in the prisoner on the other side of the crack. "The human residence is surrounded. Attention Prisoner Zero. The human residence is surrounded."

"What's that?" The ginger asked.

"Well, that would be backup." The Doctor said. Alex shook her head. "Okay, one more time. We do have backup, and that's defiantly why we're safe."

"Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence, or the human residence will be incinerated."

"Yeah, Doctor, safe, apart from oh… _incineration_." Alex hissed.

"Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence, or the human residence will be incinerated." The voice continued that announcement on a loop.

The man and his dog wandered off into another room. The Doctor slammed his sonic screwdriver onto the floor, trying to get it to work. "Work, work, work, work. Come on!" Finally, it did, and the Doctor was quick to use it on the handcuffs. They snapped open.

"Run!" Alex grabbed the other woman's hand. "Run!" The brunette pushed her down the stairs with the Doctor behind them.

With the deep voice still repeating the message, the two brunette time travelers and the ginger ran out of the house, slamming the door behind them. The Doctor soniced it and it locked. The Doctor turned back, while doing this. "A kiss-o-gram?"

"Yes, a kiss-o-gram!" The ginger responded. They ran towards the TARDIS. "What's going on?"

"Why'd you pretend to be a policewoman?" Alex asked.

"You broke into my house." The woman responded. "It was this or a French maid. What's going on, tell me! Tell me!"

The Doctor threw his hands up for a moment, frustrated. "An alien convict is hiding in your spare room, disguised as a man and a dog, and some other aliens are about to incinerate your house. Any questions?"

"Yes!" She said.

"Yeah, us too." Alex muttered.

The Doctor tried to unlock the TARDIS. But it wouldn't open. "No, no, no, no, no! Don't do that, not now... It's still rebuilding, not letting us in."

"Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residences, or the human residences will be incinerated."

"Oh, will you move it, Time Lord!" Alex pushed the alien away from where he had been currently pressed up against the TARDIS, rubbing it gently. The other woman grabbed his hand and tried to pull him away from their house. The Doctor struggled.

"Wait, wait, hang on!" The Doctor broke free and ran to the shed. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, the shed! We destroyed the shed last time we were here, smashed it to pieces."

"So what, Doctor?" Alex asked. "It's a new one."

"Yeah, but the new one's got old. At least ten years old." He sniffed it and ran a finger down it before licking his finger. "Twelve years. We're not six months late, we're twelve years late." Alex blinked, bewildered. They couldn't have gone that far off, could they?

"He's coming." Alex turned to the woman and she could see the woman was starting to look worried.

"You said six months." The Doctor walked right up to her. "Why did you say six months?"

"We've gotta go."

"This is important." Alex insisted. "Why did you say six months?"

She snapped, spinning around to face them. "Well, why did you say five minutes?"

There was a beat of silence, and the Doctor and Alex just stared at the woman in shock. Her eyes were wide. They knew, now – this was Amelia Pond. "What?" Alex whispered.

"Come on." Amelia said.

"What?" The Doctor echoed.

"Come on!" She grabbed both of their hands.

"What?" Both brunettes yelled. She pulled them by the hands. They ran by the front door, as the man and the dog stood there, this time both the man and the dog barked at them.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Amelia ran up the little village road towards the village square, and he stopped, turning to her. "You're Amelia."

"You're late."

"Little Amelia Pond. You're the little girl." Alex added.

"I'm Amelia, and you're late." She answered curtly.

"What happened?" The Doctor asked.

"Twelve years."

"You hit us with a cricket bat." The Doctor retorted.

"Twelve years." Amelia repeated.

"A cricket bat."

"Twelve years, and four psychiatrists."

"Four?" Alex asked.

"I kept biting them." Amelia answered.

The Doctor and Alex looked at each other, finding this vaguely funny. "Why?" The Doctor asked, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"They said you weren't real." Amelia answered.

"Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence, or the human residence will be incinerated." The group looked over to see the voice blaring out of the speakers of an ice cream van.

"No, no, no come on." Amelia muttered. "What? We're being staked out… By an ice cream van."

The three of them ran over to the van. "What's that? Why are you playing that?"

"It's supposed to be Claire De Lune." The ice cream vendor said.

The Doctor picked up the radio and held it to his ear. "Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence, or the human residence will be incinerated. Repeat. Prisoner Zero will vacate the human residence, or the human residence will be incinerated."

The Doctor poked around the radio and then walked to the side of the van. Alex looked around and saw that everything with a speaker was playing the same message, IPods, cell phones, radios… "Doctor, what's happening?" They looked around for a few more seconds, and then ran off, apparently in different directions. The Doctor, with Alex right behind him, leaped over someone's garden fence.

-x-

They got to a lovely elderly lady's home. The Doctor hurried through the unlocked door, skidded on the carpet, and headed into the living room. Alex was literally right behind him. Alex found a small elderly woman was trying to change the channel. On the screen was a giant eyeball, whizzing around, speaking the same words that was heard everywhere else.

"Hello." The Doctor greeted. "Sorry to burst in, we're doing a special on television faults in this area." Amelia burst through the doors and stopped right next to Alex. "Also, crimes. Let's have a look." He walked over and took the remote from the elderly woman.

"I was just about to phone." The woman explained. "It's on every channel." She took notice to Amelia. "Oh, hello Amy dear." The woman greeted. "Are you a policewoman now?"

It was obviously that Amelia was a bit embarrassed. "Well, sometimes…"

"I thought you were a nurse." The two brunettes looked at Amelia curious.

"I can, be a nurse."

"Or, actually a nun?"

"I dabble." She laughed it off.

The elderly woman decided to ignore it for now. "Amy, who's your friends?"

"Who's Amy?" The Doctor asked. "You're Amelia."

"Yeah, and now I'm Amy."

"Amelia Pond." The Doctor responded. "That was a great name."

"… Bit fairytale." Both of them looked at her. Alex could hear the disappointment in her voice, obviously from them coming so late.

"I know you, don't I?" The elderly woman asked. "I mean I've seen you somewhere before."

"Not me. Brand new face." He stretched his mouth, as wide as he could, to apparently show her how new his face was. "First time on."

"Changing the subject," Alex commented and turned to 'Amy'. "What the hell is a kiss-o-gram?"

"I go to parties, and… I kiss people." Amy cleared her throat. "With outfits, it's a laugh."

"You were a little girl five minutes ago." The Doctor said.

Amy made a face. "You're worse than my aunt."

"I'm the Doctor, I'm worse than everybody's aunt." Alex looked at him before motioning to the elderly woman next to him. The Doctor turned back to her. "And that is not how I'm introducing myself." She nodded, a little bemused, and he turned and started to use the sonic on the radio, tuning it to different languages. The voice of the aliens continued to come out, in different languages.

"Doctor…?" Alex muttered.

"Okay. So it's everywhere. In every language. They're broadcasting to the whole world." The Doctor ran over to the window, opened it, and leaned out, looking to the sky.

"What's up there?" Amy asked. "What are you looking at?"

He pulled himself back in, and wandered around the room. "Okay. Planet this size, two poles? You basic molten core? Uh, they're gonna need a forty percent fission blast." A good looking man came through the front door – although to Alex, sadly he wasn't as good looking as the Doctor. The Time Lord walked up to him and backed him into a wall. The Doctor leaned right up close to him. "But they'll have to power up first. So, assuming a medium sized star ship… That's twenty minutes. What do you think? Twenty minutes?" The Doctor bounced up and down, raising and lowering himself on his tiptoes to equal the man's height, then back to his own height, then up again. "Yeah… Twenty minutes. We've got twenty minutes."

"Twenty minutes to what?" Alex asked.

"Are you the Doctor and Alex Harper?" The guy asked.

"They are, aren't they? He's the Doctor! The Raggedy Doctor! And The Punkish Alex Harper! Punkish Alex Harper! All those cartoons you did when you were little? The Raggedy Doctor and the Punkish Alex Harper! It's them!"

Amy cleared her throat. "… Shut up."

"Cartoons?" the Doctor muttered.

Alex looked at Amy. "Punkish?" The Doctor headed over to the T.V. and slumped onto the sofa. The guy wandered closer.

"Gran? It's them, isn't it? It's really them!"

"Jeff, shut up." Amy ordered before turning to the Time Lord. "Twenty minutes to what?"

"The human residence." The Doctor explained. "They're not talking about your house; they're talking about the planet. Somewhere up there, there's a spaceship. And, it's going to incinerate the planet." He paused. "Twenty minutes to the end of the world."

-x-

They were outside now; the Doctor, Alex, and Amy were walking past the village green. "What is this place? Where are we?"

"Leadworth." Amy answered.

"Where's the rest of it?" The Doctor asked.

"This is it."

"Is there an airport?" Alex asked.

"No."

"A nuclear power station?" The Doctor asked.

"Ha, no." Amy answered.

"Not even a small one?" Alex questioned.

"No."

"Nearest city?" The Doctor interrogated.

"Half an hour by car." Amy responded.

"We don't have a half an hour."

"Do we even have a car?" Alex asked.

Amy thought about that, realizing. "No."

"Oh, that's good!" The sarcasm was back in the Doctor's tone. "Fantastic, that is, twenty minutes to save the world, and I've got a Post Office. And it's shut."

"Which is no problem for you, Doctor." Alex intervened with a roll her blue eyes. "You have a sonic screwdriver. It can open anything that isn't deadlocked. And I highly doubt that a Post Office would be dead locked."

The Doctor ignored her. "What is that?" He pointed ahead, and then ran towards it. Amy and Alex followed him.

"It's a duck pond." Amy responded.

The Doctor abruptly turned to face her. "Why aren't there any ducks?"

Amy gave him a weird look. "I don't know, there's never any ducks."

"Then how do you know it's a duck pond?" The Doctor asked.

"Doctor," Alex entered the conversation. "It's a duck pond. How is this important?" They had to save the world in twenty minutes, now was not the time to focus on something like a duck pond.

"I don't know. How would I know?" During this line, he clutched his chest and jerked around slightly, falling to the ground. Alex put her hands on his arm. "This is too soon… I'm not ready, I'm not done yet."

Amy stared at him, as Alex gently rubbed his arm, trying in vain to lessen even some of the pain. However, they all looked up when a shadow fell. "What's happening? Why's it going dark?" Amy asked. The dark slowly passed, but whatever caused it left the sun looking strange. "What's wrong with the sun?"

"Nothing." The Doctor answered. "You're looking at it through a force field; they've sealed off your upper atmosphere, now they're getting ready to boil the planet." _Lovely_, Alex thought sarcastically. Amy stared at him as the Doctor got up, with some help from Alex. He looked around the park, at everyone who had pulled out a mobile phone and was filming the strange-looking sun. "Oh and here they come. The human race. See, the end comes, as it always going to, down a video phone."

"This isn't real," Amy tried to convince herself. "This is some kind of big wind-up…"

"Why would we wind you up?" Alex asked as the two brunettes turned around to face her.

"You told me you had a time machine." Amy said.

"And you believed me." The Doctor added.

"Then I grew up." Alex scoffed.

"Oh, well you never wanna do that." The Doctor said.

"'Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional'." Alex quoted. The Doctor looked at her. "What? My dad had a shirt that said that." She grinned.

He chuckled. "I would have loved to meet your parents."

Alex smiled fondly. "You would have loved them."

"No." The Doctor muttered, seeming to realize something. "Hang on, shut up! Wait, I missed it." He slapped himself in the forehead, painfully. Alex winced a slight bit. "I saw it, and I missed it." He slapped himself again, his head looking quite red. "What did I see, I saw, what did I see, I saw, I saw, I saw…" Alex closed her eyes, the memory of what he saw was blurry and fuzzy, but she remembered. Moving around the park, Alex remembered looking around at all the people frozen in a still image, holding their mobiles up at the sun, making their videos, before she suddenly saw Rory, his mobile also out... but aiming not at the sun, instead towards the man and his dog, standing together at the side of the park. Looking around at the man and his dog before returning to Rory.

Alex had no doubt that sometimes this was how the Doctor's mind worked. She opened her eyes again. "Doctor?" Alex asked. The Doctor always would explain what he was planning; it just sometimes took a bit of encouragement.

"Twenty minutes!" The Doctor came back to reality. "I can do it. Twenty minutes, the planet burns, run to your loved ones and say goodbye… Or stay and help us."

"… No." Amy said. Alex blinked, that didn't make sense.

"No?" Alex asked.

"No!" She grabbed a hold of the Doctor's messy tie, and dragged him towards a just-parked car in the car park right behind her.

"Amy – no, no!" The Doctor struggled. "What are you doing?"

"Amy!" Alex walked right next to Amy. "Amy, let him go! Right now. Seriously, you need to let him go."

Amy ignored both brunettes. She opened the car door, and slammed it closed on his tie, trapping him there. She then took the car keys off an elderly man who owned the car and locked it. The Doctor tried to move, but jerked back, stuck. "Are you out of your mind?" The Doctor asked.

"Who are you?" Amy demanded.

"You know who we are." Alex said, and made a grab for the keys. Amy pushed her off and the girls locked eyes. The stubbornness within each of the girls' eyes was matching in strength.

"No really." Amy turned back to the Doctor, but made sure to keep the keys out of range from Alex. "Who are you?"

"Look at the sky." The Doctor said. "End of the world. Twenty minutes."

"Well, better talk quickly then." Amy retorted.

"Amy," The elderly man finally spoke up. "I am going to need my car back."

Amy closed her eyes, obviously annoyed. "Yes, in a bit. Now go and have coffee."

"Right. Yes…" He left. Alex realized something; she reached into the Doctor's pocket. He looked at her, but she gave him a look to trust her. When she felt something smooth and round she pulled it back out. The Doctor caught what it was and nodded to himself, understanding.

"Catch." Alex said. She tossed the apple to Amy and she caught it. She stared at it. It was the one she gave to them just before they inspected the crack in her wall. The smiley face still carved into it.

"I'm the Doctor and she's Alex Harper." The Doctor said. "We're time travelers. Everything we told you twelve years ago is true. We're real. What's happening in the sky is real, and if you don't let me go right now, everything you've ever known is over."

Amy stared at the apple, considering it, the apple, intensely. "... I don't believe you."

"Twenty minutes, Amy." The Doctor put his hand onto her wrist, which held the apple. Alex put her hand over his. "Believe us for twenty minutes. Look at it. It's fresh as the day you gave it to us. And, come on, you know, you _know_, it's the same one." Amy took her second thoughts, looking between the brunettes' earnest faces and the smiling of the apple. "Amy, please, for twenty minutes… Believe in us."

Amy paused for a long moment. Finally, she raised her hand and unlocked the car door. The Doctor was quick to get out. "What do we do?" Amy asked.

"Stop that nurse." The Doctor ordered. Amy grinned a slightly evil smile, and Alex couldn't figure out right at this moment, but decided to ignore it. The Doctor, freed, took off, jumping over the low chain link fence. Alex was right after him, use to his crazy running habits. The Doctor ran slightly past the nurse, nicking his phone swiftly from his hand as he went. He peered at the phone curiously, and then turned to confront the nurse.

Alex was easily able to catch up. She looked over the Doctor's shoulder, confused as to why the nurse was taking a picture of a man in a dog. He was a human, for God's sake; he _should _be taking picture of the crazy, strange looking sun. Amy caught up afterwards, having to run slower, after barely bouncing over the low fence and stopping to tug down her short, short skirt. "The sun's going out, and you're photographing a man and a dog, why?" He handed the phone back.

When the brunette girl looked up, her eyes widened a slight bit and she swallowed back a squeal or any other girlish noise. The nurse in front of her was Rory Williams, Amy's fiancée and soon-to-be-husband… _Wait, isn't that was fiancée is_? Alex mentally shook away her thoughts. Back to her original point, she _loved _Rory. Oh, she really, _really _did. Rory didn't answer the Doctor. Instead, he noticed Amy as she caught up, and was obviously relieved. "Amy!"

"Hi." She greeted and turned to the Doctor. "Oh, uh, this is Rory, he's a… friend."

"Boyfriend." Rory corrected with a proud smile.

"Kind of." Amy said. "Boyfriend." Alex didn't know why she was so hesitant to admit Rory was a boyfriend.

"Amy." Rory turned to her again.

"Man and dog. Why?" The Doctor demanded. They didn't have time for this. They needed to save the world in under twenty minutes.

"Oh, my gosh. It's them." Rory said, realizing it was the Doctor and Alex Harper he was looking at.

"Just, answer his question, please." Amy said, a little annoyed now. She didn't want to repeat this.

"It's them though!" Rory said, shocked. "The Doctor, the raggedy Doctor. And Punkish Alex Harper." _Out of all the adjectives in the world, why 'punkish' for me_? Alex wondered. She didn't think she looked that punkish…

"Yeah!" Amy said, trying to move past this. "They, they came back."

"But they were a story, they were a game –" Rory was interrupted as the Doctor impatiently grabbed him by the front of his jacket.

"Man and dog. Why. Tell me. Now." The Doctor ordered annoyed. _They did not have time for this_.

"Sorry." Rory shook his head, finally answering his question. "Because – he can't be there – because, he's –" The Doctor seemed to know the rest of the sentence for he said it in unison with Rory. "In a hospital, in a comma." Rory nodded. "Yeah."

"Knew it." The Doctor nodded to himself. "Multiform, you see?" He let go of Rory and brushed him down. "Disguised itself as anything, but it needs a life feed, a physic link, with al living, but dormant mind." The Doctor poked Rory in the forehead, making his point. They were interrupted by the dog barking from behind them, or was it the man barking? It was both. They all spun around, and the Doctor moved forward to confront him. "Prisoner Zero."

"What?" Rory turned to Amy. "There's a Prisoner Zero too?"

"Yes." Amy answered.

A large, almost star looking ship came over the horizon. A giant eyeball scanned the area. "See, that ship up there is scanning the area for non-terrestrial technology." He took the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket. "And nothing says non-terrestrial like sonic screwdriver." Looking gleeful, he held down the button, and raised the screwdriver into the air. Streetlamps suddenly started exploding, car alarms all went off, and a mobility scooter had a mind of its own.

A previously parked fire engine also decided it doesn't need people to drive it, and trundled off down the road, the firemen chasing after it. All the while, the giant eyeball ship was scanning, in the wrong direction. "I think someone's gonna notice, don't you?" The man and his dog growled – the Doctor aimed his sonic toward a telephone box, which exploded quite loudly. But suddenly the screwdriver itself exploded, the Doctor dropped it on the ground in front of him. The Doctor attempted to pick up the charred mess. "No, no, no! Don't _do _that!" He threw the screwdriver to the ground.

Alex rushed over and picked up the screwdriver. She ran her fingers down the now charred, once-upon-a-time screwdriver. This had been the only thing left she had of the 10th Doctor… And now, it was gone, it was ruined. She closed her eyes as the tears came back to her eyes. The ship started to pack up and leave. The Doctor turned around to face it. "It's going! No, come back! He's here! Come back! He's here, Prisoner Zero is here!" Prisoner Zero, as the man, gave a smug smirk. Then, the entire creature, man and dog, glowed orange and basically melted down the drain. "Come back! He's here, Prisoner Zero is... Here…"

"Doctor." Amy called, to get the Time Lord's attention. "The drain, it just… sort of, melted and went down the drain."

"Well, of course it did." The Doctor leaned down to Alex, who he saw was clutching the screwdriver. He hesitated for a moment, but he could see she was holding back her tears. He took her wrists. She opened her eyes and he gently bumped foreheads together. She closed her eyes again and bit her lip to stop a sob.

"What do we do now?" Amy asked.

"It's hiding in human form. We need to drive it to the open." The Doctor explained, keeping his forehead to Alex's. "No TARDIS, no screwdriver, seventeen minutes, come on… Think. Think." The Doctor got Alex to get up, but let her keep the burned sonic screwdriver in her hands. He led her over to the drain where Prisoner Zero melted into. He was thinking.

"So that thing." Amy finally spoke up. "That hid in my house for twelve years?"

"Multiforms can live for millennia." The Doctor answered. "Twelve years is a pitstop."

"So how come you show up again on the same day that lot do?" Amy asked, suspicion rising in her voice. "The same minute?"

"They're looking for him, but they followed us." The Doctor explained. "They saw us through the crack, got a fix, they're only late 'cause we are."

"What's he on about?" Rory asked, out of the loop.

"Nurse boy," The Doctor said, holding his hand out. Alex was tucked under into his other side. His arm was wrapped around her waist. The moment she started to nuzzle into him, wanting some comfort, it was pure instinct. All his feelings about it came rushing back to him. Alex was feeling somewhat the same. Even though he was the different man, the way he held her, the way she fitted against him, it was all the same like it use to be. "Gimme your phone."

"How can they be real?" Rory asked. "They were never real!"

"Phone. Now. Gimme." Rory handed him his phone.

"It was just a game, we were – we were kids, you made me dress up as him!" Alex bit her tongue. It seemed even as a kid, Amy ruled.

"These photos, they're all coma patients." The Doctor said. Alex looked over. The Doctor slid through all the pictures of each of the forms the multiform had taken.

"Yep." Rory nodded.

"No. They're all the multiform. Eight comas, eight disguises for Prisoner Zero." The Doctor muttered to himself.

"He had a dog though," Amy pointed out. "There's a dog in a coma?"

"Well, the coma patient dreams he's walking a dog, Prisoner Zero gets a dog. Laptop!" He looked up from the phone. "Your friend, what was his name, not him," The Doctor pointed at Rory. "The good-looking one!"

"Thanks." Rory said sarcastically.

"Jeff." Amy supplied.

"Ohhh thanks." Alex watched Rory. It seemed there was some history between Jeff and Rory.

"He had a laptop in his bag." Alex said, remembering when they first met him.

"A laptop." The Doctor nodded. "Big bag, big laptop. I need Jeff's laptop. You two, get to the hospital. Get everyone out of that ward, clear the floor; phone me when you're done." The Doctor ran back to the house, dragging Alex behind him. The Doctor ran up the front path of Jeff's house, inside, and was in Jeff's room quickly.

Alex pointed at the man. "Pretty boy!" Jeff looked up. "Laptop. Now. Give it here!" The Doctor crossed the room and tried to pry the laptop away from Jeff, who was trying to cover the screen, and keep it away from the Doctor.

"No, no, no, no, no –" Both men were speaking over the other.

"No – it's – fine – give – it – here!"

"Hang on!"

The Doctor snatched it from him, finally, and sat down at the edge of the bed. Alex walked over and sat down next to him. The Doctor and Alex looked at the screen, while Jeff looked over the Time Lord's shoulder warily, both brunettes' eyes widened. "Oh for heaven's sakes." Alex mumbled.

"Blimey." The Doctor muttered. "Get a girlfriend, Jeff."

Jeff's grandmother entered. "Gran."

"What are you doing?" She asked the two time travelers.

"Sun's gone wibbly, so right now, somewhere out there, there's gonna be a big old video conference call. All the experts in the world, panicking at once, and d'you know what they need? Me. Ah, and here they all are. All the big boys. NASA, Jodrell Bank, Tokyo Space Center, Patrick Moore."

"Oh! I like Patrick Moore." She said with a giggle.

Alex smiled. "I'll get you his number," The Doctor said. "But watch him, he's a devil."

"You can't just hack into a call like that." Jeff interrupted.

"Can't he?" Throughout this exchange the Doctor had been hurriedly typing; abruptly he stopped, and held up his physic paper up to the webcam on the top of Jeff's computer. One the laptop screen was six different boxes, each with a different person representing a different place. Evidently the physic paper had worked somehow, because it started up a large amount of questions from everyone.

"Who are you?"

"This is a secure call, what are you doing?"

"Hello." The Doctor greeted. "Yeah, I know, you should switch me off, but before you do, watch this." It got a bit complicated, and Alex couldn't keep up with all the voices as the Doctor typing, rapidly, obviously showing them at the same time just what he's doing. "Fermat's Theorem, the proof, and I mean the real one, never before seen, poor Fermat got killed in a duel before he could write it down. My fault. I slept it." The Doctor added, looking guilty. "Oh, and here's an oldie but a goodie, why electrons have mass, and a personal favorite of mine, faster than light travel with two diagrams and a joke." Alex smiled. She was always impressed when the Doctor showed just how brilliant he was. The Doctor stopped typing. "Look at your screens. Whoever I am, I'm a genius. Look at the sun. You need all the help you can get. Fellas – pay attention."

-x-

The Doctor was typing something on Rory's phone. "Sir! What are you doing?" A man asked.

"I am writing a computer virus," The Doctor said, not looking away from the phone. "Very clever, super fast, and a tiny bit alive, but don't let on. Andy why am I writing it on a phone? Never mind. You'll find out. Okay, I'm sending this to all your computers. Get everyone who works for you sending this everywhere. Email, text, Facebook, Bebo, Twitter, radar dish. Whatever you've got, any questions?"

"Who was your lady friend?" Patrick Moore asked.

"Patrick, behave." The Doctor said. Alex giggled.

"What does this virus do?" Another asked.

"Oh, it's a reset command, that's all, it resets counters, it gets in the wi-fi and resets every counter it can find. Clocks, calendars, anything with a chip will default to zero at exactly the same time. But yeah, I could by lying, why should you trust me? I'll let my best man explain." There was a pause, as the Doctor waited, Jeff still staring curiously over his shoulder. The Doctor waited, and then slowly turned to Jeff.

"Jeff," Alex whispered gently. "You're his best man."

"His what?" Jeff asked.

The Doctor closed the laptop screen, and turned to Jeff. The Time Lord put a hand on his shoulder. "Listen to me. In ten minutes, you're gonna be a legend. In ten minutes, everyone on that screen is gonna be offering you any job you want. But first, you have to be magnificent. You have to make them trust you and get them working. This is it, Jeff, right here, right now. This is when you fly. Today's the day you save the world."

Jeff just looked a bit dumbstruck, thinking carefully before he answered. "… Why me?"

"Because it's your room." Alex answered simply.

"Now, go, go, go." The Doctor and Alex got up, quickly, and left. Jeff took the laptop back, and put his game face on.

"Okay guys. Let's do this." His bedroom door reopened suddenly, and the Doctor and Alex were there.

"Oh, and delete your internet history." The Doctor waggled a finger at Jeff, all the while seeming to think the better of it. Alex giggled. They then left once more. Running up the garden path, they reached the gate, looking from side to side… The Doctor saw something he liked, and ran off, towards it. Alex ran after him.

Alex heard a phone ringing and reached into her pocket and pulled out Rory's phone. She didn't trust the Doctor to honestly be able to answer it, so she took it from him. She answered it. "Hello?"

"_Alex_?" Amy's clear voice answered her. "_We're at the hospital, but we can't get through_."

Alex called to the Doctor. "Oi! Time Lord!" Said alien stopped, right in front of a fire truck. Alex laughed. He flashed the physic paper at a fireman and they got on. "Amy says that they can't get through to the hospital."

"Tell her to look into a mirror." Alex nodded.

She tucked the phone back into her ear. "Look in a mirror, Amy."

Amy paused. "_… Oh._"

The brunette girl could just hear Rory in the background. "_What did she say_?"

"_Look in a mirror_." Amy responded. "_Ha_." Alex smirked, knowing Amy had done it. "_Uniform. Are you on your way? You're gonna need a car."_

"Don't worry about that." Alex responded. She grinned at the Time Lord. "We've got ourselves one." Alex put the phone down, figuring they would probably have to keep the line up and slammed the siren on. The Doctor and Alex laughed like the little kids they were.

"Amy?" Alex asked when she heard a strange noise on the other end. She figured it was a good thing she kept the phone on. "Amy, what's going on?" There was no answer; Alex could see the Doctor peeking at her, probably starting to get worried. "Amy! Talk to me!"

"We're in the coma ward, but its here, it's getting in." Alex relayed the message to the Doctor.

"Ask them which window they're at." The Doctor instructed.

"Which window are you at?" Alex asked.

"What, sorry?" Alex rolled her eyes.

"Which. Window. Are. You. At. Now!"

"Uhh, first floor on the left, fourth from the end." Alex repeated this.

"Tell them to duck." Alex flipped the phone and sent a test to Amy, telling her to duck. Alex looked up and saw they were going straight into the building. But, right before they could, the latter shattered the window. The Doctor tugged her arm gently and they both got out of the vehicle and climbed up the latter. The Doctor leapt into the room, draping his hands across Rory's and Amy's shoulders. Alex jumped into the room, fixing her shirt.

"Hey guys." Alex greeted.

"Right! Hello! Are we late? No." The Doctor looked at the clock. "Three minutes to go. There's still time."

"Time for what, Time Lord?" Prisoner Zero asked.

The Doctor stepped forward and paused. "Take the disguise off, they'll find you in a heartbeat. Nobody dies."

"The Atraxi will kill me this time. If I am to die, let there be fire." She smiled.

"Ha, ha." The Doctor laughed. "Okay. You came to this world by opening a crack in space and time. Do it again. Just leave."

"… I did not open the crack." Prisoner Zero commented.

"Somebody did." The Doctor contradicted.

"The cracks in the skin of the universe – don't' you know where they came from?" The look on the Doctor's face obviously showed he had no idea, and Prisoner Zero picked up on this. "You don't, do you?"Suddenly, one of the little girls' voices started to talk; only this time it was through the mother. "The Doctor in the TARDIS doesn't know." Her voice turned sing-song. "Doesn't know, doesn't know." The mother's voice took over again. "The universe is cracked. The Pandorica will open. Silence will fall."

There was a noise from behind Prisoner Zero, and the Doctor's eyes flicked to it. His expression lightened, and he relaxed slightly. "_And_, we're off. Look at that. Look, at that." He raised a hand to point, and everyone turned to see… the thud from behind Prisoner Zero was the clock on the wall, which had reset itself, now showing '0:00'. "Yeah, I know, just a clock, whatever, but d'you know what's happening right now?" Prisoner Zero turned to face him, not happy. "In one little bedroom, my team are working. Jeff and the world. And d'you know what they're doing? They're spreading the word. All over the world. Quantum fast. The word is out. And do you know what the word is?" Amy and Rory are staring at him, the magnificent Doctor, Amy looking proud. Alex looking impressed. Like she said, she was _always _impressed when he showed how _brilliant _he was. "The word is zero. Now, me, if I was up in the sky in a battleship, monitoring all Earth communications, I'd probably take that as a hint. And if I had a whole battle fleet, surrounding the planet, I'd be able to track a simple old computer virus to its source in… what, under a minute? The source, by the way… is right here."

The Doctor pulled Rory's phone out of his pocket and held it out. There was a pause, before a blinding white light flashed through the windows. "Whoa." Alex muttered.

"_Oooohhhh_, and I think they just found us." Rory and Amy ran to the window to see. One of the Atraxi ships was flying to hover above the hospital, shining a spotlight directly from the eye's pupil to rest on the windows where they were all grouped.

"The Atraxi are limited." Prisoner Zero wasn't worried. "While I'm in this form, they'll still be unable to detect me. They've tracked a phone. Not me."

"Yeah. But this is the good bit, I mean, this is my favorite bit. Do you know what this phone is full of? Pictures of you. Every form you've learned to take, right here. Oh, and, being uploaded, about… now." The Doctor scrolled through the options and uploaded the pictures. "And the final score is, no TARDIS, now screwdriver, two minutes to spare… Who da man?" He threw his arms out. Even Prisoner Zero looked unimpressed. Alex shook her head with a smile; putting her hand to her forehead. Amy gave him a sympathetic smile. "… Oh. Well. I'm just, never saying that again. Fine."

"Then I shall take a new form." Prisoner Zero said.

"Oh, stop it, you know you can't." The Doctor responded. "Takes months to form that kind of physic link."

"And I've had years." The creature, all three of the figures, started to glow orange. The Doctor stared, unnerved, when suddenly Amy collapsed.

"Amy!" Alex cried. The brunette rushed over to her. The Doctor turned and ran over as well, crouching beside her. The Atraxi ship, outside, was scanning all the hospital windows, now, obliviously unsure where to look.

"No! Amy!" He put his hands against her face. "You've gotta hold on!"

"Amy! Please! You've got to stay awake, no time for sleeping right now!" Alex was right next to the Doctor.

Rory looked up and tapped the Doctor's shoulder urgently. "Doctor." He pointed at Prisoner Zero. The Doctor looked up, at… himself and Alex. The real Doctor sat up beside Rory, somewhat bemused. Alex just blinked a little bewildered.

"… Well, that's rubbish." The Doctor finally said. "Who's that supposed to be?"

"It's you and Alex." Rory answered.

"Me? Is that what I look like?" The Time Lord looked down at himself then back up at his clone.

"You don't know?" Rory asked.

"Busy day." The Doctor looked at Alex then back at her clone, and he did this for a bit.

"What?" Alex finally asked.

"It's rubbish." He responded. "He did you wrong."

Alex looked at her clone, and saw nothing wrong. "What? How so?"

"She's nowhere near as beautiful as you should be." Alex's heart stopped. That was… That was something _her _Doctor would say. Alex felt her throat tighten, not sure how to react. The Doctor got up and she watched him. "Why us, though?" The Doctor asked. "You're linked with her. Why are you copying us?"

"I'm not." Alex looked up, alarmed. She knew that small, Scottish accent anywhere. Suddenly, young Amy Pond was back, wandering around the taller figure of the Doctor, holding his hand. "Poor Amy Pond. Still such a child inside. Dreaming of the magic Doctor and Alex Harper she knows will return to save her. What a disappointment you've been."

There was a long pause. Alex knew Prisoner Zero was trying to get a rise out of the Doctor. "No, she's dreaming about us 'cause she can hear us." He turned, ran, and crouched down beside Amy once more. "Amy, don't just hear me, listen. Remember the room, the room in your house you couldn't see. Remember you went inside, I tried to stop you but you did. You went in the room. You went inside. Amy… Dream about what you saw."

Apparently, Amy had done just that, for little Amy Pond responded. "No. No. No!" Prisoner Zero started to fade orange; the Doctor looked up, and then stood up, walking to face it, as it turned into the shape Amy had seen. Its original form. And then it roared at him, like a lion.

"Well done, Prisoner Zero." The Doctor said. "A perfect impersonation of yourself." The light suddenly intensified on the window beside Prisoner Zero. It started thrashing around, hissing, as the Atraxi spoke.

"Prisoner Zero is located. Prisoner Zero is restrained."

The Doctor stared, his face bathed in the white light, as Prisoner Zero faced him a final time. "Silence, Doctor. Silence will fall." It faded away, into nothing, and the Atraxi ship powered up its engines and left. The Doctor ran to the window to make sure, and is obviously satisfied, but doesn't looked pleased about it. He took out the phone again, and started dialing rapidly.

Alex got up and hugged him from behind. "Oh, have I told you how I totally think you're brilliant?"

Even if he wasn't pleased a smile still found its way to his lips. "I'm not sure. New face and all, it's a little fuzzy."

She laughed. "You are _totally _brilliant, Doctor." They laughed together. Alex snuggled into his back. She had figured out, that she just needed to let it go. She needed to accept the fact that her 10th Doctor was gone. There was no point in mopping around about it; she knew he wouldn't want her to do that. She needed to accept the 11th Doctor. It wasn't fair to him if she focused so much on the past. The past was the past. She needed to look to the future again.

The Doctor felt his hearts float a bit. He took one of her hands and squeezed gently. He was glad she was hugging him, he realized he missed this. It had been a while since she had hugged him, and he truly had missed it. "The – the sun, is back to normal, right? That's… That's good, yeah? That means its over." Rory asked, unsure.

The Doctor, brilliantly, ruffled his hair as he walked past him, still dialing. His hand on Alex's hand, made her have to walk with him. She didn't mind, she found he was just as warm as he was. She purred contently into his back, loving his warmth. Amy woke up, slowly, as Rory leaned over her. "Amy? Are you okay? Are you with us?"

"What happened?" Amy asked.

"He did it. The Doctor did it." Rory answered.

"No I didn't." The Doctor intervened. Alex leaned over, watching his face.

"What?" Alex asked, she looked down at the phone. "What are you doing?"

"Tracking the signal back. Sorry, in advance." He told Rory.

"About what?"

The Doctor made a face. "The bill."

Rory groaned. The Doctor seemed to find the signal for he called it and put the phone into his ear. "Oi! I didn't say you could go! Article 57 of the Shadow Proclamation. This is a fully established level five planet. And you were gonna burn it? What? Did you think no one was watching? You lot. Back here, now." He hung up the phone, and tossed it back to Rory. "Okay. Now I've done it." He started to wander off. Alex watched his back for a moment with her eyebrows rose before she finally shook her head and walked after him.

"Uh, did he just bring them back?" Rory asked. Amy got up to follow Alex, hurriedly. "Did he just save the world from aliens, and then bring all the aliens back again?"

The Doctor smashed the double doors open, impressively. Alex right behind him, with Amy hurrying behind her, and Rory was catching up to her. "Where are we going?" Alex asked with a smile.

"The roof." The Doctor paused a moment. "No. Hang on." He ducked into a cloakroom, and they followed. The Doctor rambled around the cloakroom, picking up the odd piece of clothing and holding onto some, flinging the rest over his shoulder. Rory was following picking up the clothes the Doctor was dropping or throwing.

"What's in here?" Amy asked.

"I'm saving the world, I need a decent shirt!" The Doctor said. "To hell with the raggedy – time to put on a show!" He spun around with a coat before dropping it.

"You've just summoned aliens back to Earth." Rory picked up again. "Actual aliens! Deadly aliens! Aliens… of death, and… now you're… taking your clothes off." Indeed, the Doctor was stripping in a corner of the room, trying on his new clothes. Alex couldn't stop herself from licking her lips. Unlike the 10th Doctor, it seemed this regeneration had _no _probably stripping down in front of them. "Amy, he's taking his clothes off."

"Turn your back if it embarrasses you." The Doctor responded easily.

"Are you stealing cloths now?" He gave a shifty glance to Amy, which Alex caught – bless him, he was trying to impress her. "Those clothes belong to people, you know." He turned around. Alex couldn't resist temptation, and took a couple of steps to her right, trying to get a peek at the Doctor's front. _Mmm, oh he is too good to us_. Alex thought with a slightly girly giggle. "Are you not gonna turn your back?" Rory asked the girls.

Amy hadn't turned around and looked particularly smug. "Nope."

Alex wanted to roll her eyes, but that meant she would have to look away, and right now, that wasn't an option. "Oh, Hell _no_."

-x-

After the Doctor was done choosing his clothes, they finally went up to the rooftop. The Doctor stepped out first, wearing half his new costume, and about five different ties, followed by Alex, then Amy, and then Rory. An Atraxi ship was already waiting for them there. "So, this was a good idea, was it?" Amy asked. "They were leaving!"

"Leaving is good. Never coming back is better." The Doctor responded. He paused, before he started to yell up at the Atraxi ship. "Come _ooooon_, then! The Doctor will see you now!"

The eye in the center of the Atraxi ship was suddenly released, and zoomed down to rest right in front of the Doctor, evidently examining him. A blue light flared out, and started to scan him. The Doctor waited patiently for it to finish before he then pulled up his suspenders. "You are not of this world." The Atraxi commented.

"No, but I've put a lot of work into it." He fiddled about with the new ties, trying to decide which one worked best. "Umm… Uhh… I dunno." He held them up. "What do you think?"

"Is this world important?" The Atraxi asked.

"Important?" The Doctor almost scoffed. "What does that mean, important? Six billion people live here, is that important? Here's a better question: is this world a threat to the Atraxi?" Through this, he was picking off random ties and flinging them backwards – they always managed to hit Amy or Rory. Surprisingly, the Doctor was very good not to hit Alex with one. "Come on, you're monitoring the whole planet. Is this world a threat?"

The same blue light streaked outward from the pupil of the eye once more, not scanning him this time, but creating a hologram of a globe. The globe flicked through different images from Earth's transmission history, including nuclear explosions, wars, armies… and religions, praying, caring. "… No." The Atraxi answered.

"Are the people of this world guilty of any crime by the laws of the Atraxi?" The Doctor asked.

Flicking through more images, of street carnivals, crowds, and costumes. "…No." He repeated.

"Okay, one more, just one." The Doctor paused. "Is this world protected?" More images – A Cyberman smashing through a window. A group of Cybermen. The Daleks spitting outwards from the Genesis Ark. The Empress of the Racnoss. The Ood. The Sycorax. The Sontarans. The Silurians. The Reapers. The Hath. And all the while over this, the Doctor was speaking. "'Cause you're not the first lot to have come here. Oh, there have been _so _many. And what you've got to ask is… What happened to them?"

The Doctor stepped away, still fiddling with his tie, as the Atraxi globe flicked through only ten more images. Doctors the First. Second. Third. Fourth. Fifth. Sixth. Seventh. Eight. Ninth. Tenth. As it got to the 10th Doctor – which made Alex's heart jump at the sight of him – the 11th Doctor stepped through the hologram, a curious smile on his face and his full costume on, including a bow-tie and jacket, and the hologram abruptly disappeared. "Hello. I'm the Doctor." He paused and gave a small breath of laughter. "Basically." He paused again. "Run."

Alex could see the eye was slight shaking; it was obvious it was terrified. It scooted back up into its ship, and the ship left, hurriedly. Amy laughed, behind him, as he started up, grinning into the sky. Alex rushed next to him and grabbed his hand. They turned to grin at each other. Suddenly he jerked, and Alex flinched too. There was something boiling in his pocket and around her neck. They looked at each other and pulled it out… It was their TARDIS keys, glowing. "Is that it? Is that them gone for good?" Amy paused. "Who were they?"

No one answered – Amy and Rory looked around. The door back into the building was wide open, and the Doctor and Alex were already gone downstairs, and the Doctor and Alex – hand in hand – were running out of the hospital, out the front door, across the little roundabout. They didn't even remember the fire engine.

-x-

They ran back to Amy's garden. The TARDIS was standing upright, looking very blue and particularly snazzy, and no longer pouring with smoke. There was a St. John's Ambulance sticker on the door now. It even changed shape, a tiny bit. The Doctor and Alex shared a look of excitement. "Okay." The Doctor muttered. "What have you got for us this time?" He pulled out the key, and they rushed to unlock it, and then stood in the doorway, bathed in an orange glow. Alex's mouth dropped. "… Look at you." The Doctor paused as the brunettes took it in. "Oh, you sexy thing. Look at you."

"No way…" Alex laughed. "No _way_!" They headed inside, and the TARDIS started too dematerialized, just as Amy and Rory rushed into the garden. Amy stood slightly ahead of Rory, and as the wind whipped around her as the TARDIS disappeared she closed her eyes. She let them go again.

-x-

Alex heard the door open and turned to see Amy coming out of her house. The Doctor and she were standing in front of their TARDIS. "Sorry about running off earlier!" The Doctor said. "Brand new TARDIS, bit exciting!" Alex laughed. "Just had a quick hop to the Moon and back to run her in." Amy ran slightly closer to them, stopping at the small archway. "She's ready for the big stuff now." He patted the TARDIS.

"… It's you." Amy muttered. "You two came back."

"Course we came back." Alex said. "We always come back. Something wrong with that?"

"And you kept the clothes?" Amy asked the Doctor. She walked over to them, standing beside the TARDIS as he was.

"Well, I just saved the world. The whole planet, for about the millionth time, no charge, yeah. Shoot me. I kept the clothes."

"Including the bowtie." Alex teased.

"Yeah. It's cool. Bowties are cool." He fixed said bowtie.

"Are you from another planet?" Amy asked.

"Yeah…" The Doctor admitted quite easily.

"'Kay…" Amy muttered.

"So what do you think?" The Doctor asked.

"What?"

"Other planets," Alex grinned. "Wanna go see some?"

"What does that even mean?" Amy asked.

"It means, well, it means… come wi' us." The Doctor offered.

"Where?"

"Wherever you like." The Doctor said. It was true, with the TARDIS, the next stop was _everywhere_.

Amy looked at the TARDIS. "All that stuff that happened, the hospital, the spaceships, Prisoner Zero –"

"Oh, please," Alex laughed with a roll of her eyes. "That's _just _the beginning Amy, don't worry. There's _loads _more stuff out there."

"Yeah, but those things, those… amazing things, all that stuff." The Doctor nodded, happily, like he knew where this was going. Alex grinned, seeming to have the same thoughts. But she suddenly stepped towards him, looking harder. "That was two _years _ago."

"Oohhh…" The Doctor muttered.

"Whoops." Alex scratched her head.

"Yeah." Amy nodded.

"So that's…"

"Fourteen years." Amy said.

"Fourteen years since fish custard." Alex turned to head to hide the fact she stuck her tongue out at it. Just the name made her gag. "Amy Pond. The girl who waited, you've waited long enough."

"… When I was a kid, you said there was a swimming pool. And a library and the swimming pool was in the library."Amy said looking back at the TARDIS.

"Yeah. Not sure where it's got to now, it'll turn up. So! Coming?" The Doctor asked.

Amy shook her head. "No."

"You want to come fourteen years ago." The Doctor commented.

"I grew up." Amy contradicted.

Alex snorted. "Hear that, Doctor?" They looked at each other for a moment, before they grinned. "We're going to fix that, Amy Pond. Don't you worry."

The Doctor snapped his fingers, and the TARDIS doors opened. The deep orange glow spilled out, as Amy stared inside. She glanced briefly to the Doctor and Alex, who were looking just a little smug, and then laughed, before slowly stepping inside. The Doctor and Alex stepped in behind her, closed the doors, and simply moved around her to head up to the console as she took her time. She stared around, wide-eyed. "Well? Anything you wanna say? Any passing remarks? We've heard them all."

Amy looked totally lost for words. The Doctor simply ran up to the console and did a little bounce as he reached it, and Alex looked around at the TARDIS in all its glowing glory. It was so different from the previous desktop theme. But… It was a good different. A fun different. "… I'm in my nightie." Amy finally said.

"Oh, don't worry." The Doctor said. "Plenty of clothes in the wardrobe. And, possibly, a swimming pool. So! All of time, and space, everything that ever happened or that ever will. Where do you want to start?"

Amy stopped staring around to look at the Doctor, and stalked up to him. "You are so sure that I'm coming."

"Yeah. We are." The Doctor said, of course for different reasons, but yes, they both knew she was coming.

"Why?" Amy demanded.

"'Cause you're the Scottish girl, in the English village, and I know how that feels." The Doctor explained.

"I'm from a different dimension, and I know his entire life, so yeah… I know you're coming." Amy did a double take and just stared at Alex. The brunette laughed and explained it. After she was done, Amy nodded faintly, obviously blown away by the information. "Of course, why would I ever want to go back?" Alex laughed. "I'm staying here forever." The Doctor smiled, so happy to hear that.

Amy shook her head, and looked at the Doctor again, back to her original fight - conversation. They both wandered around the console, _both _prodding things they probably shouldn't. "Oh, do you?" Amy asked the Doctor.

"Well, all these years living here, most of your life and you've still got that accent. Yeah, you're coming." He dinged a little bell on the console. "Can you get me back for tomorrow morning?" Amy asked.

"It's a time machine. I can get you back five minutes ago." The Doctor responded. "Why? What's tomorrow?"

"Nothing. Nothing!" Alex zipped her lips behind the Doctor's back to Amy, showing her that she wouldn't tell. Amy nodded in thanks. "Just, you know. Stuff."

"Alright, then." The Doctor let it slid. "Back in time for 'stuff'." A new sonic screwdriver suddenly raised itself up out of the console, and the Doctor snatched it up gleefully. "Oh, a new one. Lovely." He leaned down to whisper to his TARDIS. "Thanks, dear." Alex smiled, hearing that.

He got back to musing around the console, typing away at a typewriter with no paper. Amy pulled on a lever, then turned and stared up at the room, still looking quite disbelieving. Suddenly, she turned to face the Doctor. "Why me?"

"Why not?" Alex asked. Amy Pond was _amazing_. That's why.

"No, seriously." Amy insisted. "You are asking me to run away with you two in the middle of the night, it's a fair question. Why me?"

"Dunno! Fun! Do we have to have a reason?" The Doctor asked.

"People always have a reason." Amy said.

"Do we look like people?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes." Amy shot back.

"Been knocking around on our own for a while, our choice, and I wanted to give Allie a change from me constantly talking to her." Alex gave him a look, completely with a raise eyebrow. She had no problem when he talked to her. "It's probably giving her an earache." She giggled as he came over and rubbed her ears, exaggerating his point.

"You're lonely." Amy summed up. "That's it. Just that."

They wandered around to face each other. "Just that. Promise." Without knowing it, right next to the Doctor was a television screen; on it was a small crack. The same crack as was in Amy's wall, exactly the same shape.

"Okay." The Doctor didn't notice as he switched the television screen off.

"So you're okay then? 'Cause this place. Sometimes it can make people feel a bit… You know." The Doctor said.

"I'm fine. Fine." Amy insisted. "It's just… There's a whole world in here, just like you two said. It's all true. I thought, well, I'd, I'd started to think that maybe you were just a like… a madman and a madwoman with a box." Alex laughed.

"Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me, 'cause it's important, and one day, you're life may depend on it. We are defiantly a madman and a madwoman with a box." He grinned broadly at her until she did, and then laughed, and she laughed too. He turned and started to dart around the console. "Ha haa, yes! Goodbye, Leadworth! Hello… Everything!"

He jammed down a lever, and he, Alex, and Amy clung to the console as the TARDIS began to dematerialize, laughing all the time. Eventually the TARDIS disappeared, completely, from Amy Pond's garden.

They were off.

Off to see the universe.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty Six**

The TARDIS was floating in space, the top light flashing, doors opened with the Doctor standing in the doorway holding Amy's and Alex's ankle as they drifted outside of the TARDIS. Their hair flowing away from them. "_My name is Amy Pond. When I was seven, I had two imaginary friends." _The Doctor and Alex laughed together while Amy smiled. "_Last night was the night before my wedding…_"

"Come on, Pond. Come on, Allie." The Doctor pulled them back into the TARDIS.

"…_And my imaginary friends came back._" The Doctor, Alex, and Amy stood in the doorway, laughing and holding each other. Alex fixed her button up plaid blue shirt. She had the sleeves rolled up to her elbows. With some jeans and orange converse, hair in a bun and she was lovely as always.

"Now do you believe us?" The Doctor asked with a smile.

"Okay, your box is a spaceship." Amy admitted, slightly breathless. "It's really, really, a spaceship." She yelled into space. "We are in space! Whoo!" She laughed. She took a deep breath and looked around concerned. "What we breathing?"

"I've extended the air shell – we're fine." The Doctor explained. Alex looked down, and spotted something.

"Oh! Look!" She crouched down. The Doctor and Amy look down as well, before they crouched.

"Now, that's interesting." He got up and ran to the TARDIS console. "29th century. Solar flares roast the earth." He began to fiddle with the console. "And the entire human race packed its bags and moved out 'till the weather improves. Whole nations…"

"Doctor?" Amy called.

The Doctor ignored her, continued his explanation. Alex just listened to him, nodding to encourage him. "… Migrating to the stars."

"Doctor?"

They still ignored her. "Isn't that amazing?"

Alex was about to answer, but Amy finally yelled at them. "Doctor! Lexi!" The Doctor and Alex looked up and around, confused. Amy was floating outside the TARDIS, holding onto its top and door frame. She was nervously panting as the Doctor opened the TARDIS doors. Alex laughed.

The Doctor seemed unconcerned about Amy. "Well, come on. I've found us a spaceship."

"Did you call me 'Lexi'?" Alex asked Amy.

"What about it?" Amy asked. "The Doctor gets to call you 'Allie' why can't I call you 'Lexi'?"

Alex's smile slowly diminished as she remembered what Donna had told her. "_Of course, what so is the Doctor the only one allowed to have a nickname for you, Lexi_?" Alex shook her head.

"Nah. It's no problem, Lexi, very you." The Doctor was watching her, knowing was going through her head. He frowned slightly. He was disappointed that she was hiding her feelings; he never liked it when she did that. He supposed he couldn't fault her for it though; it was just how she was.

The floating island was displayed on the TARDIS' large circular screen. "This is the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland, all of it, bolted together and floating in the sky." Amy gasped in amazement while Alex just grinned at another awesome sight. "Starship UK. It's Britain, but metal. That's not just a ship, that's an idea. That's a whole country, living and laughing and… shopping." The girls chuckled. "Searching the stars for a new home."

"Can we go out and see?" Amy asked eagerly.

"Course we can, but first there's a thing."

"A thing?" Amy asked.

"An important thing. In fact, thing one: we are observers only." The Doctor looked at the girls through a magnifying glass. "That's the one rule I've always stuck to in all my travels. I never get involved in the affairs of other peoples or planets." Alex snorted. He looked over at her.

"Badly." Alex added. "You never get involved in the affairs of other peoples or planets, _badly_." For whatever reason, the Doctor one way or another _always _ended up getting involved in _something_.

The Doctor threw her a look. He turned to the console monitor. "Ooh! That's interesting."

"So we're like a wildlife documentary, yeah?" Amy asked as the two girls looked at the screen. "'Cause if they see a wounded little cub or something they can't just save it, they've got to keep filming and let it die." A little brown haired girl was sitting in a chair, crying, on the console monitor. "That's got to be hard. I don't think I could do that. Don't you find that hard, being all, like, detached and cold?"

The Doctor appeared next to the little girl on the screen. He touched her shoulder. Amy leaned back from the screen, gasping. The girl got up and ran off the screen. Alex's mouth dropped, how dare he go off without her? "What?" She said, angrily. "Doctor!" The Doctor looked out from the console screen, gesturing to Amy and Alex. Amy turned to look at the TARDIS doors. She looked back at the console, smiled, and with Alex leading her; they ran out of the TARDIS. They opened the doors and stepped out.

"Oh!" Amy gasped.

"Welcome to London Marker. You are being monitored." Someone announced over what sounded like a communicator.

Amy looked around. "I'm in the future. Like hundreds of years in the future. I've been dead for centuries!" Alex gave her a weird look. Really? Amazing sight and that's what she got? She was dead for a really long time?

"Oh, lovely." The Doctor came closer, his voice slightly sarcastic. "You're a cheery one. Never mind dead, look at this place, isn't it wrong?"

Amy gasped. "What's wrong?" Alex looked around. She stopped and really looked around. She took a deep breath, some emotion hanging over the whole area made her slightly dizzy. The Doctor stalled and walked back to her, putting his hands on her shoulders. She shook her head a bit.

"Allie…" Alex turned a bit as the Doctor whispered in her ear. "You feel it, don't you?"

"I'm not sure what I'm feeling." Alex answered honestly. "But… Yeah. Something's wrong… There's some bad feeling hanging around, I just can't tell what it is." The Doctor smiled, she could feel it against her ear. The Doctor was quite proud of her. He would never stop being amazed by her empathy.

The Doctor turned back around to Amy, to explain. He tugged gently on Alex's shoulders to get her to start walking again. The three of them walked through the market, Amy looking around in amazement. "Come on, use your eyes, notice everything. What's wrong with this picture?"

A girl sat in front of a bicycle-powered transport ran by them. "Is it… The bicycles?" Amy asked, gesturing to them. "Bit unusual on a spaceship, bicycles."

"This is coming from the girl wearing a nightgown." Alex teased with a smile.

Amy gasped. "Oh, my God! I'm in my nightie!"

The Doctor chuckled. "Now, come on, look around you. Actually look."

"London Market is a crime-free zone."

"Life on a giant starship: back to basics. Bicycles, washing lines, wind-up street lamps. But, look closer. Secrets and shadows. Lives led in fear. Society bent out of shape, on the brink of collapse. A police state. Excuse me." The Doctor ran to a nearby table, took a glass of water from one of the two surprised people at the table.

"What are you doing?" The man asked.

The Doctor placed the glass on the floor. Amy looked at the Doctor, puzzled. Alex crouched down next to the Doctor. Even if she didn't know what she was looking for, she still examined the glass. The glass and the water in it were perfectly still. The Doctor looked up at the two people seated at the table. "Sorry." He placed the glass back on the table. "Checking all the water in this area. There's an escaped fish." He touched a finger to his nose and turned back to Amy. Alex straightened and followed him. "Where was I?"

"Why did you just do that with the water?" Amy asked. Similar thoughts were running through Alex's head.

"Don't know." The Doctor answered easily. "I think a lot. It's hard to keep track. Now, police state, do you see it?"

Alex looked around. She didn't see anything though. "Where?" She asked.

"There." He gestured. The same little girl that had been on the TARDIS monitor was sitting on a bench, crying. People walked past her and other children played, not noticing. A hooded Winder looked at Amy, the Doctor, and Alex, without them knowing.

They were sitting on a bench facing her. "One little girl crying. So?"

"Crying silently." The Doctor corrected. "I mean, children cry 'cause they want attention, 'cause they're hurt or afraid. When they cry silently, it's 'cause they just can't stop. Any parent knows that."

"Are you a parent?" Amy asked bluntly.

The Doctor was startled by the question but didn't answer. "Hundreds of parents walking past this spot and not one of them's asking her what's wrong, which means…"

"They already know the answer." Alex finished. The Doctor tapped his nose, showing she was right.

"And it's something they don't talk about. Secrets. They're not helping her, so it's something they're afraid of. Shadows – whatever they're afraid of – it's nowhere to be seen, which means it's everywhere. Police state."

The little girl got up as the lift bell rang and the figure in a nearby booth turned to watch her. "Where'd she go?" Amy asked.

"Deck 207." The Doctor answered, probably getting the answer when he first went to her. "Apple Sesame block, Dwelling 54A. You're looking for Mandy Tanner. Oh." The Time Lord reached into his pocket. "This fell out of her pocket when I accidentally bumped into her." He handed Amy Mandy's ID car. "Took me four goes. Ask her about those things – the smiling fellows in the booths. They're everywhere."

"And creepy." Alex added, as she watched one. The Doctor nodded.

"But they're just things." Amy pointed out.

"They're clean." The Doctor said. "Everything else here is battered and filthy – look at this place. But no one's laid a finger on those booths. Not a footprint within two feet of them. Ask Mandy. 'Why are people scared of the things in the booths'?"

"No. Hang on." Amy objected. "What do I do?" She whispered. "I don't know what I'm doing here and I'm not even dressed!"

"It's this or Leadworth. What do you think, Allie? Let's see. What will Amy Pond choose?" Alex smirked, as both looked expectedly at her. Amy was silent for a moment but turned and crossed her arms. "Ha-ha, gotcha!" The Doctor checked his watch. "Meet us back here in half an hour."

"What are you two gonna do?" Amy asked.

"What we always do. Stay out of trouble." The Doctor stood up. Alex did as well, but gave the Doctor a look.

"Badly." Alex added again. The Doctor waved a finger at her as if he wanted to say more, but decided against it. He could never win against Alex, and he especially couldn't against something that he knew was true. The Doctor leapt over the bench and started to walk away. Alex chose to just go around the bench and walked after him.

Amy got up and faced them. "So is this how it works, Doctor?" He turned around. "You never interfere in the affairs of other peoples or planets, unless there's children crying?"

The Doctor nodded. "Yes." Alex shook her head. He offered her his arm, and she took it and they walked off.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex climbed down a ladder and he placed his hands on the wall before leaning in to listen. "Can't be…" The Doctor muttered.

"Doctor?" Alex asked. She leaned against the wall as well. But, she wasn't sure what he was listening to. The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to get a reading. He then saw a glass of water on the floor. He lied down and stared at it. "Doctor?" Alex repeated, wondering what was going through his head.

"The impossible truth in a glass of water." Alex looked up to see a woman with a porcelain mask on. She had a red cape over her with the hood up. "Not many people see it." The Doctor stood up and Alex walked up next to him. "But you do, don't you Doctor?"

"You know me?"

"Keep your voice down." The woman looked around cautiously. "They're everywhere. Tell me what you see in the glass."

"What makes you think we see anything?" Alex retorted. Both of the brunettes didn't trust this woman.

"Don't waste time." She answered. "At the marketplace, you placed a glass of water on the floor, looked at it, then came straight here to the engine room. Why?"

The Doctor turned to Alex. He could see she wasn't getting it. He wanted her to understand. "Allie, what's something a spaceship needs? Something important?"

"Um…" Alex blinked, thinking.

"Something it needs in order to move?"

"Oh!" Alex snapped her fingers. "An engine."

He smiled and tapped his nose, but saw she still didn't understand the whole picture. "So, an engine this size, the glass of water would…" He trailed off and her face light up. His smile widened. She understood.

"An engine this size, the glass of water would move!" Alex clapped quietly, happy to know she got it right. The Doctor tapped her nose and she grinned.

"So… I thought we'd take a look." He opened a power box on the wall. "It doesn't make sense. These power couplings, they're not connected. Look. Look – they're dummies, see?" He opened the rest of the power boxes, none of them were connected. He then crossed the hall and tapped on the wall. "And behind this wall, nothing. It's hollow. If I didn't know better, I'd say there was…"

"No engine at all." The woman finished.

"But, how is that possible?" Alex asked. "We saw it. We saw it moving in space. How can it be moving if there's no engine?"

"The impossible truth, Alex." The brunette turned, so this woman knew who she was too, eh? "We're travelling among the stars in a spaceship that could never fly."

"How?" The Doctor demanded.

"I don't know." She answered. "There's a darkness at the heart of this nation. It threatens every one of us. Help us, Doctor. Help us, Alex. You're our only hope. Your friend is safe." She handed him a device. "This will take you to her. Now go, quickly!" She turned and began to walk away.

"Who are you?" Alex asked. "And how are we supposed to find you again?"

"I am Liz 10." The woman answered. "And I will find you." There was a crashing sound and the Doctor and Alex looked around. When they turned back, she was gone.

-x-

The two time travelers followed the device. They found themselves at a voting room, as Mandy explained. The door opened and the Doctor hopped into the doorway. "Amy?" Amy turned the message off. "What have you done?" Moments later, he was on the chair using the screwdriver on the lamp above. "Yeah, your basic memory wipe job. Must have erased about 20 minutes." He jumped onto the floor.

"But why would I choose to forget?" Amy asked.

"'Cause everyone does." Mandy said. "Everyone chooses the 'forget' button."

"Did you?" The Doctor got down onto her level.

"I'm not eligible to vote yet. I'm 12." Mandy answered. "Any time after you're 16, you're allowed to see the film and make your choice. And then, once every five years…"

"Once every five years, everyone chooses to forget what they've learned." The Doctor finished. "Democracy in action." He headed back to the monitor. Alex was right next to him.

"How do you not know about this? Are you Scottish too?" Alex rolled her eyes.

"Course not!" She replied. "Can't you tell by my accent, I'm American!"

"They got their own ship." Mandy replied. "They're out helping France." Alex snorted. Just like old times…

"Figures." She muttered. The Doctor looked at her. She stuck her tongue out.

"Oh, I'm way worse than Scottish or American." The Doctor chuckled. "I can't even see the movie. Won't play for me."

"It played for me." Amy pointed out.

"Why won't it play for me?" Alex asked. "I'm human."

"Yes, but I'm in the room, it won't play for anyone if I'm here." The Doctor explained. "The difference being the computer doesn't accept me as human."

"Why not?" The Doctor and Alex looked at her. "You look human." She joined them.

"No, you look Time Lord. We came first." Alex giggled.

"So, there are other Time Lords, yeah?" Alex's smile slowly diminished. She looked away and closed her eyes. She forced them open when all that did was make the memories she saw even more fresh. The Doctor saw this out of the corner of his eye. He reached out and took her hand gently. She smiled at him.

"No. There were, but there aren't… Just me now. Long story. There was a bad day. Bad stuff happened, and you know what? I'd love to forget it all, every last bit of it, but I don't. Not ever. 'Cause this is what I do – every time, every day, every second. This." The Doctor waved his free hand in the air. Alex realized he was going to hit the 'protest' button. "Hold tight. We're bringing down the government." Just like she predicted, the Doctor pounded the 'Protest' button. The door slammed shut, leaving Mandy outside. The Smiler in the booth turned to show his very angry face. The Doctor pulled Amy and Alex into the corner of the room as the floor slid open. "Say 'wheee'!"

"Aaaahhh!" Amy screamed.

"Whooooo!" Alex laughed. They fell down the chute.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Amy fell out of the chute with a scream. The Doctor stood up and used the sonic screwdriver. Alex got up and waved her arms around like an idiot, trying to keep her balance. She was never one to be graceful. She took a breath but almost chocked on her own air. The stench of where they were was chocking her.

"High-speed air cannon. Lousy way to travel."

"Where are we?" Amy asked, breathless.

"600 feet down, 20 miles laterally – puts us at the heart of the ship. I'd say… Lancashire. What's this, then – a cave? Can't be a cave. Looks like a cave." The Doctor continued to move around, trying to figure out where they were.

Amy finally stood up. "It's a rubbish dump, and it's minging!" She threw a piece of trash away.

"Yes, but only food refuse." The Doctor sniffed. "Organic, coming through feeder tubes from all over the ship."

Amy got back down on her hands and knees and felt the floor. "The floor's all squidgy, like a water bed." Alex felt it with her foot – since there was no way in _hell _she was going to get on her hands and knees in this dump – and found Amy was right.

"But feeding what, though?" The Doctor muttered.

"Yeah, it's like rubbery." Alex said. "It's all wet and slimy." Alex's face scrunched up.

The Doctor heard a distant moaning and stood. He realized where they were. "Er… It's not a floor, it's a…" He put his screwdriver away. "So…"

"A what?" Alex asked. Couldn't be worse than what they've been through. "It's a what, Doctor?"

"The next word is kind of the scary word." Amy stood up. "Take a moment. Get yourself in a calm place." He took their hands. "Go 'ommm'."

"Ommm." The Doctor nodded towards Alex, and she did the same.

"It's a tongue." Alex's face fell and she looked around flatly.

"A tongue?" Amy asked.

The Doctor, on the other hand, was excited. "A tongue. A great big tongue."

"Oh!" Alex flat face broke as she squealed. "_Ew_!"

Amy was stunned. "This is a mouth? This whole place is a mouth? We're in a mouth?"

"Yes, yes, yes, but on the plus side, roomy." The Doctor added.

"Oh, that's great, Doctor," Alex snapped. "When we get _swallowed _I'll think about how it's such a good this it's roomy!"

"How do we get out?" Amy asked.

The Doctor took out his screwdriver again. "How big is this beastie? It's gorgeous!" _Leave it to the Doctor to be loving this_. Alex thought with a roll of her eyes. "Blimey! If this is just the mouth, I'd love to see the stomach." He turned when he heard grunting. "Though not right now."

"Doctor," Alex felt her eyebrow twitch. She wanted to get out of here. _Right. Now_. "How do we get out?"

"Okay, it's being fed through surgically implanted feeder tubes, so the normal entrance is…" They saw the sharp teeth of closed mouth. "Close for business."

"We can try, though." She headed forward.

"No! Stop, don't move!" Too late, the mouth heaved in agitation. "Too late. It's started."

"What's started?" Alex asked. She flung her arms around again, like an idiot, as the mouth heaved her around. It was pointless, since they all fell back into the refuse. The Doctor used his screwdriver one the mouth's walls. "What are you doing, Doctor?"

"I'm vibrating the chemo-receptors."

"Chemo-what?" Amy screeched.

"The eject button."

"How does a mouth have an eject button?" Alex rolled her eyes.

"Think about it, Amy!" They heard the creature growl, and, on their knees, looked to see a wave of bile coming towards them. _Oh, oh God_. Alex moaned in her head.

"Right then." The Doctor straightened his bowtie. "This isn't going to be big on dignity."

"Oh," Alex groaned. "This is going to be disgusting!"

The Doctor ignored her. "Geronimo!"

Amy and Alex yelled. Alex closed her eyes, and the next thing she was away was a great grunting and splashing.

-x-

Alex opened her eyes slowly. She found that they were out of the mouth and back in the ship. She stared at the ceiling for a moment. She chocked again, the air still chocking her. Alex turned her head slowly and saw that Amy was slowly waking up. "There's nothing broken, there's no sign of concussions and yes, you are covered in sick." Alex looked up and saw the Doctor was examining the door. She shot him a scathing look that hit him right between the shoulder blades.

"Where are we?" Amy asked.

"Overspill pipe, at a guess." The Doctor answered.

Amy and Alex slowly stood up. Alex coughed. "Oh, God, does it _reek _in here."

"That's not the pipe." Another look hit the Doctor's back.

Amy lifted her arm and sniffed. "Whoo! Can we get out?"

"One door, one door switch, one condition." The Doctor moved to show the button on the door. It was the 'Forget' button. "We forgot everything we saw. Look familiar? That's the carrot." The lights came on to reveal two Smilers. "Ooh, here's the stick. There's a creature living in the heart of this ship. What's it doing there?" The faces spun to show mad. "No, that's not going to work on me, so come on. Big old beast below decks and everyone who protests gets shoved down its throat. That how it works?" The faces spun again to show anger.

"Oh, knock it off." Alex rolled her eyes. "We're not leaving and we're not forgetting. And what are you going to do about it? Stick out your tongues?" The booths opened and the two Smilers stood and walked towards Amy, Alex, and the Doctor who backed away.

"Doctor?" Liz 10 appeared behind them and shot the Smilers. She twirled her pistol before placing it back in its holster.

"Look who it is." The Doctor greeted. "You look a lot better without your mask."

"You must be Amy." Liz offered a hand. "Liz. Liz 10."

"Hi." Amy shook her hand and Liz made a face.

"Eurgh." She wiped her hand on her cloak. "Lovely hair, Amy. Shame about the sick." She headed for the door. "You know Mandy, yeah?" She put her arm around Mandy's shoulder. "She's very brave."

"How did you find out where we were?" Alex asked.

"Stuck my gizmo on you." She tossed a device to the Doctor. "Been listening in. Nice moves on the hurl escape. So, what's the big fella doing here?"

"You're over 16, you voted. Whatever this is, you've chosen to forget about it." The Doctor responded.

"No." Liz contradicted. "Never forgot, never voted. Not technically a British subject."

"Then who and what are you, and how do you know us?" The Doctor asked.

"You're a bit hard to miss, love." Liz smiled. "Mysterious stranger, MO consistent with higher alien intelligence, hair of an idiot…" The Doctor pointed like he was about to argue then ran his hand through his soaked hair instead. Alex laughed. "Mysterious pretty girl with him." Alex turned. "Black hair, blue highlights, blue eyes. Knowing eyes, very expressive eyes. Pretty badass, knows how to make you heel." Alex and the Doctor looked at each other and she looked away with a small blush. "I've been brought up on the stories. My whole family was."

"Your family?" Alex asked. Everyone turned and saw one of the Smilers was twitching.

"They're repairing." Liz said. "Doesn't take them long. Let's move." They left the overspill.

-x-

Liz 10 explained as they walked. "The Doctor. Old drinking buddy with Henry XII. Tea and scones with Liz II. Vicky was a bit on the fence about you, weren't she? Knighted and exiled you on the same day. And so much for the Virgin Queen, you bad, bad boy!" Liz teased. "Alex Harper, pretty girl who knows how people work. Very empathic, people always trusting you, eh, Allie? You seem to always know everything about the Doctor. And like I said before, you are badass when you want to be. And you know _exactly _what to do to make the Doctor heel." Alex felt her cheeks warming up again.

"Liz 10?" The Doctor asked. He seemed to be realizing something.

"Liz 10, yeah. Elizabeth X. And down!" Everyone ducked and she turned and fired both pistols at the Smilers. Both fell. "I'm the bloody Queen, mate. Basically, I rule." She held her guns out.

Alex nodded. "Yes, you do." Liz grinned. She took them to another corridor. It was the base of the vator shaft.

"There's a high-speed Vator through there." The Doctor looked into the caged area where there were two scorpion tails like creatures. "Oh, yeah. There's these things. Any ideas?"

"Doctor, I saw one of these up top." Amy commented. "There was a hole in the road, like it had burst through, like a root."

"Exactly like a root." The Doctor explained. Alex flinched when one of the things lashed out at the bars. "It's all one creature – the same one we were inside – reaching out. It must be growing through the mechanisms of the entire ship."

"What? Like an infestation?" Liz looked back at the creature. "Someone's helping it. Feeding it. Feeding my subjects to it. Come on. We've got to keep moving." She stormed off in anger and Mandy followed.

"Doctor?" Alex asked. She leaned against the bars, watching the Doctor's face.

"Oh, Allie, Amy." The Doctor looked sympathetically at the creature as they banged against the bars. "We should never have come here." The Doctor and Alex walked off with Amy stalling for a moment.

-x-

The Doctor walked carefully through the maze of glasses on the floor of Liz 10's room. "Why all the glasses?" The Doctor asked.

Liz was on her bed, her cape draping over her body. "To remind me every single day that my government is up to something and it's my duty to find out what."

The Doctor picked up her mask, sitting on her bed, in front of her. "A queen going undercover, like a spy, in her own kingdom?" Alex asked.

"Secrets are being kept from me." Liz responded. "I don't have a choice. Ten years I've been at this – my entire reign – and you've achieved more in one afternoon."

The Doctor got up and paced. "How old were you when you came to the throne?"

"40. Why?" Liz asked.

Amy was putting her hair up and turned around, shocked to hear this. "What, you're 50 now? No way."

Amy and Mandy sat on the chaise, next to Alex, at the foot of the bed. "Yeah, they slowed my body clock. Keeps me looking like the stamps." Liz smiled.

The Doctor sat back on the bed, still holding the mask. "And you always wear this in public?" He asked.

"Undercover's not easy when you're me." Liz answered. "The autographs, the bunting."

"Air-balanced porcelain. Stays on by itself, 'cause it's perfectly sculpted to your face." The Doctor held the mask up, and Alex saw it, but didn't see why it was so important.

Liz didn't either. "Yeah. So what?"

"Oh Liz. So everything." Alex raised an eyebrow at the Doctor's back. He knew something they didn't.

The door opened and four hooded men entered. Liz stood up. "What are you doing?" She asked outraged. "How dare you come in here."

"Ma'am, you have expressed interest in the interior workings of Starship UK." One of the hooded men said. "You will come with us now."

"Why would I do that?" Liz asked.

The Hooded men's head spun to show the face of an angry Smiler. Alex gasped. "What the…?" Alex stepped near the Doctor. He took her hand, gently squeezing it to give her some comfort. "How can they be Smilers?"

"Half Smiler, half human." The Doctor said, examining them.

Liz stood tall and spoke to its face. "Whatever you creatures are, I am still your Queen. On whose authority is this done?"

"The highest authority, Ma'am." The Smiler answered.

"I _am _the highest authority." Liz retorted.

"Yes, Ma'am." The Smiler responded. "You must go now, Ma'am."

"Where?" Liz asked.

"The tower, Ma'am."

-x-

The group was escorted to a large stone room containing high-tech machines. There was a grating and when Alex and Amy looked down they saw more of the creature. "Doctor, where are we?" Alex leaned back. She walked over and hugged the Doctor's arm. She didn't like this place. The Doctor wrapped his arm around her waist and pressed his lips to her head.

"The lowest point of Starship UK." He let go of Alex for a moment, spinning with his arms out. "The dungeon." He then came back and wrapped his arm around Alex again. She nuzzled into his shoulder.

"Ma'am." A grey haired man greeted, bowing his head.

"Hawthorne!" Liz recognized him. "So this is where you hid yourself away. I think you've got some explaining to do."

Some children walked by them. Alex's eyebrows furrowed. "What are children doing down here?"

"Protesters and citizens of limited value are fed to the best. For some reason, it won't eat the children. You're the first adult's it's spared. You're very lucky." _Oh yes, I feel lucky_. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, look at us." The Doctor said. "Torture chamber of the Tower of London. Lucky, lucky, lucky. Except it's not a torture chamber, is it?" The Doctor walked off with Alex, examining the equipment. "Well, except it is. Except it isn't. Depends on your angle." The Doctor and Alex joined Liz 10 by an open 'well' with a railing around it. Inside seemed to be something alive. It was a brain. Alex looked at it horrified. She put a hand to her mouth and buried her face into his shoulder. He rubbed her back, knowing what she was thinking.

"What's that?" Liz asked.

"Well, like I say, depends on the angle. It's either the exposed pain centre of big fella's brain, being tortured relentlessly…"

"Or?" Liz asked.

"Or it's the gas pedal, the accelerator – Starship UK's go-faster button." Alex squeezed his jacket.

"I don't understand."

"Don't you?" The Doctor retorted. "Try, go on. The spaceship that could never fly, no vibrations on deck. This creature – this poor, trapped, terrified creature. It's not infesting you, it's not invading – it's what you have instead of an engine. And this place down here is where you hurt it, where you torture it, day after day, just to keep it moving." An intermittent electrical beam shot down into the creature's exposed brain. "Tell you what." The Doctor let Alex go and moved to another well and lifted the gate. "Normally, it's above the range of human hearing." One of the extensions of the creature broke free. "This is the sound none of you wanted to hear." The Doctor used the screwdriver and the others heard the creature's scream, the creature's cry. Alex lifted her hands up to her ears as she sobbed. It was horrible.

Liz lifted her hands up too, having enough of the noise. "Stop it." The Doctor stopped, and Alex bit back a sob, the noise still ringing in her ears. "Who did this?" Liz asked Hawthorne.

"We act on instructions from the highest authority." Hawthorne answered.

"I am the highest authority." Liz responded. "The creature will be released, now. I said now!" No one moved. "Is anyone listening to me?"

"Liz." The Doctor was still holding her mask. Alex had her arms wrapped tightly around the Doctor's waist and was silently crying. It broke his hearts, but he needed to continue. "You mask."

"What about my mask?" Liz asked.

He tossed it to her. "Look at it. It's old. At least 200 years old, I'd say."

"Yeah, it's an antique, so?"

"Yeah, an antique made by craftsmen over 200 years ago and perfectly sculpted to your face. They slowed your body clock, alright, but you're not 50. Nearer 300. And it's been a long old reign."

"Nah, its 10 years. I've been on this throne 10 years." Liz responded.

"10 years." It seemed the Doctor had come up with everyone. _I knew he had figured something out without telling us_. "And the same ten years over and over again." He took her by the hand. "Always leading you…" He snapped his fingers when he found the voting area. "Here." The buttons were slightly different than the normal voting area. Instead, Liz's choices were 'Forget' or 'Abdicate'.

Liz was horrified. She turned to Hawthorne. "What have you done?"

He smiled slightly. "Only what you have ordered. We work for you, Ma'am. The Winders, The Smilers, all of us." He turned on the screen.

Liz 10 appeared. "If you are watching this… If _I _am watching this, then I have found my way to the Tower of London." The real Liz sat down, watching it. "The creature you are looking at is called a Star Whale. Once, there were millions of them. They lived in the depths of space, and according to legend, guided the early space travelers through the asteroid belts." The rest of them watched in silence. Alex was still crying. "This one, as far as we are aware, is the last of its kind. And what we have done to it breaks my heart. The Earth was burning. Our sun had turned on us, and every other nation had fled to the skies. Our children screamed as the skies grew hotter. And then it came, like a miracle. The last of the star whales. We trapped it, we built our ship around it, and we rode on its back to safety. If you wish our voyage to continue, then you must press the 'forget' button." Liz 10 looked at it. "Be again the heart of this nation, untainted. If not, press the other button." She looked at 'Abdicate'. "You reign will end, the Star Whale will be released, and our ship with disintegrate. I hope I keep the strength to make the right decision."

"I voted for this." Amy muttered. She turned to the Doctor. "Why would I do that?"

"Because you knew if we stayed here, I'd be faced with an impossible choice." The Doctor said. "Humanity of the alien. You took it upon yourself to save me from that. And that was wrong. You don't ever decide what I need to know."

Both girls looked at him, surprised. "I don't even remember doing it." Amy defended.

"You did it." The Doctor retorted. "That's what counts."

"I'm… I'm sorry." Amy offered.

"Oh, I don't care." _Oh, I think you do_. Alex retorted in her mind. "When I'm here, you're going home." He walked away.

"Doctor…" Alex wiped her tears away. He was being unfair. The Doctor looked at her, she looked back at him. They stared at each other, having a silent conversation.

"Why?" Amy asked, frustrated. "Because I made a mistake? On mistake? I don't ever remember doing it." The Doctor didn't look at her. "Doctor!"

The Doctor examined the instrument panel. "Yeah. I know. You're only human."

"What are you doing?" Liz asked.

"The worst thing I'll ever do. I'm going to pass a massive electrical charge through the Star Whale's brain. Should knock out all its high functions, leave it a vegetable. The ship will still fly, but the whale won't feel it."

"But, that would be like killing it." Alex muttered.

"Look, three options." The Doctor explained, frustrated. "One: I let the Star Whale continue in unendurable agony for hundreds more years. Two: I kill everyone on this ship. Three: I murder a beautiful, innocent creature as painlessly as I can. And then I find a new name, 'cause I won't be the Doctor anymore."

"There must be something we can do," Liz protested. "Some other way."

"Nobody talked to me." The Doctor's voice rose. "Nobody human has anything to say to me today!" Everyone flinched back.

-x-

Alex watched the Doctor work, helplessly. She turned back to the brain of the Star Whale. "I'm sorry." She whispered, a few tears falling from her eyes. "I really, _really _am sorry. I truly wish there was another way… I'm not that smart though," Alex smiled a sad smile. "So, I can't come up with something. But… I, really really am sorry." The electricity was slowing down, probably building up. Alex hesitantly, very hesitantly reached out to touch the Star Whale's brain. She tapped it and gasped as images came to her mind. She recoiled her hand.

After a moment, she reached back out and closed her eyes. She let the images of the Star Whale come to her. She let him show her what was going on through his perspective. Alex opened her eyes and looked back at the brain. "You… You didn't come like a miracle." She could almost hear him make a sound of approval. The Star Whale must have got some of her memories. Alex jumped up, all of it coming together. She looked over and saw one of the feelers of the Star Whale reach out to Mandy. It tapped her on the shoulder gently and let her pet it. "That's it." Alex whispered. "Doctor, stop." Alex commanded. "Whatever you are doing right now, you need to stop." Amy got up, coming to the same conclusion.

Alex ran over to Liz. "Excuse me, your Majesty, but I need a hand." Alex grabbed Liz's hand and led her over to the buttons.

The Doctor looked up. "Allie, no! No!" Alex forced Liz 10's hand down on the 'Abdicate' button. The whale bellowed and the whole ship shook, causing havoc on every level. "Allie, what have you done?" Alex shared a look with Amy.

"Nothing, I didn't do anything at all." Alex grinned.

"We've _increased _speed." Hawthorne gasped.

"Yeah, well, you've stopped torturing the pilot. Gotta help." Amy smiled.

"It's still here." Liz muttered. "I don't understand."

"I saw it, Liz." Alex explained. "He didn't come like a miracle all those years ago. He volunteered. You didn't have to do anything, torture him, trap him, that was all you. He came because… He couldn't stand to watch your children cry."

Amy walked up next to Alex. "What if you were really old, and really kind and alone? You whole race dead, no future. What couldn't you do then? If you were that old, and that kind, and the very last of your kind…" The girls turned to the Doctor.

"You wouldn't be able to just stand there and watch children cry." Alex finished.

-x-

The Doctor was standing alone looking out onto the starship. Amy and Alex soon joined him. "From her Majesty." Amy held out the mask. "She says there will be no more secrets on Starship UK." The Doctor didn't take the mask. "Allie, you could have killed everyone on this ship."

She frowned. "Yeah, and you could have killed a Star Whale."

"And you saved it. I know, I know." The Doctor muttered.

"Amazing, though, don't you think?" Amy muttered, looking out onto the ship. Alex threw an arm around Amy's shoulders, doing the same. Amy smiled and returned the gesture. "The Star Whale. All that pain and misery… and loneliness." Both girls looked sideways at the Doctor. "And it just made it kind."

"But you couldn't have known how it would react." The Doctor said.

"I did." Alex responded. "I saw his mind." The Doctor looked confused. "I said I was sorry, and I reached out to touch his brain, just for a second, and it let me talk with him. He got to understand me and I got to understand him." The Doctor frowned for a second, that wasn't possible, the only ones who could pull that off was… He stored that away for later. "Anyways, we still would have known even if that didn't happen, Doctor."

"We've seen it before." Amy said. "Very old and very kind and the very, very last. Sound a bit familiar?" They hugged.

They broke the hug and Alex lifted her arms, he wasn't getting away without giving her a hug too. He smiled and they hugged. Alex took a deep breath, everything she felt before… It was exactly the same hugging him. "Hey."

"What?"

"Gotcha."

The Doctor chuckled. "Gotcha."

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Amy headed back to the TARDIS. "Shouldn't we say goodbye?" Amy asked. "Won't they wonder where we went?"

"For the rest of their lives." The Doctor responded. "Oh, the songs they'll write! Never mind them. Big day tomorrow." Amy stopped and her smile dropped.

"Sorry, what?"

"Always a big day tomorrow." Alex asked. "We've got a _time machine_. We skip the little ones." The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS.

"You know what I said about getting back tomorrow morning… Have you ever run away from something because you were scared, or not ready, or just… Just because you could?" Amy asked.

"Once… A long time ago." The Doctor muttered.

"What happened?" Amy asked.

He gave a sort of smile. "Hello." A phone rang somewhere.

"Right. Doctor, there's something I haven't told you. No. Hang on." Amy blinked. "Is that a phone ringing?" The Doctor grinned and they all entered the TARDIS.

"People actually phone you?" Alex asked. She didn't remember that happening before.

"Well, it's a phone box. Would you mind?" He gestured to the phone for Amy and prepared to dematerialize.

Amy answered the phone on the console. "Hello?" Amy paused. "Sorry, who?" Amy's face showed she didn't believe whoever was on the other end. "No, seriously. Who?" Amy muffled the phone against her shoulder. "Says he's Prime Minister. First the Queen, now the Prime Minister. Get about, don't you?"

"Which Prime Minister?" Alex asked. The Doctor motioned Alex to pull a lever. Alex went over and gestured to it, asking silently if that was the one. When the Doctor nodded, Alex pulled it and he pushed another near him of the same kind.

"Er, which Prime Minister?" She put the phone against her shoulder again. "The British one."

"Which British one?" The Doctor asked.

Amy put the phone to her ear again. "Which British one?" Her eyes widened and she passed the phone to the Doctor. "Winston Churchill for you." Alex gasped and ran to his side and shook his arm. He knew Winston Churchill? The Doctor grinned at her and put a finger to his lips, he need her to be quiet as she practically jumped around.

"Oh! Hello, dear. What's up?" The Doctor greeted. Alex could hear Winston's voice over the phone. "Don't worry about a thing, Prime Minister. We're on our way." When the Doctor hung up the phone Alex squealed loudly. The Doctor wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around. Amy laughed at them.

The TARDIS dematerialized. They were off, off to see Winston Churchill once the Prime Minister of Great Britain, having no idea what was in store.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

**Sorry, if this chapter's a bit… off. This episode was not my favorite, to be honest. I did my best, but, like I said, if it's a bit off, then you know why.**

The TARDIS stilled. Alex gripped her hands together. She was resisting the urge to just jump around. The Doctor peeked at her and grinned to himself. He knew that she loved history. He also knew that she always wanted to meet Winston Churchill.

The Doctor walked over to the doors. He felt Alex come up behind him, squealing quietly. His grin widened as he stepped out, only to see soldiers pointing guns at him. The soldiers parted for Churchill. "Amy, Allie…" He held out his arm for introduction. "Winston Churchill."

"Doctor?" Winston asked. "Is that you?" Alex stepped out and felt her heart explode with happiness. She stared at Winston Churchill, _the _Winston Churchill, with wide, excited eyes. Amy stepped out next to her and stared at Winston in amazement.

"Oh, Winston, my old friend!" The Doctor went to shake Winston's hand but he motioned with his hand that he wanted something. "Ah, every time."

"What does he want?" Alex asked.

"TARDIS key, of course." The Doctor answered.

"Think of what I could achieve with your remarkable machine, Doctor." Winston said. "The lives that could be saved."

"Ah, doesn't work like that." The Doctor turned and closed his TARDIS.

"Must I take it by force?" Winston asked seriously.

"Would you really?" Alex asked with a slight smile. She felt a bit nervous, and was hoping he was joking.

Winston broke all seriousness with a smile. "At ease." The soldiers lowered their rifles.

"You rang?" The Doctor asked.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Amy and Winston strode through the corridor as an air raid happened above. The Doctor had Winston's cane. "So you've changed your face, again."

"Yeah, well, had a bit of work done." The Doctor answered. Alex giggled.

"I liked your other face just fine." She said. The Doctor looked at her.

"But you like this face too." He put that as a statement.

She giggled. "Spoilers." She teased. He chuckled.

"Got it, got it, got it!" Amy suddenly said. "Cabinet War Rooms, right?"

"Yup." The Doctor answered. "Top secret heart of the War Office, right under London."

"You're late, by the way." Winston commented.

A woman came up to him with a pen and a clipboard. "Requisitions, sir."

"Excellent."

"Late?" The Doctor asked.

"I rang you a month ago." Alex laughed. Winston signed the papers.

"That's very you, Doctor." He doesn't seem to make it on time for a lot of things. The Doctor gave her a look.

"Really? Sorry. Sorry, it's a Type 40 TARDIS." The Doctor explained. "I'm just running her in."

Winston handed the clipboard back to the woman. "Something the matter, Breen?" He asked. "You look a little down in the dumps." Alex nodded to herself. She could feel something was wrong with the woman.

Breen hung the clipboard. "No, sir. Fine, sir." She answered.

"Action this day, Breen!" Winston said. "Action this day."

"Yes, sir." She nodded and forced a smile. Alex caught a glance Breen gave her before leaving.

"Excuse me, sir," another officer came up to Winston. "Got another formation coming in, Prime Minister. Stukas, by the look of them."

"We shall go up top then, Group Captain!" Winston answered. "We'll give 'em what for! Coming, Doctor?"

"Why?" The Doctor was never one for fighting.

Winston snatched his cane back. "I have something to show you." He walked off. The Doctor turned to Alex and Amy and mouthed 'ooh'. The girls giggled.

-x-

Winston started the lift and puffed his cigar in the direction of the Time Lord. He waved the smoke away. Amy and Alex were smart to stay in the back away from the smoke. "We stand at a crossroads, Doctor." Winston explained. "Quite alone, with our backs to the wall. Invasion is expected daily. So, I will grasp with both hands anything that will give us advantage over the Nazi menace."

"Such as?" The Doctor questioned. The lift stopped and Winston opened the gate.

"Follow me."

-x-

Amidst the sandbags on the roof, a man in a white coat was watching the sky with binoculars. The Doctor, Alex, and Amy followed Winston. "Wow!" Amy gasped.

Alex looked across at the sight before her. She looked around; this was what Britain looked like in World War II. "Doctor," Winston brought her attention back to him. "This is Professor Edwin Bracewell, head of our Ironsides Project."

The Doctor held up a hand with a 'V for Victory'. "How d'you do?" He waved at them then looked through his binoculars again. Alex looked at the sky and just barely saw a formation of German planes approaching. The Doctor, Alex, and Amy walked toward the edge and look out over London and its barrage balloons as the bombs dropped.

"Oh, Doctor… Doctor, it's…" Amy was at a loss for words.

"History." The Doctor finished.

"Amazing." Alex said. "Reading history in a book is one thing, but _seeing _it, _hearing _it." Alex shook her head, smiling. "This never gets old." The Doctor smiled.

"Ready, Bracewell?" Winston asked.

"Aye-aye sir!" Bracewell gave a thumbs up. "On my order! Fire!" From within the sandbag area on the roof, laser beams are fired at the German planes and they were destroyed. Alex's face dropped drastically. She stumbled back, recognizing those beams. The Doctor grabbed her shoulders, having similar thoughts. Alex put her hands up to her mouth, and swallowed back any noise.

"What was that?" Amy asked. She looked at Alex. "Lexi, what's wrong?" Alex was shaking. "Lexi?"

"That wasn't human." The Doctor said. "That was never human technology. That sounded like… Show me! Show me what that was!" He climbed the ladder to stand next to Bracewell.

"Advance." Bracewell commanded.

"Our new secret weapon!" Winston said proudly. A Dalek trundled out. It was painted in Army khaki, a utility belt around it, a small Union Flag under the eyestalk and the lights on the top of the dome are covered. The Doctor watched, horrified. Alex covered her hands tightly and backed up. She remembered every instance the Daleks came into the Doctor's – and into her – lives. "What do you think? Quite something, eh?"

"What are you doing here?" The Doctor demanded the Daleks.

"I am your soldier." The Dalek answered.

"What?" Alex whispered. The Doctor echoed it.

"I am your soldier." The Dalek repeated.

"Stop this!" The Doctor snapped. "Stop now! You know who I am, you always know."

"Your identity is unknown." The Dalek answered.

"Perhaps I can clarify things here," Bracewell stepped up. "This is one of my Ironsides."

Alex shook her head and ran her hands through her hair. "Your what?" The Doctor asked. They were Daleks.

Bracewell turned the Dalek. "You will help the Allied cause in any way you can?"

"Yes." The Dalek answered.

"Until the Germans have been utterly smashed?"

"Yes."

"And what is your ultimate aim?"

"To win the war!"

-x-

The Doctor looked at the diagram and blueprints that clearly showed a Dalek. "They're Daleks! They're called Daleks!" The Doctor insisted.

"They are Bracewell's Ironsides, Doctor!" Winston contradicted. "Look! Blueprints, statistics, field-tests, photographs. He invented them!"

"What?" Alex snapped. "No, no, no, _no_! He did not invent them!"

"Yes!" Winston shot back. "He approached one of our brass hats a few months ago. Fella's a genius."

"A Scottish genius," Amy added. "Maybe you should listen to…"

The Doctor cut her off. "Shh!" He snapped. "He didn't invent them! They're alien."

"Alien?" Winston asked.

Alex heard a Dalek coming to the open doorway. The Doctor sensed it. Alex and the Doctor shared a look, they were the only ones who knew about what the Daleks have done, what they are. They looked over their shoulder to see the Dalek. It viewed the action in the room before continuing on. "And they're a _totally _dangerous." Alex added.

"Precisely." Winston answered. "They will win me the war." He turned over a blueprint to show a propaganda poster with a large Dalek. Alex shuddered. She resisted the urge to snatch that paper and rip it to pieces.

-x-

"Why won't you listen?" The Doctor asked. "Why call me in if you won't listen to me?"

"When I rang a month ago, I must admit, I had my doubts." Winston said. "The Ironsides seemed too good to be true."

"Yes!" The Doctor intervened. "Right! So destroy them! Exterminate them!"

"But imagine what I could do with a hundred! A thousand!"

"I am imagining." The Doctor said bitterly.

"If you were to have a hundred or a thousand, Prime Minister, than you know what? You will lose this war! You will lose everything, because they would completely destroy _everything _on this planet if you give them a chance." Alex said.

"Amy, tell him." The Doctor said.

"Tell him what?"

"The Daleks, Amy." Alex insisted. "Tell him about the Daleks."

"What would I know about the Daleks?" Amy asked. Alex just stared at her, 'Stolen Earth' and 'Journey's End' couldn't have been that long ago…

"Everything." The Doctor answered. "They invaded your world, remember? Planets in the sky, you don't forget that, Amy! Amy… Tell me your remember the Daleks."

"Nope, sorry." Amy answered. The Doctor and Alex looked at each other for a moment.

"That's not possible."

-x-

Women were maintaining the radios and moving figures on the map as required. "And 6… 2357, over! 2357, over!" A Dalek pasted the time travelers as they entered. Alex flinched away from it, not wanting to be even close to it. The Doctor put an arm around her shoulders. She buried her face into his shoulder.

"So, they're up to something…" The Doctor muttered. "But what is it? What are they after?"

"Well, let's just talk, shall we?" Amy walked over to a Dalek.

"Amy!" The Doctor hissed. "Amelia!" Alex gripped the Doctor's jacket tightly. He rubbed her back to try and soothe her.

Amy tapped on the Dalek's casing and it swiveled to focus its eyestalk on her. "How can I be of assistance?"

"Oh. Yes. Yes. See, my friends reckon you're dangerous." Amy explained. "That you're an alien. Is it true?"

"I am your soldier." The Dalek answered.

The Doctor watched thoughtfully. "Yeah. Got that bit. Love a good squaddie. What else, though?"

"Please excuse me. I have duties to perform." The Dalek glided by.

The Doctor went over to Winston and took the cigar from the Prime Minister's mouth. "Please, Winston, _please_." Alex begged.

"We are wagging total war, Alex." Winston answered stubbornly. "Day after day, the Luffwaffe pound this great city like an iron fist."

"Wait 'till the Daleks get started." The Doctor commented.

"Men, women and children slaughtered." Winston continued. "Families torn apart. Wren's churches in flames."

"Try having the whole _Earth _in flames." Alex protested.

"I weep for my country," Winston said. "I weep for my empire. It is breaking my heart." He moved around the table.

The Doctor and Alex followed him. "But you're resisting, Winston! The whole world knows you're resisting! You're a beacon of hope!"

Winston signed more papers. "But for how long? Millions of innocent lives will be saved if I use these Ironsides now!"

A Dalek came over. "Can I be of assistance?"

"Shut up!" Alex snapped at it.

"Listen to me." The Doctor said as Alex turned back to Winston. "Just listen! The Daleks have no conscience, no mercy, no pity. They are my oldest and deadliest enemy. You cannot trust them!"

"If Hitler invaded hell, I would give a favorable reference to the Devil!" Winston responded. "These machines are our salvation!" A siren sounded. "Oh, the all-clear." He sighed with relief. "We are safe. For now." He left.

The brunettes turned to watch a Dalek before it, too, turned away to leave. "Doctor, it's the all-clear. Are you okay?" Both were very tense and stressed.

The Doctor twisted an officer's cap in his hands. "What does hate look like, Amy?"

"Hate?" Amy asked.

"It looks like a Dalek. And I'm going to prove it." The Doctor tossed the cap before putting it on a desk as he walked out. Alex turned and jogged after him. She could feel his anger, and she had to make sure he didn't do anything that she knew he would regret later.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Amy come into Bracewell's lab. He was working at his desk with a few technicians working nearby. The Doctor began to investigate everything. Alex watched him carefully. "Alright, Prof!" The Doctor said, announcing their arrival. Bracewell turned to face them. "The PM's been filling me in. Amazing things, these Ironsides of yours. Amazing. You must be very proud of them."

"Just doing my bit." Bracewell answered with a smile.

Amy picked up a wrench. "Not bad for a Paisley boy."

The Doctor sat down in a chair and began to read a file. Alex walked over to him and put her hands on his shoulders. She felt the flex underneath her touch. She rubbed them gently, worried about him. The Doctor could feel it. He took one of her hands and kissed it gently. Alex felt tingles where he kissed it. It was the first time he had done any sort of intimate gesture. She felt her heart flutter, but a slight bit of pain echoed in her hearts. She smiled sadly to herself. She still wasn't ready.

"Yes, I thought I detected a familiar cadence, my dear." Bracewell said.

"How did you do it?" The Doctor spoke up. "Come up with the idea?"

"How does the muse of invention come to anyone?" Bracewell answered.

The Doctor tossed file onto the desk behind him. "But you get a lot of these clever notions, do you?"

"Well, ideas just seem to teem from my head." Bracewell said. "Wonderful things! Like… Let me show you." He showed them some other files. The Doctor walked up to them to see them. "Some musings on the potential of hypersonic flight. Gravity bubbles that could sustain life outside of the terrestrial atmosphere! Came to me in the bath!"

"And are these your ideas or theirs?" The Doctor asked.

"No, no, no, no." Bracewell said, confidently. "These robots are entirely under my control, Doctor. They are…" A Dalek brought him some tea. Alex backed up. She hated the idea of being _anywhere _near one at any point. "Thank you… The perfect servant and the perfect warrior."

"I don't know what you're up to, Professor, but whatever they've promised, you cannot trust them! Call them what you like, the Daleks are death!"

Winston entered with another Dalek. "Yes, Doctor. Death to our enemies! Death to the forces of darkness, and death to the Third Reich!"

"Yeah, Winston," Alex rolled her eyes. "And death to just about everyone else on this planet!"

"Would you like some tea?" A Dalek came over to her. She flinched away from it.

The Doctor didn't like the thought of any Dalek near Alex either. He hit the tray and cup causing them to fall to the floor. "Stop this!" The Doctor snapped. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"We seek only to help you." The Dalek answered.

"To do what?" The Doctor asked.

"To win the war."

"Which war?" Alex asked bitterly.

"I do not understand."

"This war, against the Nazis? Or your war? The war against the rest of the Universe? The war against all life-forms that are not Dalek?" The Doctor asked.

"I do not understand." The Dalek repeated. "I am your soldier."

"Oh, yeah? Okay." The Doctor turned around and picked up a giant wrench. "Okay, soldier, defend yourself!" He picked up the wrench and started to hit the Dalek with it.

"Doctor, what the devil…?" Bracewell gasped.

"You do not require tea." The Doctor ignored it and continued to strike it.

"Stop it!" Bracewell tried to command. "Prime Minister, please!"

"Doctor, please, the machines are precious!" The Doctor ignored them all.

"Come on! Fight back!" The Doctor yelled. "You want to, don't you? You know you do!"

"I must protest!" Bracewell said.

"What are you waiting for?" The Doctor asked. "You hate me. You want to kill me! Well, go on! Kill me. Kill me." He struck at the Dalek again.

"Doctor! Stop it! Stop it!" Alex grabbed him arms and pushed him away from it. She grabbed his shoulders before he could attack it again. The Doctor looked at it. "Stop it." She said much more softly. "Please."

"Please desist from striking me." The Dalek said. "I am your soldier." Alex felt it, even with her here; when the Dalek said that, the Doctor snapped and let everything go. He pushed Alex out of the way.

"You are my enemy!" He punctuated the sentence with a hit. "And I am yours! You are everything I despise! The worst thing in all creation. I've defeated you time and time again, I've defeated you. I sent you back into the void! I saved the whole of reality from you! I am the Doctor! And you are the Daleks!" He kicked the Dalek and it rolled backwards. Alex reached out for the Time Lord. She grabbed his arm and hugged him tightly. He breathed roughly in her ear as she held him tightly. He grabbed her and hugged her tightly. She could feel so much coming from him. She could feel his hatred, his anger, his sorrow, his pain… All of it.

"Correct." The brunettes turned to the Dalek confused. "Review testimony."

"_I am the Doctor. And you are the Daleks!_"

"Testimony?" Alex muttered. "What do you mean testimony?"

"Transmitting testimony now." The second Dalek commented.

"Transmit what, where?" The Doctor asked.

After a few moments the Dalek spoke again. "Testimony accepted."

"Get back!" The Doctor commanded. "All of you!"

"Marines! Marines!" Winston called. "Get in here!"

Two marines entered but one of the Daleks easily killed them. "Stop it! Stop it, please! What are you doing? You are my Ironsides." Bracewell said.

"We are Daleks!" A Dalek responded.

"But I created you!"

"No." A Dalek retorted, he shot off Bracewell's hand revealing a stump of wires and circuits. "We created you."

"Victory! Victory! Victory!" The Daleks transported.

"What just happened, Doctor?" Amy asked.

"We wanted to know what they wanted," the Doctor muttered. "What their plan was. I was their plan." He ran out of the room.

Alex and Amy shared a look. "Hey! Doctor!" They followed him.

-x-

The Doctor entered the storage room and rushed down the stairs towards the TARDIS. "'Testimony accepted'! That's what they said! My testimony."

Amy and Alex followed close behind him. "Don't beat yourself up. You were right." The Doctor unlocked the TARDIS. "What do we do? Is this what we do now? Chase after them?"

"This is what I do." Alex made a face at his back. Oh, no he's not… He's not going without her. "It's dangerous, so wait here."

Winston came to stand next to Amy. "What, so you mean we've got to stay safe down here in the middle of the London Blitz?" She asked.

"Safe as it gets around me." The Doctor entered the TARDIS.

"I'm going." Alex said quickly. "No way is he going without me. Someone's got to control him." Amy and she shared a look. She entered the TARDIS quickly. She just had enough time to close the doors as the TARDIS started to dematerialize.

The Doctor worked on the controls before checking the monitor. The Dalek ship appeared. "Bingo!" He smiled.

"Found them then?" The smile was gone and he whirled around to see Alex standing there with her arms crossed.

"Allie!" He frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"How many times have you won at convincing me to leave your side?" Alex asked. "The Year That Never Was doesn't count." She added, as an afterthought. That was a special exception.

"Allie, it's dangerous." He said.

"Yeah, so someone needs to hold you back." She waggled a finger at him. "Like Donna said, sometimes you need someone to stop you. And who's better for the job than me? Anyways, if there was ever a time that I would need to stop you, it's now." The Doctor rubbed her eyes, frustrated.

"Fine. Fine. _But_," He stressed this. "You are to stay in the TARDIS. Don't come out for anything."

Alex saluted. "Aye-aye Time Lord." The TARDIS materialized and Alex watched the monitor as the three Daleks swiveled their top sections to see the Doctor emerge rubbing his hands. Alex sighed. She wanted to go out, but she didn't want the Doctor to get angry at her, so she stayed put. At least, in the TARDIS, she was somewhat safe. Alex figured he probably had some trick up his sleeve that if he needed to, he could send her with the TARDIS back to Earth. She rubbed the TARDIS' console, a bit nervous. "He'll be alright… right?" She asked.

She hadn't expected a response, but she heard the TARDIS hum. She smiled slightly, somehow knowing it was the TARDIS assuring her that the Doctor would be fine. She patted her. "Thanks girl." She felt the TARDIS hum again and giggled, looking back at the monitor.

"_How about that cuppa now, then_?" The Doctor asked.

"_It is the Doctor_!" One Dalek said alarmed. "_Exterminate_!"

"_Wait, wait, wait, I wouldn't if I were you_." The Doctor pulled out a small round object and held it out in front of him. Alex's eyebrows furrowed. What was that? "_TARDIS self-destruct. And you know what that means. My ship goes, you all go with it_." Alex looked at the monitor screen of the Doctor like he was insane. What? Where'd he get that? _Does the TARDIS even _have _a self-destruct button_? Alex thought and shook her head.

"_You would not use such a device_." Another Dalek said.

"_Try me_." A Dalek moved towards him. "_Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. No scans. No nothing. One move and I'll destroy us all, you got that? TARDIS bang-bang, Daleks boom_!" The Dalek backed up. It was obvious they didn't want to take any sort of chances. "_Good boy_." The Doctor looked at the Daleks' instrument panels. "_This ship's pretty beaten up – running on empty, I'd say, like you. When we last met, you were at the end of your rope. Finished_." Alex closed her eyes as flashes of 'Stolen Earth' and 'Journey's End' came to her mind's eye. She was still mad at him for erasing her memories.

She opened her eyes just as a Dalek spoke. "_One ship survived_."

"_And you fell back through time, yes_?" The Doctor questioned. He probably already knew the answer, Alex betted. "_Crippled? Dying_?"

"_We picked up a trace_." Another Dalek answered. "_One of the Progenitor devices_."

"_Progenitor_?" The Doctor asked. "_What's that when it's at home_?"

"_It is our past_." A Dalek answered. Alex honestly couldn't tell one from the other. "_And our future_."

"_Ohhh, that's deep_." The Doctor praised sarcastically. "_That is deep for a Dalek. What does it mean, though_?"

"_It contains pure Dalek DNA_," A Dalek explained. "_Thousands were created; all were lost, save one_."

"_Okay, but there's still one thing I don't get though – if you've got the Progenitor, why build Bracewell_?" The Doctor asked.

"_It was… necessary_." The Dalek admitted reluctantly.

"_By why_?" The Doctor continued further. Realization dawned on his face. "_I get it. Oh, I get it. I get it. Oh, ho, this is rich! The Progenitor wouldn't recognize you, would it? It saw you as impure; the DNA is unrecognizable as Dalek_." Alex blinked, it slowly coming to her. That's why they needed the Doctor's testimony then… It was the only thing the Progenitor would accept to activate.

"_A solution was devised_." A Dalek finished.

"_Yes, yes, yes. Me. My testimony. So you set a trap, you knew that the Progenitor would recognize me. The Daleks' greatest enemy! It would accept my word. My recognition of you_." The Doctor said, saying Alex's thoughts aloud. A Dalek turned to the instrument panel behind it. "_No, no, no. What are you doing_?" He held out the 'TARDIS self-destruction' device again.

"_Withdraw now, Doctor, or the city dies in flames_." A Dalek warned. Alex started to get a bad feeling.

"_Who are you kidding_?" The Doctor replied. "_This ship is a wreck; you don't have the power to destroy London_." Alex swallowed, _they _didn't, but the _Nazis _do. _Oh God… _Alex shook slightly.

"_Watch as the humans destroy themselves_." Alex was afraid they'd say that.

"TARDIS, please, show me." She heard something turn on and turned. On one of the TARDIS' large screen she saw all of London lit up. The whole city could be seen so clear in the dark. She turned back to the console monitor and gripped the TARDIS tightly. "Doctor… Do something." She muttered.

"_Turn those lights off now_." The Time Lord demanded. "_Turn London off or I swear I will use the TARDIS self-destruct_!"

"_Stalemate, Doctor_." A Dalek said. "_Leave us, and return to Earth_."

"_Oh, that's it_?" The Doctor asked bitterly. "_That's your great victory? You leave_?"

"_Extinction is not an option_." A Dalek responded. "_We shall return to our own time and begin again_."

"_No, no, no_!" The Doctor yelled. "_I won't let you get away this time! I won't_!" There was suddenly a mechanical '_whoosh_' and then a soft thrumming.

"_We have succeeded_." A Dalek announced. "_DNA reconstruction is complete_." The Daleks glided back from the cubicle which was enveloped in red energy. The doors slid open amidst the sparks.

"_Observe, Doctor_." Another Dalek said. "_A new Dalek paradigm_!" The Doctor watched as new, larger Daleks emerged from the smoke and steam, each a different color: white, blue, yellow, orange, and red.

Alex just stared at the 'new' Daleks for a moment. "They're… colorful." Alex blinked slowly. She couldn't resist. "If you act now, Doctor, you can get five Daleks. And if you call right now, you'll be able to choose from a choice of five different colors!" She muttered to herself, acting like an announcer for a commercial for a moment. She shook her head and mentally slapped herself. Now as not the time…

"_The Progenitor has fulfilled our new destiny_." A Dalek cried. "_Behold the restoration of the Daleks! The resurrection of the master race_!"

"_All hail the new Daleks_!" A Dalek praised. "_All hail the new Daleks_!"

"_Yes_," The white Dalek responded. "_You are inferior_!" _Well, at least I can tell one from the others now_.

"_Yes_." The Dalek answered.

"_Then prepare_." The white Dalek said.

"_We are ready_." One of the old Daleks said.

"_Cleanse the unclean_!" The white Dalek commanded. "_Total obliteration! Disintegrate_!" The blue Dalek fired at two of them and the red Dalek shot the other one.

"_Blimey_," The Doctor muttered. "_What do you do to the ones who mess up_?"

"_You are the Doctor_!" The white Dalek stated. "_You must be exterminated_!"

The Doctor pulled out the 'self-destruct' button again. "_Don't mess with me, sweetheart_!"

"_We are the paradigm of a new Dalek race_." The White Dalek spoke. It seemed he was the leader of the new Daleks. "_Scientist, strategist, drone, eternal, and the_ _supreme_." Alex rolled her eyes, she was sick the Daleks bragging, it was really annoying after a while.

"_Which would be you, I'm guessing_?" The Doctor questioned. "_Well, you know, nice paint job. I'd be feeling pretty swish. If I looked like you. Pretty 'supreme'_." The Doctor continued on. "_Question is, what do we do now? Either you turn off your clever machine or I'll blow you and your new paradigm into eternity_." Alex saw that the blue Dalek was scanning the Doctor.

"_And yourself_." The white Dalek added.

"_Occupational hazard_." The Doctor shrugged. Alex shook her head and rolled her eyes. She knew he was stupid enough to really kill himself in something like this, and it was why sometimes she hated him.

"_Scan reveals nothing_!" The blue Dalek announced. "_TARDIS self-destruct button device non-existent_!"

"_Alright_," The Doctor took a bite out of the cookie. Alex smiled slightly; she knew he really didn't have a self-destruct button for his precious ship. "_It's a Jammy Dodger, but I was promised tea_!" A siren sounded. The blue Dalek went over to the scanner.

"_Alert_!" The blue Dalek cried. "_Unidentified projectile approaching_!" The Doctor looked at a second scanner. "_Correction. Multiple projectiles_!"

"_What have the humans done_?" The white Dalek asked.

"_I don't know_." The Time Lord answered.

"_Explain! Explain! Explain_!" The white Dalek ordered furious.

"_Danny Boy to the Doctor_!" A pilot stated over the radio. "_Danny Boy to the Doctor_! _Are you receiving me? Over_."

The Doctor stood and looked up. "_Oh, Winston! You beauty_!" The Doctor cried happy. Alex laughed in the TARDIS.

"_Danny Boy to the Doctor! Com in. Over_."

"_Loud and clear, Danny Boy_!" The Doctor answered. "_Big dish, side of the ship, blow it up! Over_!"

"_Exterminate the Doctor_!" The white Dalek ordered. The Doctor escaped to the TARDIS as the Daleks fired.

Alex watched the screen. She was thankful the TARDIS was being nice to her. She didn't know how to make the monitor to work or the radio, but all she had to do was ask the TARDIS always replied to turn on something to let her see what was going on. She always said 'please' and 'thank you' a habit her parents put into her. "_You heard him Group Captain._" Alex heard Winston's voice over the radio. "_Target that dish! Send in all we've got_!"

"_4-4 to Danny Boy, target the dish and stop that signal_." The Group Captain ordered.

"_Over._" 'Danny Boy' answered. "_Understood, sir. Over_. _You can count on us! Over_."

"_Oh, good luck, lads_!" A woman said.

"Come on, men." Alex muttered. "Show those Daleks what we're made of."

"_Okay, chaps, let's put London back under the cover of darkness. Tally ho_!" The squadron began firing on the Dalek ship and the dish.

"_Cover my back, going in close_!" The Dalek ship started firing back. "_Pull out, pull out_." One of the RAF planes was shot down. Alex bit her lip.

"_We've lost Jubilee, sir. Over_." The main pilot announced.

"_Beam still active, sir. Over_." The Group Captain said.

"_Then send them in again._" Winston answered. The planes regrouped and attacked again.

"_Flintlock's down, sir, and the dish seems to be protected. Over_."

"Only one plane left." Alex whispered. She was biting her finger hard.

"_Shields intact_," The blue Dalek announced. "_Pulse still active_."

"_Danny Boy to the Doctor… Only me left now_." Alex heard the doors open and she turned. She saw the Doctor come up. The Doctor looked around and raised an eyebrow. She had some of the screens turned on, each to a different area. "_Anything you can do, sir? Over_."

"What?" Alex shrugged. "The TARDIS is very helpful." The Doctor shook his head.

The Doctor picked up a small microphone and spoke into it. "The Doctor to Danny Boy… The Doctor to Danny Boy. I can disrupt the Dalek shields, but not for long. Over."

"_Good show, Doctor, go to it. Over_." The pilot answered. The Doctor started the TARDIS. "_Going in, wish me luck. Over_." Alex watched the monitor as 'Danny Boy' made another approach. The Doctor frantically worked the controls.

"_Shields de-activated_!" A yellow Dalek stated. Alex turned and saw 'Danny Boy' destroyed the beam. Alex cheered and jumped up and down. She clapped for him.

"Energy pulse destroy!" The red Dalek said.

"_Direct hit, sir_!" The Group Captain announced. Everyone down in the war room cheered. Alex rushed over and hugged the Doctor tightly. He picked her up and twirled her around. He smiled, hearing her laugh into his ear. Ah, he's missed the sound of her laughter. He buried his face into her hair, having missed this. Alex continued to hug him; she just couldn't break the hug. There was just something about it that caused her to keep her arms wrapped tightly around the Doctor's neck.

"_Danny Boy to the Doctor… going in for another attack." _Danny Boy said. They broke and the Doctor looked at Alex for a moment. He brushed a piece of hair behind her ear. He resisted doing any more than that. He knew she still wasn't ready.

The Doctor picked up the microphone again. "The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Destroy that ship! Over."

"_What about you, Doctor_?" The pilot asked. The TARDIS was still on the Dalek ship.

"I'll be okay." The Doctor grinned. However, the Daleks appeared on the monitor.

"_Doctor_!" The white Dalek called his attention. "_Call off your attack_!"

"Ah-ha, what?" the Doctor mocked. "And let you scuttle off to the future? No fear. This is the end for you. The final end." Alex frowned and looked between the Daleks and the Doctor.

"_Call off the attack, or we will destroy the Earth_." The white Dalek said.

"I'm not stupid, mate!" The Doctor replied. "You've just played your last card!"

"_Bracewell is a bomb_." Alex's heart stopped.

"You're bluffing. Deception's second nature to you. There isn't a sincere bone in your body. There isn't a bone in your body!" The Doctor said.

"_His power is derived from an Oblivion Continuum! Call off your attack, or we will detonate the android_." The white Dalek said.

"No! This is my best chance ever! The last of the Daleks! I can rid the Universe of you, once and for all!" Alex stepped towards the Doctor.

"Then do it." The white Dalek answered. "But we will shatter the planet below! The Earth will die screaming!"

"And if I let you go, you'll be stronger than ever. A new race of Daleks."

"Then choose, Doctor! Destroy the Daleks or save the Earth. Begin countdown of Oblivion Continuum! Choose, Doctor! Choose! Choose!"

"Would you do it, Doctor?" Alex asked quietly. The Doctor looked at her. "Would you really do it?"

"Allie…" The Doctor saw the look in her eyes, and knew what she was thinking. "You don't know."

"I know lots, Doctor." Alex said. "Don't you dare act like I'm stupid. You out of all people should know that. How many times have you called me brilliant?"

"Allie…" He might not ever get a chance to do this again.

She was close to crying. "Don't you dare, Doctor!" She snapped. She sobbed. "I know what they've done, I _know_. I've seen it. But would you really? You're the _Doctor_. You drilled into my head for _two years _that I should never commit genocide. That's one of the reasons why I looked up to you so much, Doctor. You _always _give them second chances, you _never _kill, wound, or maul. You _never _do genocide."

"Allie…" His resolve was falling apart.

"If you did this, Doctor. If you killed them, what makes you any different from a Dalek?" Alex pushed him and sobbed again. "If you did this I'd never forgive you! I'd never, _ever _forgive you!" She knew it was extreme, but under no circumstance was she going to let him do that. He wouldn't be the Doctor anymore. He wouldn't be _her _Doctor, anymore. He'd just be another alien.

"Allie…" The Doctor's face was contorted in pain. Hearing her say that had to be one of the most painful things he's ever heard.

"You're my Superman, Doctor." She whispered, breaking apart. "If you did that… I'd leave and I'd never ever talk to you again. I'd never forgive you." She looked the Doctor straight in the eye, and he saw it. She didn't want to, she would never want to, but if it was to prove her point, she'd do it.

The Doctor's arms opened up for her, and her stubbornness failed and she fell into his arms crying. It was very hard for her to say that to her. The Doctor grabbed the microphone, holding her to him. "The Doctor to Danny Boy. The Doctor to Danny Boy. Withdraw."

"_Say again, sir. Over_."

"Withdraw!" The Doctor repeated. "Return to Earth. Over and out."

"_But sir_…!" Danny Boy tried to protest.

"There's no time, you have to return to Earth now! Over!" The Doctor responded. The Doctor set the coordinates for Earth. Danny Boy flew back to Earth.

-x-

The TARDIS materialized and the Doctor and Alex exited and ran out of the room. Alex furiously whipped her cheeks from the tears. The Doctor ran into the war room where Bracewell was. He punched the man, knocking him to the ground. The Doctor shook his hand, afterwards, in pain. "Doctor!" Amy said appalled.

"Ow!" The Doctor hissed.

Alex rushed in. "Sorry, Mr. Bracewell, but the Daleks did something and they said you were a bomb and we can't take the chance if you are."

"What?" Bracewell asked, shocked.

"There's an Oblivion Continuum inside you - a captured wormhole that provides perpetual power. Detonate that, and the Earth will bleed through into another dimension!" The Doctor knelt beside him, pulled out his sonic and opened Bracewell's chest. "Now keep down!" He used his sonic to reveal the mechanics underneath skin. There was a circular pad divided into sections glowing blue on Bracewell's chest. One section turned yellow.

"Well?" Amy asked.

"I dunno, I dunno, I dunno!" He shook his screwdriver. "Never seen one up close before!"

"Oh that's comforting." Alex said sarcastically.

"So, what, they've wired him to detonate?" Amy asked.

"Not wired him up." The Doctor answered. "He is the bomb. Walking, talking," The Doctor made an exploding sound effect. "Exploding! The moment that flashes red."

"There's… a blue wire or something you have to cut, isn't there? There's always a blue wire." The Doctor stood up. "Or a red one."

"Not helping, Amy." Alex said.

"It's incredible." Winston muttered. "He talked to us about his memories. The Great War…"

The Doctor tossed his screwdriver hand to hand. "Someone else's stolen thoughts, implanted in a positronic brain. Tell me about it, Bracewell. Tell me about your life." The Doctor knelt back down.

"Doctor, I really don't think this is the time."

"Tell me and prove you're human." The Doctor said. It was the perfect time for storytelling. "Tell me everything."

The first section of Bracewell's chest was red and the second was now yellow. "My family ran the Post Office. It's a little place just near the abbey. Just by the ash trees. There used to be eight trees but...but there was a storm."

The Doctor tried to hurry him along. "And your parents? Come on. Tell me."

"Good people." Bracewell answered. "Kind people. They… They died. Scarlet fever."

"What was that like?" The Doctor asked. "How did it feel?"

"Please…" He didn't want to talk about it.

"How did it make you feel, Edwin? Tell me! Tell me now!"

"It hurt. It hurts, Doctor, so badly. Like a wound." The second section turned red and the yellow had now moved onto the third section. "It was worse than a wound. Like I'd been emptied out. There was nothing."

"Good. Remember it now, Edwin! The ash trees by the Post Office and your mum and dad and losing them and men in the trenches you saw die... Remember it! Feel it, because you're human." The third section turned red. "You're not like them. You are not like the Daleks!"

"It hurts! Doctor, it hurts so much!"

"Good! Good! Good! Brilliant! Embrace it." The fourth section turned red and Alex's heart was racing. "That means you're alive! They cannot explode that bomb, you're a human being! You are flesh and blood! They cannot explode that bomb! Believe it! You are Professor Edwin Bracewell! And you, my friend, are a human being!" The fifth section turned red. "It's not working! I can't stop it!"

"Hey… Paisley." Amy knelt beside Alex. "Ever fancied someone you know you shouldn't?"

"W… What?" Bracewell asked.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" The last section remained yellow. "But kind of a good hurt."

"I really shouldn't take about her." Bracewall said.

"Oh, there's a her." Amy said, the last section reverted to blue.

"What was her name?" Alex asked softly.

"Dorabella." Bracewell finally admitted. Alex smiled.

"Dorabella? It's a lovely name, it's a beautiful name." The Doctor praised.

"What was she like?" Alex smiled to herself.

"Oh…" Bracewell's voice turned dreamy. Alex knew the feeling, from how she felt whenever she talked about the Doctor. "Such a smile. And her eyes… Her eyes were so blue… Almost violet. Like the last touch of sunset on the edge of the world... Dorabella..." All the sections reverted to blue, disarming the bomb.

"Welcome to the human race." The Doctor congratulated. He smiled at his two time travelers. "You're brilliant." He said to Winston. "You're brilliant." He said to Bracewell. "You're brilliant." He said to Amy and he turned to Alex. She smiled at him. "Oh, and you…" He would never been done saying it. He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Now, gotta stop them! Stop the Daleks!" He started to run out of the room.

"Wait! Doctor! Wait… Wait." The Doctor stopped as Bracewell sat up. "It's too late. Gone. They've gone."

"No, no, no! They can't! They can't have got away from me again!" The Doctor yelled.

"No, I can feel it, my mind is clear. The Daleks have gone." Bracewall answered. The Doctor leaned against a pole, all energy suddenly drained. Alex stood up.

"Doctor. It's okay! You did it. You stopped the bomb. Doctor?" Amy tried to mend.

"I had a choice. And they knew I'd choose the Earth. The Daleks have won. They beat me. They've won." The Doctor muttered.

"But you saved the Earth." Alex pointed out. "And if you had picked them over us, would that have made you feel better?" The Doctor looked at her. She knew that he knew the answer was no. It wouldn't have. "You disarmed the bomb, and saved the Earth, _again_. Not too shabby, is it…?"

The Doctor looked at Winston and all the people in the room who all looked back at him in support. "Is it?" Amy asked.

"No." The Doctor slowly smiled. "It's not too shabby."

"It's a brilliant achievement, my dear friend. Here, have a cigar!" Winston offered him one.

"No…" He waved it off, still hurt from his loss. Alex walked over to him and put her arms around his neck again. He sighed as another smile came to his lips. He hugged her, and buried his face into her hair. He felt so… right, like that. It felt like he could survive anything if he just stayed in Alex's arms, with Alex in his, his face buried in her hair.

-x-

"So, what now, then?" Amy asked.

"I still have a war to run, Miss. Pond." Winston answered.

A woman walked over and handed him a communiqué. "Prime Minister."

"Oh, thank you." Winston read the documents. "They hit the Palace and St Paul's again. Fire crews only just saved it." Breen entered crying.

"Is she alright?" Alex asked, watching her.

"What?" Winston looked up.

"She looks very upset." Amy said.

"Oh, Miss Breen? Her young man didn't make it, I'm afraid. Just got word. Shot down over the Channel." Alex frowned, her heart going out to the woman. She looked around, realizing they were missing a certain Time Lord.

"Where's the Doctor?" Alex asked.

The Doctor entered. "Tying up loose ends. I've taken out all the alien tech Bracewell put in."

"Won't you reconsider, Doctor? Those Spitfires would win me the war in 24 hours!" Winston insisted.

"Exactly." The Doctor answered, sipping his tea.

"But why not? Why can't we put an end to all this misery?" Winston asked.

"Oh, it doesn't work like that, Winston. It's gonna be tough. There are terrible days to come. The darkest days. But you can do it. You know you can." The Doctor encouraged.

"Stay with us, and help us win through! The world needs you."

"The world doesn't need me."

"No?"

"Of course not," Alex fixed Winston's bowtie. "Not when the world's got a great man like Winston Spencer Churchill." The Doctor grinned, agreeing and gave a Victory sign.

"It's been a pleasure, as always." Winston smiled.

"Too right." The two men hugged.

"Goodbye, Doctor."

"Oh, shall we say adieu?" The Doctor said.

"Indeed." Winston ended the hug. "Goodbye, Miss Pond. Goodbye, Miss Harper."

"It's… It's been amazing, meeting you." Amy said.

"A complete honor." Alex added with a smile.

"I'm sure it has." Amy kissed Winston on the cheek and Alex gave him a hug. Winston headed for the door. Alex and Amy shared a look.

"Hey!" Alex said as both girls held out their hands. "Winston. TARDIS key, now."

"The one you just took from the Doctor." Amy added. The Doctor nearly choked on his tea and patted his pockets.

"Oh, they're good, Doctor. As sharp as a pin!" He handed them the key. "Almost as sharp as me." Winston lit a cigar. "KBO!" After Winston left, the Doctor held out his hand and Alex gave him the key back.

-x-

Bracewell stood stoically in his office, waiting for the inevitable. He now had a leather glove over the stump. The Doctor, Alex, and Amy entered. "I've been expecting you, Doctor. I knew this moment had to come."

"Moment?" The Doctor questioned.

"It's time to de-activate me."

"Is it…?" Amy and Alex looked at him. "Oh… Yeah."

"You have no choice. I'm Dalek technology. Can't allow me to go pottering around down here where I have no business."

"No, you're dead right, Professor. 100% right. And by the time I get back here in... what, ten minutes?"

"More like 15." Alex corrected.

"Fifteen minutes, yeah, that's exactly what I'm going to do. You are going to be so de-activated. It's going be like you've never even been... activated." The Doctor said.

"Yeah." Amy said.

"15 minutes?" Bracewell needed to prepare himself then.

"More like 20 minutes, if I'm honest. Once Pond, Allie, and I see to the urgent thing…"

"Yeah." Alex nodded for show.

"…We've got to see too. The... the... See?" The Doctor said.

"Very well, Doctor. I shall wait here and prepare myself."

Alex and Amy looked at each other. "That Dalek tech's a little bit slow on the uptake." Amy muttered and Alex nodded. "That thing we've got to do. Gonna take half an hour, realistically, isn't it, Doctor?"

"Easily! So no running off, that's what I'm saying. Don't go trying to find that little Post Office with the ash trees or that girl... What was her name?"

"Dorabella." Bracewell answered.

"Don't go looking for her." Alex said, fighting back a grin. "I mean, you could get a lot done in half an hour. But don't you try anyways."

Bracewell smiled and laughed as he realized what they were doing. "Thank you, thank you, Doctor!"

"Come along, Pond. Come along, Allie." The Doctor, Alex, and Amy left and Bracewell began to pack a suitcase.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Amy headed for the TARDIS. "So, you have enemies then?"

"Everyone's got enemies." The Doctor responded.

"Yeah, but mine's the woman outside Budgens with the mental Jack Russell." Amy commented.

"You've got, like, arch-enemies, Doctor." Alex said. They leaned up against the TARDIS.

"Suppose so."

"And here's me thinking we'd just be running through time, being daft and fixing stuff. But no, it's dangerous."

"Oh yeah," Alex turned to Amy. "That's not going to be a problem, is it Miss. Pond?" Amy smirked at her and Alex grinned.

"I'm still here, aren't I?" Amy turned back to the Doctor. "You're worried about the Daleks." Alex looked at the Time Lord too, she knew this.

"I'm always worried about the Daleks."

"It'll take time, though, won't it? There's still not many of them. They'll need a while to build themselves up." Amy tried to comfort.

"It's not that. There's something else. Something we've forgotten. Or rather you have."

"Me?" Alex knew where this was going.

"You didn't know them, Amy." Alex said. "You didn't remember the Daleks. You've seen the before, we know you have, and yet you didn't remember. You should have." The Doctor entered the TARDIS with Alex right behind him, leaving a confused Amy to follow.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

The museum they were at looked like it was based on the plans of a medieval church. The Doctor strode through, pointing at the displays and giving his opinions. Amy and Alex followed. "Wrong! Wrong! Bit right, mostly wrong. I love museums."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Yeah, great. Can we go to a planet now? Big space ship, Churchill's bunker...? You promised us a planet next." Amy said.

"Amy, this isn't any old asteroid. It's the Delerium Archive, final resting place of the headless monks, the biggest museum ever." The Doctor said.

"Great," Alex said sarcastically. "You have a _time machine_, museums are boring when we could actually go back in time – or forward – and see it for yourself with your own eyes." Amy nodded.

"Wrong! Very wrong! Oooh, one of mine. Also one of mine." The Doctor peered into the display case.

The girls looked at each other, figuring out why they were really here. "Oh, I see. It's how you keep score."

Something in the next display case caught the Doctor's eye. Intrigued, the Doctor looked at the top which bore strange symbols. "Oh great, an old box." Amy said sarcastic.

"It's from one of the old starliners. A Home Box." The Doctor said.

"What's a Home Box?" Alex asked.

"Like a black box on a plane, except it homes. Anything happens to the ship, the Home Box flies home, with all the flight data." The Doctor explained.

"So?" Amy asked, voicing Alex's thoughts.

"The writing, the graffiti - Old High Gallifreyan. The lost language of the Time Lords." Alex looked down at the words and titled her head.

"There were days, there were many days, these words could burn stars and raise up empires, and topple Gods."

"Okay, cool." Alex gestured to these words. "What do these say?"

"Hello, sweetie!" Alex looked at the box for a moment before laughing. The Doctor shot her a look. Within a few moments, an alarm sounded as the Doctor ran though the museum, the Home Box tucked under his arm. Amy and Alex were racing behind him. They rushed into the TARDIS as two guards chased after them.

When they were in the TARDIS the Doctor put the Home Box on the console and started hooking it up. "Why are we doing this?" Amy asked.

"'Cause someone on a space ship 12,000 years ago is trying to attract my attention. Let's see if we can get the security playback working." Grainy black and white footage of – Alex gasped and smiled when she realized it was River – winking at the camera appeared on the monitor. The Doctor fiddled with it a bit and it switched to River with her back to the door.

"_The party's over, Doctor Song_…" An older man said. He had an evening jacket on. "… _Yet you're still onboard_." River turned to face him.

"_Sorry Alistair_." River said, probably not sorry at all. "_I needed to see what was in your vault. Do you all know what's down there? Any of you? Because I'll tell you something. This ship won't reach its destination_."

"_Wait 'till she runs_." Alistair ordered his men. "_Don't make it look like an execution_."

River looked at her watch. "_Triple-seven, five, slash, three, four, nine by ten_." The Doctor shared a look with Amy and Alex. "_Zero, twelve, slash, acorn. Oh, and I could do with an air corridor_."

The Doctor began to type on the keyboard. "What did she just say?" Alex asked confused.

"Co-ordinates!" The Doctor laughed.

Alex looked back at the monitor. "_Like I said on the dance floor, you might want to find something to hang onto_." As a timer began to beep frantically, Alistair realized what was about to happen and grabbed a hold of one of the pipes on the wall. The two guards did the same. River blew a kiss just before the door behind her blew open and she was carried into space – and directly to the TARDIS as it materialized. The Doctor let out a 'whoop' before running to open the TARDIS doors. He reached out and pulled River in and they both landed on the floor.

"Doctor?" Amy asked.

"River?" The Doctor questioned. They stood up and watched the ship fly away.

"Follow that ship." River said.

-x-

The Doctor and River were both working the controls while Amy and Alex stood back and watched. River was barefoot; her _awesome _shoes were hanging on the handle under the monitor. "They've gone into warp drive. We're gonna lose them. Stay close!" River ordered.

"I'm trying." The Doctor responded.

"Use the stabilizers!" River answered.

"There aren't any stabilizers."

"The blue switches." River pointed to them.

"The blue ones don't do anything, they're just… blue." The Doctor said.

"Yes, they're blue. They're the blue stabilizers!" She used the stabilizers and the ship became quiet. "See?" She smiled.

"Yeah, well, it's just boring now, isn't it? They're boring-ers. They're blue boring-ers."

Alex leaned over to Amy. "Totally betting he's going to sulk."

Amy laughed quietly. "Oh yeah." Amy walked over to the Doctor. "Doctor, how come she can fly the TARDIS?"

"You call that flying the TARDIS? Ha!" The Doctor sat on the seat to sulk. Amy looked at Alex impressed; she just winked at her friend. Alex knew the Doctor inside and out.

"OK. I've mapped the probability vectors, done a fold-back on the temporal isometry charted the ship to its destination, and parked us right alongside." River said.

"Parked us? We haven't landed?" The Doctor asked.

"Of course we've landed. I just landed her." River responded.

"But it didn't make the noise." The Doctor said.

"What noise?" Alex asked.

"You know, the…" He made the TARDIS wheezing sound.

"It's not supposed to make that noise. You leave the brakes on." River answered. Alex giggled. The Doctor threw her a look.

"Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise. Come along, Pond, come along Allie, let's have a look." The Doctor walked over to the doors.

"No, wait! Environment checks." River started to type on the keyboard.

"Oh, yes, sorry! Quite right. Environment checks." The Doctor stuck his head out the doors. "Nice out."

"We're somewhere in the Garn Belt. There's an atmosphere. Early indications suggest..." The Doctor cut her off, finishing River's sentence.

"We're on Alfava Metraxis, the seventh planet of the Dundra System. Oxygen-rich atmosphere, toxins in the soft band, 11-hour day, and..." The Doctor poked his head out again. "Chances of rain later."

River shook her head and turned to the girls. "He thinks he's so hot when he does that." Alex laughed.

"Sorry, River, but I still impressed when he does that." River chuckled.

"Of course _you _would." Alex grinned. The Doctor joined them again by the console.

"How come you can fly the TARDIS?"

"Oh, I had lessons from the very best." River said.

"Well, yeah." The Doctor was smug.

"It's a shame you were busy that day."

"Ooh," Alex turned to the Doctor. "Need some ice for that burn, Doctor?" The Time Lord shot her a look and she just laughed it off.

River picked up her shoes. "Right then, why did they land here?" She headed for the door.

"They didn't land here." The Doctor responded.

"Sorry?" River asked.

"You should've checked the Home Box - it crashed." He followed her. River stepped outside and the Doctor closed the doors behind her before heading back to the console.

"Explain! Who is that and how did she do that museum thing?" Amy demanded.

"Long story." Alex paused. "And we don't even know most of it."

"Off we go!" The Doctor said working at the controls.

"What are you doing?" Amy asked.

"Leaving. She's got where she wants to go, let's go where we want to go."

"Are you basically running away?"

"Yep." The Doctor answered, simply.

"Why?" Amy demanded.

"'Cause she's the future, our future." The Doctor said, motioning to Alex.

"Can you run away from that?"

"I can run away from anything I like. Time is not the boss of me."

"Oh please," Alex rolled her eyes. "You just don't like not knowing." The Doctor looked at her. "She knows everything about you, but you don't know anything about her, and it drives. You. Mad." Alex poked him in the chest for each word. "Welcome to what it feels like for the rest of us when we're with you." She said.

"Hang on," Amy realized something. "Is that a planet out there?"

"Yes, of course it's a planet." The Doctor answered.

"You promised us a planet. Five minutes?" Amy asked.

Alex could see the Doctor giving in. "Okay, five minutes!"

"Yes!" Amy headed for the door.

"But that's all, 'cause I'm telling you now, that woman is not dragging me into anything." Alex ran after Amy. The Doctor followed her to the door. Alex opened the doors and looked around. The ship they had been following had crashed on top of a very large and very old stone structure. It was burning in areas and bits of debris had fallen to the ground around the TARDIS. The Doctor, Alex, Amy, and River stood there, looking up at it.

"What caused it to crash?" River asked. "Not me."

"Nah, the airlock would've sealed seconds after you blew it." The Doctor answered. "According to the Home Box, the warp engines had a phase-shift. No survivors."

"A phase-shift would have to be sabotage." River said. "I did warn them."

"About what?" Alex asked.

"Well, at least the building was empty." River said, ignoring Alex. Alex pouted, she didn't like being ignored. "Aplan temple. Unoccupied for centuries." She began to key something into a handheld device.

The Doctor walked back to Amy. "Aren't you going to introduce us?" Amy asked.

"Amy Pond, Professor River Song." The Doctor reluctantly introduced.

River turned to face them. "Ahhh, I'm going to be a Professor some day, am I?" The Doctor winced at this slip. "How exciting!" She chuckled. "Spoilers!" She turned her attention back to what she was doing.

"Yeah, but who is she and how did she do that?" Amy asked. "She just left you a note in a museum!" The Doctor walked off.

"Two things always guaranteed to show up in a museum: The Home Box of category four starliner and, sooner or later, him. Its how he keeps score." River said.

"I know." Amy laughed.

"It's hilarious, isn't it?" River laughed as well. Alex came up.

"I know right? He has a time machine, but he wants to go to museums to keep score." The girls giggled together.

The Doctor came up behind them with a sarcastic laugh. "I'm nobody's taxi service!" His head was just hovering over Alex's shoulder. "I'm not gonna be there to catch you every time you feel like jumping out of a space ship." He said to River.

"And you are so wrong." River responded. "There's one survivor. There's a thing in the belly of that ship that can't ever die." The Doctor looked at her, curious now. "Now he's listening!" River said. River put her device up to her ear, like one would a phone. She walked off. "You lot in orbit yet? Yeah, I saw it land. I'm at the crash site. Try and home in on my signal. Doctor, can you sonic me?" She asked, holding the device up. "I need to boost the signal so we can use it as a beacon."

The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and used it on River's communicator. She gave a small curtsey. "Ooh, Doctor. You soniced her." Amy teased.

"We have a minute, shall we?" River called to them. They walked over to her as she opened her TARDIS diary. "Where were we up to? Have we done the Bone Meadows?"

"What's that book?" Amy started to go over to look over River's shoulder.

"Stay away from it." The Doctor said.

"What is it though?" Amy insisted.

"It's her diary." Alex answered.

"Our diary." River corrected.

"Her past, my… future." Alex nodded to herself, she was _defiantly _right about how he felt about River. "Time travel. We keep meeting in the wrong order." Alex turned when something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. Four columns of swirling 'dust' appeared but then turned into four soldiers in desert camouflage uniforms. One of the soldiers approached River.

"You promise me an army, Doctor Song." He said as greeting.

"No. I promised you the equivalent of an army. This is the Doctor." Said Time Lord gave a lighthearted salute. He shook his hand.

"Father Octavian, sir. Bishop, second class. 20 clerics at my command. The troops are already in the drop ship and landing shortly. Doctor Song was helping us with a covert investigation. Has Doctor Song explained what we're dealing with?" Alex looked at River questioningly.

"Doctor, what do you know of the Weeping Angels?" The Doctor faced her quickly, immediately tense.

"Oh no." Alex said. "No, no, no, _no_. I've dealt with Weeping Angles before, and one time is more than enough for me. No! I am _not _dealing with them again! They are _creepy_."

-x-

A transport ship had arrived and the soldiers had already set up camp. Octavian strode across the ground followed by the Doctor, Alex, and Amy. "The Angel, as far as we know, is still trapped in the ship. Our mission is to get inside and neutralize it. We can't get through up top; we'd be too close to the drives. According to this," He showed the Time Lord a handheld device. "Behind the cliff face, there's a network of catacombs leading right up to the temple. We can blow through the base of the cliffs, get into the entrance chamber, then make our way up."

"Oh, good." The Doctor said.

"Good, sir?"Octavian asked.

"Catacombs, probably dark ones. Dark catacombs, great." Alex couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.

"Technically, I think it's called a maze of the dead."

"You can stop there if you like." Alex said. She felt a chill run through her. She wasn't looking forward to walking through a 'maze of the dead'.

"Father Octavian." A soldier called.

"Excuse me, sir." The Doctor waved off Octavian as he left. He then used the screwdriver on some of the equipment set up on the table.

"You're letting people call you 'sir'." Alex pointed out. She knew how much he hated that. "You hate it when people do that." Amy sat on the table and Alex leaned up against it, each woman on either side of the Time Lord.

"So, whatever a Weeping Angel is, it's really bad, yeah?" Amy finished.

"Now that's interesting…" He looked up at both companions. "You're still here. Which part of 'Wait in the TARDIS 'till I tell you it's safe' was so confusing?"

"Ooh, are you all Mr. Grumpy Face today?" Alex laughed.

"You are pretty grumpy today, Doctor." She said.

"A Weeping Angel, Amy, is the deadliest, most powerful, most malevolent life form evolution has ever produced, and one is trapped inside that wreckage and I'm supposed to climb in with a screwdriver and a torch—and assuming I survive the radiation, and the whole ship doesn't blow up in my face—do something clever which I haven't actually thought of yet. That's my day, that's what I'm up to." The Doctor summed up. "Any questions?"

"Is River Song your wife? 'Cause she's someone from your future, and the way she talks to you, I've never seen anyone do that. She's kinda like, you know, 'Heel, boy!' She's Mrs. Doctor from the future, isn't she? Is she gonna be your wife one day?" Alex looked away, a touchy subject. She didn't like the thought of that… Sure, she wasn't in love with the Doctor – yet. She thought about it and figured she was at the crush stage.

"Yes. You're right. I am definitely Mr. Grumpy Face today." The Doctor said.

"Doctor? Doctor!" River called from a transport.

"Oops! Her indoors!" Amy said.

"Father Octavian!" River continued. "Lexa!" Alex looked up. Oh yeah, Alex forgot last time they met, River had called her 'Lexa'. It seemed like that was her name for the brunette. The four of them walked to the transport.

"Why do they call him Father?" Amy asked.

"He's their Bishop, they're his clerics. It's the 51st Century, the Church has moved on." They got into the ship. On the screen Alex saw a black and white footage of a Weeping Angel, its body at an angle to the camera, hands over its eyes. River was controlling the video with a remote.

"What do you think? It's from the security cameras in the Byzantium vault. I ripped it when I was on board. Sorry about the quality. Its four seconds. I've put it on loop." River explained.

"Yeah, it's an Angel." The Doctor confirmed. "Hands covering its eyes."

"So you have encountered the Angels before." Octavian said.

"Once, on Earth." The Doctor answered. "A long time ago. But those were scavengers, barely surviving."

"It's just a statue." Amy said.

"It's only a statue when you're looking at it." Alex commented.

"Where did it come from?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh, pulled from the ruins of Razbahan, end of last century. It's been in private hands ever since, dormant all that time." River explained.

"There's a difference between dormant and patient." The Time Lord contradicted.

"What's that mean, it's only a statue when you're looking at it?" Amy asked.

"The Weeping Angels can only move if they're unseen." River answered. "So legend has it."

"No, it's not legend, it's a quantum lock. In the sight of any living creature, the Angels literally cease to exist. They're just stone. The ultimate defense mechanism." The Doctor contradicted.

"What, being stone?" Amy said.

"You can't kill a stone." Alex quoted. She remembered the Doctor had once said that. "But once you turned your back…" The Doctor led the others out of the transport.

"The hyperdrive would've split on impact. The whole ship will be flooded with radiation, cracked electrons, gravity storms, deadly to almost any living thing." The Doctor said quickly.

"Deadly to an Angel?" Alex asked.

"Dinner to an Angel. The longer we leave it, the stronger it will grow. Who built that temple? Are they still around?"

River was reading her handheld computer. "The Aplans. The indigenous life-form. They died out 400 years ago." She answered.

"200 years later, the planet was terraformed. Currently there are six billion human colonists." Octavian said.

"You lot, you're everywhere! You're like rabbits! I'll never get done saving you." Alex walked up to the Doctor's side.

"And you never get tired of it." She commented. The Doctor waved a finger at her, and she knew she was right.

"Sir, if there is a clear and present danger to the local population..." The Doctor cut the Father off.

"Oh, there is. Bad as it gets. Bishop, lock and load!"

"Verger, how we doing with those explosives? Dr. Song, with me." Octavian walked off.

"Two minutes. Sweeties, I need you." Alex and the Doctor looked at each other, mouthing 'sweeties' and then realized that River meant them and went to her. Amy stood by the transport entry.

"Anybody need me? Nobody?" Amy crossed her arms.

River showed the Doctor a book. Alex looked over his shoulder. "I found this. Definitive work on the Angels. Well, the only one. Written by a madman, it's barely readable, but I've marked a few passages."

The Doctor had already finished the book. "Not bad, bit slow in the middle, didn't you hate his girlfriend?" Alex gave him a look; she didn't have a chance to get any of it. She snatched the book from the Time Lord's hands and looked over the pages that River had marked. The Doctor watched her. She was a quick reader, but not as quick as him. He leaned over. Alex resisted the urge to shudder, as his breath trailed into her hair and down her neck. She scrunched her neck up as he moved closer.

"Doctor," she whined. "What have I told you about doing that?" She rubbed her sensitive neck. The Doctor blinked, realizing what happened.

"Ooh, sorry." He pressed his lips to her head, blocking his breath from her neck. Alex sighed and went back to reading. Within a couple of minutes, longer than the Doctor's time, she was done.

The Doctor took the book from her hands. Alex blinked at her empty hands before throwing the Doctor a dry look. "No, hang on, wait, wait." He sniffed it.

Amy popped her head out of the transport. "Dr. Song? Did you have more than one clip of the Angel?"

"No, just the four seconds." Puzzled, Amy went back inside.

"This book is wrong! What's wrong with this book? It's wrong." The Doctor muttered to himself.

River observed as the Doctor examined the book. She turned her eyes to Alex, and saw the brunette was watching the Time Lord. "Oh, it's so strange when you go all baby-face. How early is this for you?" She was holding her TARDIS journal.

"Very early." Alex said. He hadn't regenerated too long ago.

"So you two don't know who I am yet?" River said.

"How do you know who I am? I don't always look the same." The Doctor responded.

"I've got pictures of all your faces. You never show up in the right order though. I need the spotter's guide." River answered. "Although, when I see Alex with you that's always a good way to tell." Alex looked at River for a second before looking back at the Time Lord.

She blinked and something clicked. "Pictures…" The Doctor looked up and Alex walked up to him. "Pictures, Doctor, why doesn't the book have pictures?" The Doctor's eyes lit up, realizing what she was saying.

"This whole book – it's a warning, about the Weeping Angels. So why no pictures? Why not show us what to look out for?" The Doctor asked, quickly moving through the pages of the book.

"There was that bit about images." River supplied.

"Yes! Hang on…" He flipped through the book.

Alex looked over his shoulder. She pressed her finger to stop him as she saw the passage. "'That which holds the image of an Angel becomes itself an Angel'."

"What does that mean?" River asked. "'An image of an Angel becomes itself an Angel'." Alex rubbed her eyes, she knew the words and the meaning, but she just couldn't remember. Alex looked up when she heard her name, but it was distant.

The Doctor must have heard it too, for his head shot up. "Amy!" He ran to the transport.

"Doctor! Lexi!" Amy said through the door. Alex grunted.

"It won't open." Alex said, still trying.

The Doctor was right next to her. "Are you alright? What's happening?"

"Doctor! Lexi! Doctor, it's coming out of the television." Amy responded. "The Angel is here."

"Don't take your eyes off of it, Amy." Alex said, pressing herself to the door to make sure her friend heard her. "Whatever you do, don't look away. It can't move if you're looking at it." The Doctor took out the sonic screwdriver and used it on the door, but Alex saw he was having trouble. "What's wrong?"

"It's deadlocked." The Doctor answered.

River was trying to override the controls. "There is no deadlock."

"Doctor! Lexi!" Amy cried.

"Its okay, Amy." Alex said. "Just remember, don't look away."

The Doctor opened a small box next to the doors and used the sonic on it. "What are you doing?" River asked.

"Cutting the power. It's using the screen; I'm turning the screen off. It's no good, it's deadlocked the whole system." The Doctor grunted.

"There is no deadlock." River repeated sternly.

"There is now." Alex answered.

"Help me!" Amy cried.

"Amy! It's okay! It can't move if you're looking at it! It's statue when you look at it. You're fine as long as you don't look away."

"Amy can you turn it off?" The Doctor asked.

"Doctor!" Amy didn't hear him.

"The screen, Amy," Alex said. She was sure Amy would hear her. "Can you turn off the screen?"

"I tried." Amy responded.

"Try again, but don't take your eyes off the Angel." The Doctor said.

"I'm not!" Amy said. The Doctor and River were still trying to override the controls.

"Each time it moves, it'll move faster. Don't even blink." The Doctor warned.

"I'm not blinking! Have you ever tried not blinking?" It was obvious Amy was struggling with that one. After a few moments, Amy spoke again. "It just keeps switching back on!"

"Yeah, it's the Angel." The Doctor said.

"But it's just a recording." Amy said.

"No it's not." Alex remembered what the passage in the book had said. "'Anything that takes the image of an Angel becomes itself an Angel'." Alex turned to River. "What are you doing?"

She was using a small blowtorch against the metal. "I'm trying to cut through. It's not even warm."

"There is no way in, it's not physically possible." The Doctor said.

"Doctor! What's it gonna do to me?" Amy asked.

"Just keep looking at it, Amy. Don't look away." Alex repeated.

"Just tell me." Amy demanded. "Just tell me. Tell me!"

The Doctor ran for the book and brought it back to just outside the transport door where he sat. "Amy, not the eyes." The Doctor said. "Look anywhere, but look at the eyes."

"Why?" Amy asked.

"Why not, Doctor?" Alex asked.

"'The eyes are not the windows of the soul, they are the doors. Beware what may enter there'." The Doctor quoted.

"Doctor, what did you say?" Amy asked.

"He said don't look in the eyes, Amy." Alex relayed. "Anywhere else, but not the eyes."

"No, about images, what did he say about images?"

"Whatever holds the image of an Angel, is an Angel." Alex told.

"Okay… Hold this." Alex leaned closer, wishing she could see what Amy was doing. "One, two, three, four…" Alex heard the door unlock and she quickly opened it. River, she, and the Doctor came in. The Doctor unplugged the screen.

"I froze it! There was a sort of blip on the tape and I froze it on the blip. It wasn't the image of an angel anymore. That was good, yeah? It was, wasn't it? That was pretty good." Amy said proud.

"That was amazing." River said.

"Brilliant." Alex added.

"Allie, hug Amy." The Doctor ordered.

"Why?" Alex asked.

"'Cause I'm busy." Alex laughed but hugged her friend.

"I'm fine." Amy said.

"You were brilliant." Alex said, and they broke the hug.

"Thanks. Yeah. I kind of creamed it, didn't I?" Amy was smug for a good reason.

"So it was here?" River questioned. "That was the Angel?"

"That was a projection of the Angel." The Doctor corrected. "It's reaching out, getting a good look at us. It's no longer dormant." Alex turned when she heard an explosion. That must have meant the soldiers found a way into the 'maze of the dead' then. The Doctor ran to the doors.

"Doctor! We're through!" Octavian announced.

The Time Lord looked back to the women. "Okay. Now it starts." He went outside. Alex walked after him.

-x-

The Doctor climbed down the ladder and joined Octavian at the bottom. Alex jumped down the last couple of steps. They turned on their flashlights and looked around. Amy and River joined them and the other soldiers. "Do we have a gravity globe?" The Doctor asked.

"Grav globe." Octavian requested. One of the soldiers took out a sphere from his pack and handed it to Octavian.

"Where are we?" Amy asked. "What is this?"

"It's an Aplan mortarium. Sometimes called a maze of the dead." River answered.

"Cheery." Alex muttered sarcastic.

"And what's that?" Amy continued.

"Well, if you happen to be a creature of living stone…" The Time Lord kicked the globe like a football and it rose into the air, stopped and then lit up the cave showing a large number of stone statues. "The perfect hiding place."

"Wow…" Alex muttered. The place was _huge_. There were just layers and layers of it.

"I guess this makes it a bit trickier." Octavian said. _Oh yeah, just a bit_. Alex thought.

"A bit yeah." The Doctor said, having the same thoughts as Alex.

"A stone angel on the loose amongst stone statues. A lot harder than I'd prayed for." Octavian said.

"Yeah, like a needle in a haystack." Alex said.

"A needle that looks like hay. A hay-like needle. Of death. A hay-alike needle of death in a haystack of, er, statues… No, yours was fine." Alex walked up next to the Time Lord, still looking around, entranced. The Doctor watched her; Amy saw that his eyes showed longing and pure adoration. He loved her. Amy knew this, simple as that.

"Right. Check every single statue in this chamber. You know what you're looking for. Complete visual inspection." Octavian ordered his men. "One question - how do we fight it?"

"We find it." The Doctor answered. "And hope." He went off and Amy and Alex followed him.

-x-

The Doctor shined his flashlight in every direction. Alex did the same. She made sure to get a good look at every statue before she moved on. Alex was looking at a statue next to Amy when River came up next to her. "You alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Amy answered.

"So, River," Alex started, conversationally. "What's a 'maze of the dead'?"

"Oh, it's not as bad as it sounds. It's just a labyrinth with dead people buried in the walls." Both Amy and Alex just stared at her for a moment. "Okay, that was fairly bad. Right, give me your arm." River showed a syringe. "This won't hurt a bit." She gave Amy a shot.

"Ow!"

"There, you see. I lied."

"Exactly my thoughts when you gave that to me." Alex mumbled. She hated needles.

"It's a viro-stabilizer. Stabilizes your metabolism against radiation, drive burn, anything. You're going to need it when we get up to that ship." River explained.

"So what's he like?" Amy suddenly asked. "In the future, I mean. 'Cause you know him in the future, don't you? You know both him and Lexi."

River seemed at a loss for words for a moment. She couldn't exactly say anything, especially when Alex was right there. She could see that although the brunette was pretending to look at the statue again, she was tense. "The Doctor? Well, the Doctor's the Doctor."

"Oh, well that's helpful." Amy said sarcastically. "Mind if I write that down?"

Alex turned her attention to the Time Lord and snickered. The women looked over. "Yes, we are." She said suddenly.

"Sorry, what?" The Doctor asked. He was taking readings with River's device.

"Talking about you." Alex answered, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

"I wasn't listening, I was busy." He answered. Alex laughed.

"Of course," She teased. "Oh, by the way, Doctor, just a little bit of advice… You know that computer might work a _whole _lot better if you had the other way up." She said sweetly. The Doctor stared at it for a moment, before he slowly turned the device right side up and looked over at Alex who just grinned at him. He looked away, but Alex saw his face and knew he was pouting. Alex chuckled.

"Yeah." Alex walked closer to him to tease him.

"I take it back." Amy said, watching them. "_She _is so his wife."

"Oh, Amy, Amy, Amy." River said. "This is the Doctor we're talking about. Do you really think it could be anything that simple?"

Amy turned and stared right in her eyes. "Yep."

"You're good." River looked away. "I'm not saying you're right… But you are very good."

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Amy, and River were examining more statues when they heard gunfire. They ran back to the main chamber. A young cleric had fired his weapon at one of the statues. The Doctor stopped to look at it. Octavian wasn't very happy about this situation. "Sorry, sorry, I thought… I thought it looked at me."

"We know what the Angel looks like." Octavian said sternly. "Is that the Angel?"

"No, sir."

"No, sir, it is not! According to the Doctor, we are facing an enemy of unknowable power and infinite evil. So it would be good, it would be very good, if we could all remain calm in the presence of decor." Alex didn't really agree. It was scary in here. He had every right to be even a little frightened, anyone who wasn't, Alex would be questioning right now.

"What's your name?" Alex asked kindly.

"Bob, ma'am." Alex smiled.

The Doctor and she shared a look. "Ah, that's a great name. I love Bob."

"Always need to have a Bob. Best name ever." Alex added.

"It's a Sacred Name. We all have Sacred Names; they're given to us in the service of the Church." Octavian explained.

The Doctor joined Bob and Octavian. "Sacred Bob. More like Scared Bob now, eh?"

Bob looked nervously at Octavian before answering. "Yes, sir."

"Ah, good. Scared keeps you fast. Anyone in this room who isn't scared is a moron. Carry on." The Doctor said.

Alex walked over to him, and whispered in his ear. "Moron is a bit harsh, don't'cha think?"

"Ah, Allie." He shook her shoulders gently. He couldn't resist himself and pressed his lips to her ear. He enjoyed the fact that she shuddered. So, she was affected by him. "You were always so sweet." Alex smiled and gently nudged him away from her.

"We'll be moving into the maze in two minutes." Octavian announced. He turned to Bob. "You stay with Christian and Angelo. Guard the approach."

-x-

"Isn't there a chance this lot's just gonna collapse? There's a whole ship up there." Amy pointed out.

"Incredible builders, the Aplans." River said.

"Had dinner with the chief architect once." The Doctor said. "Two heads are better than one."

"Do you mean you helped him or that he actually had two heads?" Alex asked. The Doctor tapped his nose at the latter. He was proud that with how long she's been travelling with him; her mind was open to anything.

"I mean he had two heads." The Doctor answered. "That book, the very end, what did it say?"

"Hang on." River got the book out.

"Read it to me." The Doctor ordered softly.

"'What if we had ideas that could think for themselves? What if one day our dreams no longer needed us? When these things occur and are held to be true, the time will be upon us. The time of Angels'." Alex shuddered.

"Spooky." She said.

-x-

"Are we there yet?" Amy complained. "It's a hell of a climb."

"The maze is on six levels representing the ascent of the soul. Only two levels to go." River answered.

"Lovely species, the Aplans." The Doctor commented.

"We should go see them then." Alex said. The Doctor nodded, liking the idea.

"I thought they were all dead." Amy said.

"So's Virginia Woolf. I'm on her bowling team. Very relaxed, sort of cheerful. That's having two heads. You're never short of a snog with an extra head." Alex paused a moment staring at a statue.

"Lexa are you getting it?"

Alex nodded. "Yeah, I'm getting a nasty feeling when I stare at these statues." Just something about them, set the hairs on her neck to stand.

"Doctor, there's something… I don't know what it is…" Alex said hesitantly.

"Yeah, something wrong. Don't know what it is yet either, working on it. Then they started having laws against self-marrying and what was that about? But that's the church for you. Erm, no offence, Bishop." He poked Octavian with his flashlight.

"Quite a lot taken," Octavian said. "If that's alright, Doctor." They walked on and came to a narrow passage lined with statues.

"Lowest point in the wreckage is only about 50 feet up from here. That way." Octavian said.

"Church had a point, if you think about it. The divorces must have been messy." Amy commented.

The Doctor stopped and looked closely at a statue. "Oh…" Everyone turned to him.

"What's wrong?" Amy asked. Alex walked over to him, and slowly the Doctor's words clicked in her head.

"_Had dinner with the chief architect once. Two heads are better than one_."

"_Do you mean you helped him or that he actually had two heads_?"

"_I mean he had two heads_."

"_That's having two heads. You're never short of a snog with an extra head_."

"Oh." Alex muttered, realizing it.

"Oh." River echoed, also in realization. She stared at the two time travelers.

"Exactly."

"How did we miss that?" When Alex thought about it, it was kind of glaringly obvious.

"Low level perception filter, or maybe we're thick." The Doctor replied.

"What's wrong, sir?" Octavian asked.

"Nobody move." River tried to move towards the Doctor and Alex. "Everyone stay exactly where they are." He pointed at River and she stopped. "Bishop, I am truly sorry. I've made a mistake and we are all in danger."

"What danger?" Octavian asked.

"The Aplans." River said as answer.

"The Aplans?" Octavian echoed confused.

"They've got two heads." River stated.

"Yes, I got that. So?"

"So…" Alex took a deep breath. "Why don't the statues?" There was a moment of tense silence as everyone looked at the statues in alarm.

"Everyone, over there. Just move, don't ask questions, don't speak." Everyone moved to a spot where there were no statues. "Okay, I want you all to switch off your torches."

"Sir?" Octavian asked. He didn't understand.

"Just do it." Slowly, each one of the flashlights was turned off, excluding the Doctor's. "Okay. I'm going to turn off this one too, just for a moment."

"Are you sure about this?" River asked, voicing Alex's thoughts.

"No." The Doctor answered. He switched off his flashlight for a split second when he turned it back on the statues in front of them were now facing them. Alex jumped. The Doctor ran ahead.

"Oh my God!" Amy said. "They've moved."

The others followed the Doctor as he looked at all the statues lining their way to the ship. "They're Angels. All of them!" The Doctor announced.

"But they can't be." Alex said. They didn't look anything like an Angel.

"Clerics, keep watching them." He backtracked and saw the Angels had moved forward. "Every statue in this maze, every single one, is a Weeping Angel. They're coming after us."

-x-

"There was only one Angel on the ship. Just the one, I swear." River said.

"Could they have already been here?" Amy asked. _They had to be_.

"The Aplans, how did they die out?" The Doctor suddenly asked.

"Nobody knows." River answered.

"We know." The Doctor said.

"But, Doctor, they don't _look _like Angels." Alex said.

"And they're not fast." Amy added. "You said they were fast. They should have had us by now."

"They're dying. Losing their forms." The Doctor said, as he examined one up close. "They must have been down here for centuries, starving."

"Losing their image."Amy said.

"And their image is their power. Power. Power!" The Doctor seemed to realize something.

"Doctor?" Amy questioned.

"What is it?" Alex asked.

"Don't you see? All that radiation spilling out, the drive burn. The crash wasn't an accident – it was a rescue mission, for the Angels. We're in the middle of an army and it's waking up." The Doctor explained.

"Gee, what a joyful thought that is." Alex muttered to herself.

"We need to get out of here fast." River said.

Octavian turned on his radio. "Bob, Angelo, Christian, come in, please. Any of you, come in!"

"_It's Bob, sir._" Alex was happy to know at least Bob was okay. "_Sorry, sir_."

"Bob, are Angelo and Christian with you? All the statues are active. I repeat, all the statues are active!" Octavian said.

"_I know, sir. Angelo and Christian are dead, sir. The statues killed them, sir_." Bob answered.

The Doctor took the radio from the Bishop. "Bob, Sacred Bob, it's me, the Doctor. Where are you now?"

"I'm talking to my…" The Doctor cut him off.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, shut up!"

"_I'm on my way up to you, sir; I'm homing on your signal_." Bob said.

"Well done, Bob. Scared keeps you fast, told you, didn't I? Your friends, Bob, what did the Angel do to them?"

"_Snapped their necks, sir_." Bob answered.

"That's odd. That's not how the Angels kill you, they displace you in time. Unless they needed the bodies for something." The Doctor pondered this.

While he did that, Octavian took back his radio. "Bob, did you check their data packs for vital signs? We may be able to initiate a rescue plan."

The Time Lord took back the radio. "Don't be an idiot! The Angels don't leave you alive!" Something had been bugging Alex since Bob had started talking. She walked over and snatched the radio from the Time Lord. He turned, a little peeved that people kept taking it from him, but he saw Alex's face and knew she had a reason.

"Bob, it's me, Alex, something's been bugging me… How did you escape the Angel?" The one that was on the ship was in good shape; it was probably as fast as an Angel should be.

"_I didn't escape, ma'am_." Bob replied. "_The Angel killed me, too_." They all looked at each other, wondering what Bob could have meant.

"Bob, what do you mean?" Alex felt her throat constrict. She was a little scared, to be honest.

"_Snapped my neck, ma'am. Wasn't as painless as I expected but it was pretty quick, so that was something._" The Doctor took the radio. He grabbed one of Alex's hands when he saw they were shaking.

"If you're dead, how can we be talking to you?" The Doctor questioned.

"_You're not talking to me, sir._" Bob explained. "_The Angel has no voice. It stripped my cerebral cortex from my body and re-animated a version of my consciousness to communicate with you. Sorry about the confusion_."

"So, when you say you're on your way up to us…" The Doctor trailed off.

Bob picked up for him. "_It's the Angel that's coming, sir, yes_."

"No way out." The Doctor muttered.

"Then we get out through the wreckage. Go!" Octavian ordered.

"Go, go, go." The Doctor agreed. "All of you run!"

"Doctor?" Alex asked, stalling.

"Yes, I'm coming, Allie." The Doctor pushed her a bit. "Just go, go, go!" They left with the clerics. However as Alex ran she realized Amy had stopped a ways back. Alex ran back to her.

"Amy?" Alex got to Amy. "What's wrong? We have to run."

"I can't." Amy said.

"What? Why not?" Alex asked. "If this is about the Doctor, he's gonna be fine."

"No. It's not about the Doctor. I can't, Lexi. I can't move."

The Doctor came running past them. "Don't wait for me, go, run."

"Doctor, she says she can't. She says she can't move." Alex said. The Doctor came back to help her.

"No, really I can't." Amy said.

"Why not?" The Doctor asked.

"Look at it. Look at my hand." Alex looked at it. "It's stone!" Alex blinked slowly. No, it wasn't. It was fine…

The Doctor examined Amy, flashing his flashlight in her eyes. "You looked into the eyes of an Angel, didn't you?" He accused.

"I couldn't stop myself. I tried." Amy defended.

"Listen. It's messing with your head." The Doctor said. "You hand is not made of stone."

"It is. Look at it!" Amy insisted.

"Amy, listen to us. It's _not _stone." Alex could see her hand, and saw that it was fine.

"It's in your mind." The Doctor insisted. "I promise you. You can move your hand. You can let it go."

"I can't, okay?" Amy said. "I've tried and I can't. It's stone." The Doctor's and Alex's flashlights became to flicker.

"The Angel is gonna come and it's gonna turn these lights off," The Doctor explained. "And then there's nothing I can do to stop it. So do it, concentrate, move your hand!"

"I can't." Amy said.

"Then we're all going to die." Alex said.

"You're not going to die." Amy said.

"They'll kill the lights." The lights flicked off for a moment and the Angels moved closer.

"You've got to go, you know you have. You've got all that stuff with River and that's all got to happen. You know you can't die here!" Amy couldn't let them die for her.

"Time can be re-written, it doesn't work like that." The Doctor said. The lights flicked again and Amy turned to the Angels.

"Keep your eyes on it. Don't blink." The Doctor ordered.

"I don't need you to die for me, Doctor, Lexi, do I look that clingy?"

"You can move your hand." Alex said.

"It's stone." Amy insisted. How many times did she have to say that?

"It's not stone." The Doctor contradicted.

"Those people up there will die without you. If you stay here with me, you'll have as good as killed them." Amy said.

"Amy Pond you are magnificent." The Doctor kissed her head. "And I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Amy said, thinking she understood. "I understand. You two have to leave me."

"Oh, no, we're not leaving you, never. I'm sorry about this." He bit her hand and she screamed. "See, not stone. Now run!"

"You bit me!" Amy held her wounded hand.

"Yep and you're alive." The Doctor answered.

"I've got a mark! Look at my hand!" Amy cried.

The Doctor pulled her behind him. "Yeah, and you're alive, did I mention?"

"Blimey, your teeth!" Amy muttered. "Have you got space teeth?"

"Alive. All I'm saying."

"Never thought you'd be a biter, Doctor." Alex smirked. "Didn't know you'd like to bit." She closed her mouth, making her teeth clicked together to tease him.

"Ooh," The Doctor shook a bit. He loved it when she flirted with him. "Now is not the time to be a bad girl, Allie."

"You love it." Alex said.

"Never would deny that." The Doctor grinned at her. They ran.

-x-

"Clerics, we're down to four men. Expect incoming." Alex heard Octavian ordered as they reached the clerics.

"Yeah, it's the Angels. They're coming. And they're draining the power for themselves." The Doctor explained.

"This means, in a couple of moments, we won't be able to see them." And that's what they needed in move.

"Which means we can't stay here." The Doctor said.

"Any suggestions?" River asked.

"The statues are advancing on all sides and we don't have the climbing equipment to reach the _Byzantium_." Octavian said.

"There's no way up, no way back, no way out." River said.

"No pressure, or anything, but this is usually the time where you have one of those crazy, stupid, _brilliant _ideas." Alex pointed out.

The Doctor opened his eyes. "There's always a way out." His voice echoed. The lights flicked off again and when they came back on, the Angels were closer, basically blocking all passages. "There's always a way out."

"_Doctor_?" Bob came back on the radio. "_Can I speak to the Doctor, please_?"

"Hello, Angels." The Doctor greeted. "What's your problem?"

"_Your power will not last much longer, and the Angels will be with you shortly. Sorry, sir_."

"Why are you telling me this?" The Doctor asked.

"_There's something the Angels are very keen you should know before the end_."

"Which is?"

"_I died in fear_."

"I'm sorry?" The Doctor didn't understand.

"_You told me my fear would keep me alive but I died afraid, in pain and alone. You made me trust you, and when it mattered, you let me down_."

"What are they doing?" Amy whispered to River.

"They're trying to make him angry." River answered, quietly.

"_I'm sorry, sir. The Angels were very keen for you to know that_." Bob said.

"Well then, the Angels have made their second mistake because I'm not going to let that pass. I'm sorry you're dead, Bob, but I swear to whatever is left of you, they will be sorrier." The Doctor said, and Alex could hear his anger. Alex shuddered. If there was one thing anyone would regret, it'd be getting a Time Lord angry.

"_But you're trapped, sir, and about to die_." Bob said.

"Yeah, I'm trapped. Speaking of traps, this trap has got a great big mistake in it. A great big, whopping mistake!" The Doctor answered.

"_What mistake, sir_?" Bob asked.

The Doctor ignored him and turned to Amy. "Trust me?"

"Yeah."

He turned to River. "Trust me?"

"Always." She answered.

He turned to Octavian. "You lot – trust me?"

"Sir, two more incoming!" A cleric announced.

"We have faith, sir." Octavian answered.

The Time Lord finally turned to his brunette girl. She looked back at him; he could see the trust in her eyes. "Trust me?" He asked, anyways.

Alex smiled. "I never stopped." He smiled back.

"Then give me your gun." Octavian gave him his gun. "I'm about to do something incredibly stupid and dangerous…" _That's nothing new_. Alex thought. "When I do…" He jumped in place. "Jump."

"Jump where?" Octavian asked.

"Just jump, as high as you can." The Doctor answered. "Come on, leap of faith, Bishop. On my signal."

"What signal, Doctor?" Alex asked.

"You won't miss it." The Doctor raised the gun to the ceiling.

"_Sorry, can I ask again_?" Bob spoke. "_You mentioned a mistake_?"

"Oh, big mistake. Huge. There's one thing you never put in a trap, if you're smart, if you value your continued existence, if you have any plans about seeing tomorrow, there is one thing you never, ever put in a trap."

"_And what would that be, sir_?" Bob asked.

"Me."

The Doctor fired at the gravity globe. It shattered and the liquid in it exploded.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

**Hi everyone. This is your lovely author speaking. Now, I have an announcement to make. I will not be at my computer from 7/14 - 7/21. Here is the reason: I will be going on a mission's trip with my Youth Group to Alabama! :) Yay! So, thank you all for sticking with me and sticking with this story, and also for writing such wonderful reviews :) It's really wonderful to know that my story is liked by so many people. **

**So, here is the story you have been wating for, please enjoy...**

Everyone recovered from the jump. Alex sat on the ground for a moment. She hadn't been entirely sure what happened. The Doctor stood up. "Up! Look up!" The Doctor said. He put his hands under Alex's shoulders and helped her stand.

Alex did exactly that and gasped. "Whoa…" She muttered.

"You okay?" River asked Amy. The Doctor leaned down into Alex's ear.

"Are you alright?" She blinked slowly, and turned a bit to face the Time Lord.

"Yeah, a bit confused, but I'm good." The Doctor nodded.

"What happened?" Amy asked.

"We jumped." River answered.

"Jumped where?" She asked.

"Up, up look up!" The Doctor insisted.

"Where are we?" Alex asked breathless.

"Exactly where we were." The Time Lord answered.

"No we're not." Amy said.

"Move your feet." Amy looked down and moved out of his way. The Doctor soniced an indentation on the floor.

Amy continued to look around. "Doctor, what am I looking at? Explain." She demanded.

"Oh, come on, Amy, think!" He stood next to her. "The ships crashed with the power still on, yeah? So what else is still on?" Alex realized what was 'up'. It was the spot they had jumped from in the maze of the dead. They were now on the bottom of the _Byzantium_. "The artificial gravity. One good jump," He jumped. "And up we fell. Shot out the grav-globe to give us an updraft, and here we are." He returned to sonic the indentation.

"Doctor," Alex swallowed, seeing the Angels stretching up at them. "There's starting to look like Angels now…"

"They're feeding on the radiation from the wreckage, draining all the power from the ship, resorting themselves." The Doctor explained. "Within an hour, they'll be an army!" The indentation opened up into the ship just as the lights started to go out. Alex flinched when it sparked loudly.

"They're taking out the lights. Look at them, look at the Angels." The Doctor ordered. "Into the ship, now, quickly all of you!" He slipped into the hole.

"But how? Doctor!" Amy cried. Alex peered into the hole with Amy next to her to see the Doctor standing upright.

"It's just a corridor." The Doctor said. "The gravity orientates to the floor." He used his sonic as an example, he dropped it and it fell down, towards the floor. The Doctor bent down and caught it before it hit the floor. "Now, in here, all of you don't take your eyes off the Angels. Move, move, move!" He used the screwdriver on the keypad.

"Okay, men, go, go, go!" Octavian spoke. They joined the Doctor. "The Angels, presumably they can jump too?" The doors closed once everyone was inside.

"They're here." The Doctor answered. "Now. In the dark, we're finished. Run!" A large door behind them closed, blocking their only escape.

"This whole place is a death trap." Octavian said.

"No, it's a time bomb." The Doctor corrected. "Well, it's a death trap and a time bomb. And now it's a dead end. Nobody panic." The Angels tried to come through the exterior door. "Oh, just me then. What's through there?" The Doctor pointed to the door behind them.

"Secondary flight deck." River answered.

"Okay. So, we've basically run up the chimney, yeah?" Amy asked.

"Doctor, what exactly happens if the gravity fails?" Alex asked. River began to work on bypassing the power.

"I've thought about that." The Doctor said.

"Yeah, and?" Alex asked.

"And we'll all plunge to our deaths. See. I've thought about it." Alex shot him a look. "The security protocols are still live. There's no way to override them, it's impossible."

"How impossible?" River asked.

"Two minutes." The Doctor answered. The hum of the engines powered down and their way in had been reopened and they could see the cavern outside. Alex pressed herself to the door, next to the Doctor, but kept her eyes on the outside.

"The hull is breached and the power's failing." Octavian announced. The lights went out. The arm of an Angel could be seen through the opening.

"Sir! Incoming!" A cleric yelled.

"Doctor! Lights." Amy ordered. The Doctor used his sonic to help River. The lights came back briefly and they saw an Angel making its way inside. The lights went out again and came on brighter to show four Angels inside the corridor with them.

"Clerics, keep watching them." Octavian ordered.

"And don't look at their eyes. Anywhere else. Not the eyes. I've isolated the lighting grid. They can't drain the power now."

"Good work, Doctor." Alex complimented.

"Yes. Good. Good in many ways, good you like it so far..."

"So far?" Amy asked and Alex had a bad feeling about where this was going to go.

"Well, there's only one way to open this door. I guess I'll need to route all the power in this section through the door control." The Doctor explained.

"Good, fine, do it."

"Doctor, when you say _all _the power, you don't mean…?"

"Including the lights." The Doctor said, answering Alex's question. "All of them. I'll need to turn out the lights."

"How long for?" Octavian asked.

"Fraction of a second, maybe longer. Maybe quite a bit longer." The Doctor wasn't helping Alex's state of mind.

"Maybe, Doctor?" Alex asked.

"No other way. Bishop?" The Doctor turned to the man.

"Dr. Song, I've lost good Clerics today. You trust this man?" River turned to face Octavian.

"I absolutely trust him." She said.

"He's not some kind of madman, then?"

Like River could actually answer that question. "I absolutely trust him." River repeated.

"Excuse me." The Doctor went back to work on the door.

"I'm taking your word, because you're the only one who can manage this guy. But that only works so long as he doesn't know who you are. You cost me any more men, and I might just tell him. Understood?" Alex peeked over at them. She remembered who and what River Song was. It wasn't something that was easy to forget, even for her.

"Understood." River turned back to her work.

"Okay. Doctor, we've got your back." Octavian said.

"Bless you, Bishop." The Doctor answered.

Octavian spoke to his men. "Combat distance, ten feet. As soon as the lights go down, continuous fire. Full spread over the hostiles. Do not stop firing while the lights are out. Shot gun protocol, we don't have bullets to waste."

"Amy, Allie, when the lights go down, the wheel should release." He herded them over to it. "Spin it clockwise, four turns."

"Ten."

"No, Amy, he said four." Alex corrected.

"Yeah, four, I heard you." The companions took their positions at the door.

"Ready." The Doctor placed the sonic into the circuit.

"On my count then," Octavian and his men got ready. Alex's heart was speeding in her chest, about ready to burst. She forced her hands to still. "God be with us all. Three… Two… One…" The lights went out. "Fire!" The clerics opened fire on the Angels. The Doctor, Alex, Amy and River tried to get the door open.

"Turn!" The Time Lord ordered.

"Doctor, quickly!"

"Ugh!" Alex grunted as she turned it. "Come on! Hurry up!"

"It's opening, it's working." Amy announced. Amy, Alex and River slipped through the opening.

"Fall back!" Octavian ordered. The clerics moved through the doorway followed by Octavian and the Doctor. They moved down a similar corridor to another door. The Doctor held the door open with the sonic as the others went through.

"Doctor, come on." Alex called.

"Doctor, quickly!" River agreed.

"Doctor!" Amy yelled. The Doctor ran to join them as the door closed quickly behind him. The flight deck was in major disrepair with exposed wires all over the console. The Doctor immediately went to one of the controls. "Doctor!" The hatch lock spun and Octavian placed a device on the door, above the hatch. "What are you doing?"

"Magnetized the door. Nothing could turn that wheel now." The Bishop explained.

"Yeah?" The Doctor contradicted as the wheel began to turn one click at a time.

"Wanna bet?" Alex added.

"Dear God." Octavian muttered. That should be impossible.

"Ah, now you're getting it." The Doctor said. "You've bought us time, though, that's good. I am good with time."

"Um… Doctor…" Alex watched as door wheel started spinning.

"Seal that door." Octavian commanded. "Seal it now!" A cleric placed a magnetic lock above the wheel. Again, the wheel slowly clicked.

"We're surrounded!" River said as a third door began to spin open.

"Seal it, seal that door."

A second cleric placed the lock above the wheel. "Doctor, how long have we got?"

"Five minutes, max." The Doctor answered.

"Nine." Amy said.

Alex looked at her weirdly. "Five."

"Five, right, yeah." Amy nodded.

"Why d'you say nine?" The Doctor asked.

"I didn't." It was Amy's turned to give the Doctor a weird look.

"We need another way out of here." River changed the subjected.

"There isn't one." Octavian contradicted.

"Yeah, there is, course there is." The Doctor thought about it quickly. "This is a galaxy class ship, goes for years between planet-falls. So," He snapped his fingers. "What do they need?"

"Of course." River realized what the answer was. The Doctor snapped his fingers again.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, for the rest of us people, who are not as smart as certain doctors, what would they need?"

"Can we get in there?" It seemed Octavian knew what it was as well. Alex tapped her foot, a little annoyed she was out of the loop.

"Well, it's a sealed unit, but they must have installed it somehow. This whole wall should slide up." He pressed against the rear wall. "There's clamps. Release the clamps!" He moved some things out of the way and used the screwdriver on the clamps.

"What's through there?" Amy asked. "What do they need?"

"They need to breathe." River finally answered. The door slowly rose. The Doctor smiled, Amy was awestruck, and Alex was entranced again.

"But that's… That's a…" Amy couldn't speak. The doors had revealed a whole room of lush vegetation and trees.

"It's an oxygen factory." River said.

"It's a forest." Alex muttered.

"Yeah, it's a forest, it's an oxygen factory." Alex gave her a look.

"It's a forest. Forest is something where there are trees, are there trees? Yes. It's a forest. Not an _oxygen factory_." Alex made a face. "Seriously, what has the human race come to…?" She muttered to herself. "Calling a _forest _an oxygen factory." River smiled.

"And, if we're lucky, it's an escape route." The Doctor said.

"Eight." Alex looked over at Amy. She had said that out of nowhere.

"What did you say?" River must have heard it too.

"Nothing." Amy answered. Alex slowly looked back at the forest, but looked at Amy out of the corner of her eye.

"Is there another exit?" The Doctor wondered. "Scan the architecture; we don't have time to get lost in there."

"On it." Octavian stepped into the forest. "Stay where you are until I've checked the rad levels."

"But trees, on a spaceship?" Amy wondered.

"It's a forest, how can you have a forest on a spaceship?" Alex mumbled. "I mean, don't trees need sunlight, natural sunlight in order to live?"

"Oh, more than trees," The Doctor said. "Way better than trees. You're gonna love this." He stepped into the forest. "Treeborgs…" He opened a section of peat moss to reveal circuitry. "Trees plus technology. Branches become cables, become sensors on the hull. A forest sucking in starlight, breathing out air. It even rains. There's a whole mini-climate. This vault is an eco-pod running right through the heart of the ship. A forest in a bottle, on a space ship, in a maze. Have I impressed you yet, Amy Pond, Allie Harper?"

Alex laughed. "You always impress me, Doctor." The Doctor looked at her for a moment, seeing the light shine on her face. The Doctor smiled to himself.

Amy chuckled. He turned back to her. "Seven." His smile fell and he turned serious.

"Seven?" He joined her back on the flight deck. Alex looked at Amy.

"Sorry, what?" She asked.

"You said seven." Alex said as the Doctor studied her face.

"No. I didn't." She said.

"Yes, you did." River contradicted.

"Doctor!" Octavian brought their attention to him for a moment. "There's an exit, far end of the ship, into the Primary Flight Deck."

"Good, that's where we need to go." The Doctor said.

"Plotting a safe path now." Octavian said.

The Doctor was still studying Amy. "Quick as you like!" He responded.

"_Doctor? Excuse me. Hello Doctor? Angel Bob here, sir_." The Doctor pulled out the radio.

The Doctor sat down in the command chair. Alex walked over to the Doctor and sat on one of the arms. "Ah. There you are, Angel Bob. How's life?" Alex whacked his arm and he remembered what happened. "Sorry, bad subject."

"_The Angels are wondering what you hope to achieve_."

"Achieve? We're not achieving anything. We're just hanging. It's nice in here, consoles, comfy chairs, a forest. How's things with you?"

"_The Angels are feasting, sir_." Bob answered. "_Soon we will be able to absorb enough power to consume this vessel, this world, and all the stars and worlds beyond._"

"Well, we've got comfy chairs, did I mention?" The Doctor asked.

"_We have no need of comfy chairs_."

"I made him say comfy chairs." Alex giggled.

Amy laughed. "… Six."

The Doctor stood quickly. "Okay, well, enough chat. Here's what I want to know: what have you done to Amy?"

"_There is something in her eye_."

"What's in her eye?"

"_We are_."

"What's he talking about?" Amy asked, oblivious. "Doctor, I'm five." Everyone started at her. "I mean five. Fine! I'm fine."

"You're counting." River stated.

"Counting?"

"You're counting down. From ten. You have been for a couple of minutes." The Doctor examined her again.

"Why?" Amy asked.

"I don't know."

"Well, counting down to what?" Amy asked.

"I don't know."

Bob came back over the radio. "_We shall take her. We shall take all of you. We shall have dominion over all time and space_."

The Doctor sat back down. "Get a life, Bob." Alex rolled her eyes and slapped his arm again. "Oops, sorry again. There's power on this ship, but nowhere near that much."

"_With respect, sir, there is more power on this ship than you yet understand_." There was a loud, horrible screeching.

"Ah!" Alex covered her ears and curled her shoulders, trying to block the painful sound.

"Dear God, what is that?" River muttered.

"_It's hard to put in your terms, Dr. Song, but as best I understand it, the Angels are laughing_."

"You call that laughing?" Alex rubbed her ears. "That's more like screeching."

"Laughing?" The Doctor asked.

"_Because you haven't noticed yet. The Doctor in the TARDIS hasn't noticed_."

The Doctor stood up. "No, wait, there's something… I've…" He slowly turned to see the glowing crack high in the wall. "Missed." Alex turned as well and her heart stopped when she saw the crack.

The Doctor ran back to the wall. "That's… That's like the crack from my bedroom wall from when I was a little girl." Amy said.

"Yes."

Alex flashed back to what the Doctor had said in Eleventh Hour: "_Two parts of space and time that should never have touched._"

"Okay, enough, we're moving out!" Octavian said.

"Agreed." River answered. "Doctor?"

"Yeah. Fine!" He used the sonic on the crack.

"What are you doing?" Alex asked.

"Right with you." He answered.

"We're not leaving without you!" River said.

"Oh, yes you are. Bishop?"

"Miss Pond, Miss Harper, Dr. Song, now!" Octavian ordered. River grabbed both Amy and Alex and pulled them into the forest.

"Doctor, come on!" Amy yelled.

Octavian and the clerics were slowly walking through the forest, keeping River, Alex, and Amy safely in the center. Amy began to walk slower, and had a strange, almost sickly look on her face. Alex looked over, noticing something was wrong. "Amy?" She asked.

River walked over and gripped Amy's arms. "Amy, what's wrong?" The blonde asked.

"Amy, what's wrong?" Alex gently shook Amy's shoulder.

"… Four." Amy slowly bent down and curled up on a moss-covered rock.

"Med-scanner, now!" One of the clerics gave it to River.

"Dr. Song, we can't stay here, we've got to keep moving."

"We wait for the Doctor." River used the scanner on Amy.

"Our mission is to make this wreckage safe and neutralize the Angels." Octavian objected. "Until that is achieved…"

"Father Octavian," She turned to speak to him. "When the Doctor is in the room, your one and only mission is to keep him alive long enough to get everyone else home. And trust me. It's not easy. Now, if he's dead back there, I'll never forgive myself, and if he's alive, I'll never forgive him. And, Doctor, you're standing right behind me, aren't you?"

"Oh yeah." The Doctor grinned. Alex noticed he had lost his jacket. She shook her head when it now showed his choice in suspenders. _God, why does he wear those things_? Alex asked.

River turned to face the Doctor. "I hate you."

"You don't." The Doctor contradicted. "Bishop, the Angels are in the forest." He went over to Amy.

"We need visual contact on every line of approach." Octavian ordered.

"How did you get past the Angels?" Alex asked.

"Found a crack in the wall and told them it was the end of the universe." The Doctor answered.

"What was it?" Amy asked.

"The end of the universe." He said. "Let's have a look then." He took the med-scanner. Alex looked over his shoulder.

"So. What's wrong with me?"

"Nothing, you're fine." River soothed.

"Everything, you're dying." The Doctor said, ruining it.

"Doctor." River hissed.

"Yes, you're right, if we lie to her, she'll get all better! Right. Amy! Amy. What's the matter with Amelia? Something's in her eye. What does that mean? Doesn't mean anything."

"Doctor…" Amy said.

"Busy."

"Scared."

"Course you're scared, you're dying, shut up!" Alex threw him a look and smacked his arm. He looked over and she gave him a stern look. "Oh, sorry." Alex nodded and turned back around and rubbed Amy's arm.

"Okay, let him think." River said.

The Doctor stood up. "What happened? She stared at the Angel; she looked into its eyes of an angel for too long…"

"Sir!" A cleric said suddenly. "Angel! Incoming!"

"And here." Another cleric said.

"Keep visual contact," Octavian said. "Do not let it move!"

The Doctor paced and slapped the side of his head. "Come on; come on, wakey, wakey! She watched an Angel climb out of the screen. She stared at the Angel and… and…"

"Whatever takes the image of an Angel becomes an Angel." Alex said.

"A living mental image in a living human mind. We stare at them to stop them getting closer, we don't even blink and that's exactly what they want, 'cause as long as our eyes are open, they can climb inside. There's an Angel in her mind." The Doctor slapped his hand over his mouth. Alex bent over to look into Amy's eyes, and gasped. She could see the Angel, right there, in her eye. _Oh wow, that is _creepy… Alex thought.

"Three." Amy's voice came out thick. "Doctor, its coming. I can feel it. I'm going to die!"

"Please just shut up," The Doctor ordered. "I'm thinking." Alex threw him another look. "Now counting, what's that about?" The Doctor turned the radio on. "Bob, why are they making her count?"

"_To make her afraid, sir_."

"Okay, but why? What for?"

"_For fun, sir_." The Doctor growled in frustration and threw away the radio. One of the clerics watched the Doctor and turned back to look at the Angel when he heard a branch crack.

"Doctor, what's happened to me? Explain." Amy demanded.

"Inside your head, in the vision centers of your brain, there's an Angel." He sat by Amy. "It's like there's a screen, a virtual screen inside your mind, and the Angel is climbing out of it, and it's coming to shut you off."

"Then what do I do?" Amy asked.

The Doctor stood up again. "If it was a real screen, what would we do, we'd pull the plug, we'd kill the power. But we can't just knock her out, the Angel would take over!"

"Then what? Quickly!" River said. She didn't have long.

"How would you starve your lungs?" The Doctor asked.

"You'd stop breathing." Alex answered.

"… Amy, close your eyes!" The Doctor ordered suddenly.

"No, no, I don't want to." Amy protested.

"Good, because that's not you, that's the Angel inside you, it's afraid! Do it! Close your eyes!" Amy hesitated and looked at the Doctor, but she obeyed when the Doctor nodded his head, his hand on her head. The scanner beeped and the readings returned to green.

"She's normalizing." River sighed. "You did it. You did it."

"Sir? Two more incoming." A cleric said.

"Three more over here." Another cleric added.

River put away her scanner. "Still weak, dangerous to move her."

Amy sat up. "So, can I open my eyes now?"

The Doctor bent down in front of Amy. "Amy, listen to me. If you open your eyes now for more than a second, you will die. The Angel is still inside you. We haven't stopped it, we've just sort of...paused it. You've used up your countdown. You cannot open your eyes."

"Doctor, we're too exposed here. We have to move on." Octavian said.

The Doctor straightened. "We're exposed everywhere, and Amy can't move, and anyways, that's not the plan."

"There's a plan?" River asked. She sat down next to Amy, comforting her.

"I don't know yet, I haven't finished talking. Right! Father, you and your Clerics, you're gonna stay here, look after Amy. If anything happens to her, I'll hold every single one of you personally responsible, twice. River, you, Allie and me, we're going to find the Primary Flight Deck which is…" He licked his finger and held it up to test the air. "A quarter mile straight ahead and from there we're gonna stabilize the wreckage, stop the Angels, and cure Amy."

"How?" Alex asked.

"I'll do a thing." The Doctor answered vaguely. Alex figured he didn't know yet.

"What thing?" River asked.

"I don't know, it's a thing in progress. Respect the thing." Alex laughed. "Moving out!"

"Doctor, I'm coming with you. My Clerics can look after Miss Pond. These are my best men; they'd lay down their lives in her protection." Octavian assured.

"I don't need you." The Doctor said.

"I don't care." Octavian replied. "Where Dr. Song goes, I go." River and Alex came over to them.

"What?" The Doctor looked at River and then back at Octavian.

"Are you two engaged or something?" Alex asked.

"Yes, in a manner of speaking." Octavian turned to his clerics. "Marco," _Polo_, Alex said mentally. "You're in charge 'till I get back." He started off with River.

"Sir!" Marco – _Polo _– said.

"Doctor…Please, can't I come with you?" Amy asked.

"You'd slow us down, Miss Pond." Alex threw Octavian a look.

"I don't want to sound selfish, but you'd really speed me up." The Doctor sat down next to Amy.

"You'll be safer here." The Doctor explained. "We can't protect you on the move. We'll be back for you as soon as we can. We promise." Alex sat down next to Amy.

"You always say that." Amy sighed.

"We always come back." Alex replied. They might be late, but they do come back. The Doctor stood up and gestured Alex to do the same.

"Good luck everyone. Behave. Do not let that girl open her eyes. And keep watching the forest. Stop those Angels advancing. Amy, later!" He tapped her on the head. "River, going to need your computer!" The Doctor called, running off. Alex jogged off after him.

-x-

Octavian was leading River, the Doctor, and Alex through the forest. There was a beeping and the Doctor checked the device. "What is that?" Alex asked.

"Readings from a crack in a wall." The Doctor answered vaguely.

"How can a crack in a wall be the end of the universe?" Alex's mind slowly supplied her with the information. She shook it for a moment. It was starting to scare her, slowly, but surely her memory was starting to come back. _It shouldn't though_. Alex had a horrible memory, anyways; it felt like _years _since she had actually watched any episode.

"Here's what I think." The Doctor's voice brought her out of her thoughts. "One day there'll be a very big bang, so big every moment in history – past and future – will crack."

"Is that possible?" River questioned. "How?"

"How can you be 'engaged in a manner of speaking'?" Alex threw back. River stopped and looked at the two time travelers as they stared back at her. River saw what she always saw, an uncanny resemblance between the two.

"Well… Sucker for a man in uniform." She smiled. However, Octavian heard this and he walked over, the smile was whipped off River's face.

"Dr. Song is in my personal custody. I released her from the Stormcage Containment Facility four days ago and I am legally responsible for her until she has accomplished her mission and earned her pardon. Just so we understand each other." Octavian explained. He started to walk off again.

"You were in Stormcage?" The Doctor's device beeped, saving her from answering.

Alex looked over the Doctor's shoulder. "What? What is it?"

"The date!" The Doctor said, smiling. "The date of the explosion where the crack begins."

"And for those of us who can't read the base code of the universe?" River asked.

Alex watched as the symbols became numbers on the screen. The date appeared on the bottom as 26/06/2010. "… Amy's time." The Doctor said.

-x-

They finally got to the other side. The Doctor took readings from the handheld as Octavian tried to find a way in. River stood guard, her gun out and ready. "It doesn't open it from here, but it's the Primary Flight Deck. This has got to be service hatch or something."

"Hurry up and open it." River ordered.

"We're running out of time." Alex muttered, at any moment the Angels could swoop in.

"What?" The Doctor turned to Alex. She looked back at him. "What did you say? We're running out of time, is that what you said?"

"Yeah…" Alex looked at him, confused. "I meant…"

He cut her off. "I know what you meant. Hush! But what if it could?"

"What if what could?" River asked.

"Doctor?" Alex knew he was figuring something out.

"Time. What if time could run out?" The Doctor wondered aloud.

"Got it." Octavian suddenly announced.

The Doctor ignored him. "Cracks in time, time running out... No, couldn't be. How is a duck pond a duck pond if there aren't any ducks? And she didn't recognize the Daleks! Okay, time can shift. Time can change. Time can be rewritten. Ah! Oh!"

"Dr. Song, get through, now." Octavian ordered when he got it open. He helped River go through the hatch. "Miss Harper, you next." Alex waved him off; she wasn't moving until the Doctor did. Octavian seemed to know what she was thinking. "Doctor? Doctor!"

The Doctor held his finger up to the air and made a circle going clockwise. He then did the same going counterclockwise. "Time can be unwritten." The Doctor muttered. He turned to Alex and grabbed her shoulders. "It's been happening and I haven't even noticed!"

"Doctor, we have to go." Alex said softly.

"The CyberKing! A giant Cybermen walks over all of Victorian London and no one remembers." The Doctor walked off a bit, still in thought. Alex followed him.

"We have to move it!" Octavian said. "The Angels could be here any second." He put a hand on the Doctor's shoulder.

The Time Lord shrugged it off. "Never mind the Angels. There's worse than Angels!"

"What's worse than Angels right now, Doctor?" Alex asked. The lights went out for a moment. Alex heard stone moving and both time travelers turned to see an Angel had Octavian's neck in its clutches.

"I beg to differ, sir." Octavian said.

The Doctor got out his screwdriver and pointed it at the Angel. "Let him go."

"Well, it can't let me go, sir, not while you're looking at it." Octavian said.

"Yeah, and the moment we look away, it will kill you." Alex contradicted.

"It'll kill me anyways." Octavian replied. "There's no way out of this. You have to leave me!"

"Can't you wiggle out?" The Doctor asked. Alex knew he didn't want to leave Octavian.

"No. It's too tight." Octavian answered. "There's nothing you can do." The Doctor tried his screwdriver again. "Sir, Ma'am, there's nothing you can do."

"You're dead if we leave you." Alex whispered.

"Yes, yes, I'm dead." Octavian said. "And before you go…"

"We're not going!" The Doctor cut him off.

"Listen to me. It's important." When he knew they weren't going to interrupt him, he continued. "You can't trust her."

"Trust who?" The Doctor asked.

"River Song." He answered. "You think you know her, but you don't. You don't understand who or what she is."

"Then tell us." The Doctor replied.

"I've told you more than I should. Now, please, you have to go. It's your duty to your friends." Octavian said.

"Just tell us why she was in Stormcage." Alex said.

"She killed a man, a good man, a hero to many." Alex's heart squeezed.

"Who?" The Doctor asked.

"You don't want to know, sir. You really don't." Octavian wouldn't tell them.

"Who did she kill, Bishop?" Alex asked sternly.

"Ma'am, the Angels are coming. You have to leave me." Octavian ordered.

"You'll die." The Doctor whispered.

"I will die in the knowledge that my courage did not desert me at the end. For that, I thank God and bless the path that takes you to safety." Alex felt tears come to her eyes. They slowly fell and made a path down her cheeks.

The Doctor and she shared a look. "We wish we'd known you better."

"I think, sir, you both know me at my best." Octavian said.

"Ready?" Alex's voice cracked with tears.

He closed his eyes. "Content."The Doctor and Alex ran to the hatch and closed it behind them. Just as they did that, Alex heard the movement of stone, and knew… It was done.

"There's a teleport! If I can get it to work, we can beam the others here. Where's Octavian?"

"Octavian's dead," River looked over shocked. "So is that teleport. You're wasting your time. I'm going to need your communicator." He took the communicator. He walked back over to Alex and wrapped his free arm around her shoulders. She pressed her face to his shoulder, and cried silently.

"_Hello? Hello!_" Amy's voice came over the comm.

"Is that you?" The Doctor asked.

"_Doctor_?"

"Where are you?" The Doctor questioned. "Are the clerics with you?"

"_They've gone. There was a light and they walked into the light. Doctor, they didn't even remember each other._" Amy replied.

"No. They wouldn't." Alex pushed away, slightly. The Doctor watched her as she whipped her tear stained face.

"What's the light, Doctor?" Her voice was a bit hoarse.

"Time running out." He replied. He talked into the radio again. "Amy. I'm sorry. I should never have left you there."

"_Well, what do I do now_?" Amy asked.

"You come to us. Primary Flight Deck at the other end of the forest."

"_I can't see! I can't open my eyes._"

The Doctor pointed his screwdriver at the comm. "Turn on the spot." He said suddenly.

"_Sorry. What_?"

"Just do it." The Doctor ordered. "Turn on the spot. When the communicator sounds like my screwdriver, you're facing the right way. Follow the sound." Alex listened as the communicator finally sounded like his screwdriver. "You have to start moving now. There's time energy spilling out of that crack and you have to stay ahead of it."

"_But the Angels, they're everywhere_." Alex swallowed and looked at the Doctor.

She knew that this was hard for him. "I'm sorry, I really am, but the Angels can only kill you."

"_What does the Time Energy do_?" Amy asked. Alex really hoped she was moving right now.

"Just keep moving." Alex knew by the Doctor's face, he didn't want to tell her, which meant… Whatever the Time Energy could do, it was bad.

"_Tell me_!"

"It will erase every moment of your existence. You will never have lived at all." The Doctor said, frustrated. "Now, keep your eyes shut and keep moving!"

"It's never going to work." River said.

"What else do you have in mind, River?" Alex snapped at her. The blonde looked at the brunette shocked. Alex growled to herself and turned back around. River could see Alex's back was as tense as a wire. There was a loud whooshing and clanging that brought Alex out of her thoughts.

"What's that?"

"The Angels running from the fire. They came here to feed on the time energy. Now it's going to feed on them." The Doctor turned on the radio again. "Amy, listen to me. I'm sending a bit of software to your communicator. It's a proximity detector. It'll beep if there's something in your way. You just maneuver 'till the beeping stops. Because, Amy, this is important. The forest is full of Angels." The Doctor stopped for a moment. Alex took his hand, to comfort him. The Doctor opened his eyes and looked right at Alex when he spoke. "You're going to have to walk like you can see."

"_Well, what do you mean_?"

"Look, just keep moving."

River decided to speak up again. "That time energy, what's it going to do?"

"Er, keep eating." The Doctor responded.

"What are we going to do to stop it?" Alex asked quietly.

"Feed it." The Doctor answered.

"What are we going to feed it?" Alex questioned.

"A big complicated space-time event should shut it up for a while."

"Like what, for instance?"

"Like me, for instance!" The Doctor yelled. Alex and River flinched at his volume. Alex squeezed his hand. The Doctor turned to her, but she wouldn't look at him. He knew what she wanted; he knew what she always wanted. He pulled her to him and hugged her tightly to him. A high-pitched beeping echoed through the flight deck.

"_What's that_?" Amy asked.

"It's a warning…" The Doctor said slowly. "There are Angels 'round you now. Amy, listen to me. This is going to be hard but I know… You can do it. The Angels are scared and running and right now they're not that interested in you. They'll assume you can see them and their instincts will kick in. All you've got to do is walk like you can see. Just don't open your eyes. Walk like you can see. You're not moving." The beeping was the indication. "You have to do this. Now." She still didn't move. The Doctor banged his hand against the instrument panel. "You have to do this!"

Alex waited tensely for the few longest moments of her life. She could barely hear as Amy shuffled around, trying to walk like she could see when the most horrible sound came to her ears. She heard the sound of Amy stumbling to the ground, the communicator dropping to the ground. "_Doctor, I can't find the communicator! I dropped it!_" Alex could barely hear her friend. "_I can't find it. Doctor! Doctor… Doctor! Doctor…_"

Alex turned when she saw a bright light and River caught Amy as she teleported to where they were. "Don't open your eyes. You're on the Flight Deck, the Doctor's here. I teleported you." She turned to the Time Lord. "See? Told you I could get it working."

"River Song, I could bloody kiss you."

"Ah well, there's someone else you'd want to do that to more." Alex and the Doctor looked at each other and then looked away. Alex blushed a bright red and River laughed. An alarm blared. "What's that?"

"The Angels are draining the last of the ship's power, which means... the shield's going to release!" The shield to the forest opened and they were confronted by a large number of Angels. The Doctor stepped forward.

"Angel Bob, I presume." _Oh, whatever gave you that impression?_ Alex thought sarcastically. An Angel holding a communicator… Not that hard to figure out.

"_The Time Field is coming. It will destroy our reality._" Angel Bob said.

"Yeah, and look at ya, all running away." The Doctor replied. "What can I do for you?"

"_There is a rupture in time. The Angels calculate that if you throw yourself into it, it will close and they will be saved_." Alex's heart stopped. He wouldn't…

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Could do, could do that. But why?"

"_Your friends would also be saved_." Alex shook her head, _don't do it, Doctor_.

"Well, there is that."

River stepped up to the Doctor. "I've travelled in time. I'm a complicated space and time event, too. Throw me in."

"Oh, be serious! Compared to me, these Angels are more complicated than you and it would take every one of them to amount to me, so get a grip." Alex shook a bit. He couldn't give his life away here… He had so many things to do. _And hello! I lost you once, don't you dare think I'm going to let you slip away again_!

"Doctor, I can't let you do this!"

"No, seriously, get a grip."

"_Doctor_!" The Doctor flinched a bit. He hated that tone of voice. It was Alex's desperate and cold as ice voice. She came up to him. "You can't do this! I'm not going to let you!"

"Allie –"

"I saw you die once!"

"Allie –"

"_I'm not seeing that again_!"

She screamed at him. The Doctor's hearts quivered deeply inside him. He could see the un-ushered tears, pain, fear, and horror in her eyes. He grabbed her shoulders tightly and forced her to look at him. "_Allie_," He let go of her shoulders but grasped her jaw tightly. "I mean it. River, Amy, Allie, get a grip!"

River realized his plan. "Oh, you genius." The Doctor kissed Alex's forehead with meaning. River took Alex's arm and forced her hands onto handle. "Don't let go for anything."

"But River –"

"He's not going to die, Lexa." River said and she grabbed a hold of part of the railing too. Alex turned to watch the Doctor, making sure to get a tight grip.

"_Sir, the Angels need you to sacrifice yourself now_."

"Thing is, Bob, the Angels are draining all the power from this ship, every last bit of it. And you know what? I think they've forgotten where they're standing. I think they've forgotten the gravity of the situation. Or to put it another way, Angels... Night-night." As the gravity failed, due to loss of power, the Doctor casually turned to grip a handle himself. He put his hand onto Alex's hand and she smiled at him. He could see the pure and utter relief in her shinning, beautiful eyes and it had him smiling back. The deck turned to its side and the Doctor, Alex, Amy and River hung on for dear life as the Angels were sucked into the crack. There was a burst of light and the crack in the secondary flight deck closed.

-x-

Amy was sitting on a rock, wrapped in a blanket. Alex was sitting next to her, the two best friends curled together. The Doctor stood in front of them with cleric behind him. "Ah, bruised everywhere." Amy complained.

"Me too." The Doctor said.

"Ugh." Alex sighed. "I'm just _tired_."

"You didn't have to climb out with your eyes shut." Amy retorted.

"Neither did you, I kept saying. The Angels all fell into the time field. The Angel in your memory never existed. It can't harm you now." The Doctor answered.

"Then how come we can remember it?" Alex wondered. "I mean, Amy said the clerics couldn't remember each other."

"You're a time traveler, Allie." The Doctor answered. "So are you, Amy. Changes the way you see the universe forever. Good, isn't it?" The three smiled.

"And the crack." Amy brought up. "Is that gone too?"

"Yeah, for now. But the explosion that caused it is still happening... somewhere out there, somewhere in time." The Doctor looked out onto the ocean, before he turned and walked over to River.

"You, me… handcuffs." River lifted up her hands encased in cuffs. "Must it always end this way?"

"What now, River?" Alex asked as she walked over.

"The prison ship's in orbit. They'll beam me up any second. I might have done enough to earn a pardon this time. We'll see." River smiled.

"Octavian said you killed a man." River's smile slowly faded.

"Yes. I did. A good man. A very good man. The best man I've ever known."

"Who?" Alex wondered.

"It's a long story, Lexa, can't be told. It has to be lived. No sneak previews. Well, except for this one: you'll see me again quite soon, when the Pandorica opens."

"The Pandorica, ha." The Doctor laughed and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "That's a fairytale."

River laughed. "Oh, Doctor, aren't we all? I'll see you there." She looked at Alex and winked. "I'll see you both." The two smiled.

"We look forward to it."

"I remember it well." The Doctor chuckled and walked away.

Amy walked over to River. "Bye, River."

"See you, Amy." Alex walked up closer to River. The woman smiled. "Bye Lexa."

"Yeah, um, bye." River raised an eyebrow. She knew that look. "I need to say something, River. And, I know this isn't going to make any sense, but I need to say it, anyways, like, ya know, before hand." River nodded. Alex took a deep breath. "I'm sorry." She looked directly at River when she said that. "I'm really sorry." It wasn't just meeting them when they didn't remember her that she was apologizing for; it was how she treated River when she first – for her – met her. She felt terrible now, and she needed to say it to make her feel better.

River smiled. She could see what was going through her best friend's head. "Whatever it could be Lexa, I'll always forgive you." Alex smiled.

"Thanks."

"Anytime." River's handcuffs beeped. "Oh! I think that's my ride."

"Can I trust you, River Song?" The Doctor asked.

"If you like, but where's the fun in that?" She laughed and was teleported away. Alex smiled and turned to see the Doctor looking out at the ocean. "Ooh, I know that look." The Doctor turned to her as both girls walked up. "What are you thinking about, Time boy?" The Doctor smiled to himself, he remembered she called him that.

"Time can be rewritten." The Doctor answered vaguely. Alex thought about that as she looked onto the ocean.

-x-

The Doctor was at the console while Amy sat on the jump seat, arms crossed. "I want to go home." Amy said suddenly.

The Doctor and Alex looked at each other. "…Okay." The Doctor said quietly. It was her choice.

Amy smiled and joined them. "No, not like that! I just… I just want to show you something. You're running from River. I'm running too." Alex slung her arms around Amy's shoulders and Amy did the same to her best friend.

-x-

The TARDIS had materialized in a corner of the room. The Doctor and Amy were sitting on her bed; Alex was leaning against the TARDIS doors, looking at the closet where her wedding gown was hanging. "Well…"

"Yeah…" Amy said.

"Blimey." The Doctor muttered, making peeks at the dress. Alex's eyebrows furrowed when the Doctor's head shook. In all honesty, he had wondered what it would look like if Alex was in a wedding dress… But those thoughts took him to a place where he didn't want to go.

"I know. This is the same night we left, yeah?" Amy asked. It would have been bad – really bad – if they missed her wedding.

The Doctor checked his watch. "We've been gone five minutes."

Amy leaned over, got the ring box, and opened it. "I'm getting married in the morning."

The Doctor took the box and examined it. Another thought about Alex, and how she would look with a ring on, passed through his mind and he smashed it away. "Why did you leave it here?"

"Really, Doctor?" Alex asked. "Why did she leave her engagement ring behind when she ran away with a strange man and strange women, and a strange blue box?" She knocked on the TARDIS gently. "Really?" The answer seemed obvious.

"Yeah." The Doctor ignored her sarcasm.

"You really are an alien, aren't you?" Amy muttered.

"Who's the lucky fella?"

"You met him." Amy answered. Alex grinned.

"Ah, the good looking one or the other one?" He mimed a large nose. Alex laughed and picked up a pillow that was lying on the floor and threw it at the rude Time Lord.

Amy whacked him on the arm. "The other one."

"Well, he was good too."

"Thanks. So, do you comfort a lot of people on the night before their wedding?"

"Why would you need comforting?" _Is this going where I think it's going_…? Alex's mind – at least parts of it – was always in the gutter… To the point, where it was _drowning _in the gutter.

"I nearly died. I was alone in the dark and I nearly died. And it made me think." Amy said.

"Well, yes, natural. I think sometimes. Well, lots of times..." The Doctor said, obviously clueless.

"About what I want. About who I want. You know what I mean?" _Yeah, this is going where I think its going_. Alex slowly slid nearer the doors, ready to make a break inside the TARDIS when they start making out or something… Her poor mind couldn't handle it. Yes, her mind was always in the gutter, but not in that sort of way…

"Yeah…" Amy stared at him expectedly. "No."

"About who… I want."

"Oh, right, yeah…" He paused again, and Alex shook her head, he was so _clueless_! "No, still not getting it."

"Doctor, in a word, in one very simple word even you can understand..." She practically started to climb on top of him.

Alex squealed. "EW!" She shivered. "Don't do that while I'm here! Ew! I'm going into the TARDIS; you're on your own, Time Lord." Alex quickly opened the doors and slipped in. However, curiosity was a strong thing, and she couldn't help but press her ear to the doors to still hear them.

"Allie! Allie...!" The Doctor gave up and nervously pushed her away and clambered over the foot rail. "Uh…! You're getting married in the morning!"

Amy got up and walked around. "The morning's a long time away." She pushed his back into the TARDIS. "What are we going to do about that?" She grabbed his suspenders and pulled them down.

The Doctor pulled them back up. "Listen to me. I'm 907 years old. Do you understand what that means?" He pushed away.

"It's been a while?" Amy asked.

"No. no. no! I'm 907, and look at me. I don't get older, I just change. You get older. I don't, and this can't ever work." He pushed away from her and got his back against the TARDIS again.

"Oh, you are sweet, Doctor. But I really wasn't suggesting anything quite so...long term." Amy kissed him, and Alex felt her heart squeeze. The Doctor pushed her away and broke the kiss. "Wait, you went out with Lexi," Amy suddenly said. "Did you do anything with her?"

"No." The Doctor's voice was distant. He leaned his head against the wood. "She didn't want to, and I'd never push her. She wasn't ready, and I'd do whatever she asks. But, I kissed her… Oh," He smiled dreamily. "The first time I kissed her. Ah, it was beautiful. Just… Perfect. There's just no word to describe her. She's so beautiful. The most beautiful thing in this universe. And I would know, I've seen it. But… Oh…" He sighed. Alex's heart was racing. She leaned her back against the doors. She waved her hands to stop from crying… He was too sweet to her.

"Doctor…" Amy backed up, realizing. What was she thinking? This man in front of her, she had seen it, he was taken. He was in love… With Alex Harper. "But, she doesn't love you back."

The Doctor sighed. "No. She doesn't. Well, she did, but when I regenerated…" The Doctor was silent for a long moment. "I'm amazed she's still with me. But, I love it." He smiled again. "She sees things so differently, so brilliantly, Amy. So beautiful, just like everything else." He sighed again. "I'll wait. I'll wait forever just to be with her. If it takes an eternity, then I'll wait an eternity."

Alex couldn't take anymore. She was choking on her tears. He was so sweet, even in this regeneration. Alex put both of her hands over her face to make sure her voice wasn't heard as she sobbed. Her heart ached and she ran up and into her room. She closed the doors and sobbed loudly. She slid down onto the ground and curled up, crying into her arms.

It was so sweet, so… She wasn't sure why she was crying so much. She just couldn't figure out what it was that was making her cry so many bittersweet tears. But, even so, Alex sobbed again and cried her heart out. Alex lifted up her head for a moment when she heard soft music playing. It was a song she didn't recognized, but it was beautiful and comforting. She suddenly heard the humming of the TARDIS and realized what was going on.

Whenever she got upset, the TARDIS would always hum at her and play that song. Alex laughed a tiny bit, but more tears came. "Thanks TARDIS." Her voice was barely understandable from her tears, but the TARDIS gave a hum, and Alex knew she understood.


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter Thirty**

Alex opened her eyes, and looked around. She realized she was in the garden. She was surprised when she found out there was a garden in the TARDIS. But she had sort of stumbled upon it. She had stayed there all night, crying her eyes out and listening to the music. Alex looked down at herself, cute graphic tee, jeans, and some black converse.

She tried. She was really trying. But it was hard; she had _loved _the tenth Doctor. Now, he was gone…

It wasn't that Alex didn't like the eleventh Doctor. He was growing on her in the same way the tenth Doctor had. But, there was still so much pain and suffering within her, to a point where it was hard to ignore. She had been able to, up until now. But, when the Doctor said all those wonderful, brilliant, sweet things about her, it had reminded her of her Doctor. It hurt. It really hurt.

Alex pressed her legs to her chest and just rested her head on a wall of the valiant ship. She could now feel the TARDIS humming's against her head. She smiled and looked around. "Thanks." The TARDIS hummed to her comfortingly. She was glad that she was on the TARDIS' good side.

Alex didn't know what she was going to do. She wasn't sure if she could even bare to look at the Doctor again. "Allie!" The brunette girl looked over. She knew that sing-song voice anywhere. "Allie! Where are you?" Alex sighed and didn't move. She heard the door swoosh open. "Allie! There you are, I got Rory…" He trailed off when he came around to see her face. She looked at him briefly but it was enough for him to see that horrible pain in her eyes. "…What's wrong?" He sat down and patted her knee.

"It hurts, Doctor." She whispered. "It really hurts." He sighed.

"Allie, look at me." She slowly did. "I know you'll never stop loving him, Allie. But…he wouldn't want you to be like this." He should know.

Alex smiled sadly. "Doesn't stop it from hurting…"

"It's going to take some time, Allie." The Doctor gently took her hand. "But he would want you to move on. Find another love potential." _I already found him_. Alex laid her head on the Doctor's shoulder. The Doctor wrapped his arms around her shoulders. The Doctor's hearts, which were heavy for her, lightened a bit. He loved hugging her. She was so small, and fit perfectly into him.

Alex perked up her head after a few minutes. She knew a perfect way to get her mind off things. "You said you got Rory?" She asked.

"Oh, yes." The Doctor lifted her up and walked her back to the console. He talked at amazing speed of what he did.

"Wait, wait, wait…You told Rory Amy kissed you?" Alex asked incredulously.

"Yeah."

She whacked his arm. "What did you do? Just flatly and bluntly tell him that Amy kissed you?" She hissed.

"What's wrong with that?" The Doctor didn't see any problem with going with the blunt approach.

Alex resisted the urge to face palm. "Remind me to work on your people skills, which right now, _you don't have any_." The Doctor shot her a look. She shot one back. They got the control room and the Doctor jumped down, babbling happily away. Alex lifted a hand to Rory, and he lifted one back. "Hey Rory, how are you doing?" She asked kindly.

"Good," Rory said distantly. Alex patted his back as she passed him. She knew this place could be hard to get used to. She walked over to Amy and they talked quietly.

When Alex decided to tune into the Doctor, he was in a harness seat in the space underneath the TARDIS console doing some welding work. Amy was pacing nervously. "Oh! The life out there, it dazzles. I mean, it blinds you to the things that are important. I've seen it devour relationships and plans..." Rory jumped a bit and looked down nervously when the TARDIS experienced a small explosion. The Time Lord noticed his look. "Ohhh! It's meant to do that." The Doctor resumed his work. "…Because for one person to have seen all that, to taste the glory and then go back, it _will_ tear you apart. So...I'm sending you somewhere. Together."

"Whoa!" Amy intervened. "What? Like a date?"

"Anywhere you want, any time you want." The Doctor got up from the harness and walked up the steps to join them at the console. "One condition - it has to be amazing. The Moulin Rouge in 1890! The first Olympic Games! Think of it as a wedding present, because, frankly, it's either this or tokens." Rory was still looking around stunned. The Doctor took note to it. "It's a lot to take in, isn't it?" The Doctor headed up the stairs. Alex bet that he just wanted to be all 'cool', "Tiny box, huge room inside. What's that about? Let me explain."

"It's another dimension." Rory said, before the Doctor could say anything.

The Doctor headed back downstairs. "It's basically another dimen..." Rory's words finally registered in his mind. "What?"

"After Prisoner Zero, I've been reading up on all the latest scientific theories; FTL travel, parallel universes." The Doctor walked right up to Rory.

"I like the bit when someone says, 'It's bigger on the inside!' I always look forward to that." Alex grabbed his arm and backed him up a bit; Alex knew that he could be intimidating.

"Bigger on the inside doesn't do it justice, Doctor." Alex repeated. The Doctor looked at her. "It's _massive _on the inside."

The Doctor nodded. "I like that just as much."

"So, this date. I'm kind of done with running down corridors. What do you think, Rory?" She grabbed his hand.

"How about somewhere...romantic?" The Time Lord set the TARDIS in motion.

-x-

The TARDIS materialized in the middle of a busy market and no one took any notice. The Doctor was the first to exit. Alex followed him. She laughed. This was great. The Doctor opened his arms. "Venice! Venezia! La Serenissima! Impossible city. Preposterous city!" Rory and Amy looked about in amazement. "Founded by refugees running from Attila the Hun. It was just a collection of little wooden huts in the marsh, but became one of the most powerful cities in the world. Constantly being invaded, constantly flooding...constantly...Just beautiful! Oh, you gotta love Venice. And so many people did. Byron, Napoleon, Casanova. Oooh, that reminds me." They walked about but the Doctor stopped and checked his watch. "1580. That's all right. Casanova doesn't get born for 145 years. Don't want to run into him. I owe him a chicken."

"Why do you owe Casanova a chicken?" Alex laughed.

"Long story." The Doctor answered. "We had a bet."

An official dressed in black stepped out in front of the Doctor and Alex. The Time Lord's hand was tightly encased around Alex's hand. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! Papers, if you please. Proof of residency, current bill of medical inspection."

The Doctor held up the physic paper easily. "There you go, fella." The official took the paper. "All to your satisfaction, I think you'll find."

He bowed deeply when he saw what was on the paper. "I am so sorry, Your Holiness. I didn't realize." He then bowed to Alex. "Your Highness." Alex grinned at the Doctor. He returned the grin.

The Doctor took back the paper. "It's no trouble; you're just doing your job." Alex paused. "Sorry, but what exactly _is _your job?"

"Checking for aliens," Amy and Alex grinned at each other. "Visitors from foreign lands what might bring the plague with them."

"Oh, that's nice. See where you bring me?" Amy reached over and slapped the Doctor's arm. "The plague!"

"Don't worry, Viscountess." Amy sighed as he bowed. "No, we're under quarantine here, no one comes in, no one goes out, and all because of the grace and wisdom of our patron, Signora Rosanna Calvierri." He pointed to the crest on the box he had been carrying.

"How interesting. I heard the plague died out years ago." The Doctor offered.

"Not out there. No, Signora Calvierri has seen it with her own eyes. Streets are piled high with bodies, she said." The Doctor and Alex shared a look.

"Did she, eh?" Alex muttered. Rory reached for the physic paper as the official went off to question someone else. The Doctor, Alex, and Amy carried on.

"According to this, I am your eunuch!"

"Oh, yeah, I'll explain later."

Alex opened her mouth, to ask was a 'eunuch' was, but the Doctor pressed a finger to her lips. "You don't want to know." The Doctor answered. Alex shrugged it off.

-x-

Alex stalled with the Doctor when she saw a sight on the other side of the channel. Young women were in two lines, all wearing white gowns of varying designs. An older woman, most likely a teacher, walked to the head of the procession. "Veils down, girls." The girls lowered their veils. It must have been a daily ritual because people on the street stopped what they were doing to watch. The Doctor, Alex, Amy and Rory got a spot across the canal and they watched. Alex watched as an older black man came up to the procession. "What do you want?" The woman demanded.

He ignored her and barged into the group, pulling random veils down. "Where's my Isabella?"

"What are you doing? Get away from there." The woman tried to order, but the man continued to ignore her. He kept searching.

"Isabella! Isabella!" Alex watched as he pulled a girl away and lifted a veil. By his face, Alex figured that was Isabella. But she backed away from him. "It's me!" One of the girls came forward and hissed at him, Alex squinted but she couldn't see very well. She saw the man fall to the ground.

"Girls, come along!" The girls continued their procession. She saw the man was held down by a boot. The younger brunette man smirked at him and said something, before leaving with a swirl of his coat.

"Isabella! It's me!" Two guards lifted him from the ground. Alex felt the Doctor tugging on her hand. They both ran off.

-x-

The father walked along the passageway. The Doctor crossed behind him and leapt up onto the bottom of the step. Alex was on the opposite side. "Who were those girls?" The Doctor announced their presence.

He stopped and turned to look at the two brunettes. "I thought everyone knew about the Calvierri school."

"Our first day here." He stepped down and Alex walked up next to him. "Parents do all sorts of things to get their children into good schools. They move house, they change religion." They walked up to him. A person passed them and they paused as the man walked off. They turned back to him.

"So, why are you trying to get her _out_?" Alex whispered.

"Something happens in there. Something magical, something evil. My own daughter didn't recognize me. And the girl who pushed me away, her face... like an animal." The Doctor and Alex shared a grin.

He put his arm around the man's shoulders. He took Alex's hand back into his own. "I think it's time I met this Signora Calvierri."

-x-

Guido – he had given his name when they made their plan – approached the guards of the school. "You have my daughter." He accused. "Isabella!"

"You're not coming in, stop there!" A guard said. "We've told you…" While Guido distracted the guards, the Doctor and Alex sneaked along the side.

"You have my daughter. Isabella! I demand you let me see my daughter." The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the canal gate. "Isabella! It's me! It's your father!"

"I'll arrest you…" A guard warned.

"Isabella!" Alex had to admit, Guido had some good acting skills. Although, he wanted his daughter back, so Alex realized as an afterthought, this probably wasn't acting. After the Doctor made his was inside, Guido left.

The Doctor, with Alex behind him, made his way down some stone steps and into a chamber. On one wall, he spied a mirror. "Hello, handsome." The Doctor greeted his refection warmly. He straightened his bowtie and checked his teeth.

"Doctor, you really think this is a good time?" Alex teased.

"I want to look my best for you." The words slipped out easily, just like they always did. Alex smiled.

"Who are you?" Alex whirled around to see a group of girls dressed white standing behind them.

The Doctor turned to face them then quickly looked back at the mirror. Alex peeked a look too, and saw that they were not visible. He kept looking back and forth. "How are you doing that? I… Am… Loving it." The Doctor was gleeful. Alex swallowed back a laugh. Leave it to the Doctor to be giddy when they're in a bad position. "You're like Houdini, only five scary girls, only he was shorter. _Will be_ shorter. I'm rambling."

"Yes, you are." Alex nodded her head. The Doctor shot her a look. She grinned.

"I'll ask you again, señor." The girls said in unison. "Who are you?" It was the kind of unison that made chills run down Alex's spine.

"Why don't you check _this _out?" He held out a wallet that showed an ID with a photo of his first regeneration. The Doctor looked at it. "Library card." He put it away. Alex realized that Rory had not given back the physic paper. _Oh, yeah_. "Of course, it's with... He's... I need the spare. Pale, creepy girls who don't like sunlight and can't be seen in..." He looked into the mirror again. "Am I thinking what I think I'm thinking? But the city. Why shut down the city? Unless..."

"Leave now, señor, or we shall call for the steward. If you're lucky." They started advancing towards them. Alex gently pushed the Time Lord to the stairs.

"Ooh!" The girls hissed and bore their fangs as they advanced the two. Alex flinched at the two sharp lines of teeth. The Doctor ran to the stairs. "Tell me the whole plan!" The Doctor demanded, and although he had the voice. It wasn't going to work this time. "Listen, I would love to stay here. This whole thing... I'm thrilled. Oh, this is Christmas!" The Doctor looked about ready to giggle. Alex shook her head with a smile. They ran up the stairs with the girls chasing after them, hissing.

-x-

They got out, their hands encased tightly, when they ran into Amy. "Doctor! Lexi!" Amy's thick Scottish accent was a relief to Alex.

"We just met some vampires!" The Doctor said excited.

"We just saw a vampire!" Amy's voice held just as much excitement.

"It was amazing! Actual vampires!" Alex added her two cents.

They talked at once, their voices overlapping. "And creepy girls and everything."

"And they really were creepy! They had these two rows of fangs and everything!"

"Vampires!"

The three of them jumped up and down together excited as Rory joined them. "We think we just saw a vampire." They sobered up, but still held smiles.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." The Doctor answered. "Amy was just telling us."

"Yeah!" Amy was giddy. She and Alex grinned like fools at each other. "The Doctor and Lexi actually went to their house."

"Oh. Right. Well…" Rory felt a little left out.

"Okay, so…" The Time Lord slapped his hands on Rory's cheeks. "First, we need to get back in there somehow."

"What?" Rory asked, shocked. There were vampires! And he wanted to see them again?

"How do we do that?" Amy asked.

"Back in where?"

Alex snapped her fingers. She knew where the Doctor was going… "Why don't you come and meet our new friend?" The brunette girl grinned.

-x-

They were back in Guido's house. He brought out a map of Venice. The Doctor, Alex, and Amy were at the table looking it over with him as Rory sat back among some barrels. "As you saw, there's no clear way in. The House of Calvierri is like a fortress. But there's a tunnel underneath it, with a ladder and shaft that leads up into the house. I tried to get in once myself, but I hit a trapdoor."

"You need someone inside." Amy said.

"No." The Doctor answered immediately.

"You don't even know what she was going to say." Alex pointed out, giving him a weird look.

"We pretend she's an applicant for the school to get her inside and tonight she comes down and open the trapdoor to let us in."

Alex paused and looked at Amy. "Oh. So you know what I was going to say!"

"Are you insane?" Rory asked.

"She's not the only one insane here, Rory." Alex warned playfully. "You might want to accept that now." Amy shoved her friend and glared at her playfully. Alex grinned.

"We don't have another option." Amy pointed out.

"He said no, Amy." Rory replied. "Listen to him."

"There is another option." Guido pointed in Rory's direction. "I work at the Arsenal." Alex had a bad feeling where this idea was going. "We build the warships for the navy."

The Doctor walked over and sniffed the barrels. "Gunpowder." He put a hand on Rory's shoulder, who was apparently sitting on a barrel of it. "Most people just nick stationery from where they work." Rory slid slowly off the barrel and backed away into a dead rabbit hanging by the fireplace.

"Look, Guido," Alex held up her hands. "The Doctor and me got a thing about guns and explosives."

"What do you suggest, then? We wait until they turn her into an animal?" He turned away frustrated and poked at the fire.

"I'll be there three, four hours tops." Amy said.

The Doctor gave a small smile at her persistence. "No, no, no, no, no, no. It can't keep happening like this. This is how they go." He sat down on the bed. Alex came over and plopped down next to him. Their shoulders brushed against each other. The Doctor tried to ignore the tingle in his arm; he had missed contact from her. He reminded himself that he would wait, for her. The Doctor took a deep breath and sat back. "But I have to know. We go together. Say you're my daughter."

"What?" Rory wasn't having his fiancée going into that place. A place where vampires were lurking about, "don't listen to him!"

"Your daughter? You look about nine." Amy said.

"Brother, then?" Alex offered.

"Too weird. Fiancé."

"I'm not having him run around telling people he's your fiancé."

"You know, Amy, he's right." Alex said. Part of her didn't like that thought either, for a different reason. She had a crush on the Doctor, it would feel… weird, if her best friend walked around telling people her crush was her fiancé. Amy and Alex shared a look, for a split second Alex's eyes shifted to Rory, giving the ginger a silent message. Amy grinned, understanding. Alex winked.

"Thank you." Rory relaxed.

"They've already seen the Doctor. You should do it." Amy pointed at her _real _fiancé.

"Me?" Rory asked.

"Yeah! You can be my brother." She rubbed his head playfully.

Over on the bed, the Doctor smiled to Alex at their interactions. "Why is him being your brother weird, but with me, it's okay?" The human male turned to Guido. "You thought he was her fiancé, didn't you?"

"Actually, I thought he was _her _fiancé." Guido gestured to Alex.

Alex blinked. She dumbly pointed to herself. The Doctor and she looked at each other for a long moment. Alex's cheeks flared up a bright red and she turned her head to try and hide it. The Doctor grinned; he knew it was a good sign if she was blushing at that.

"Not helping." Alex squeaked.

"This whole thing is mental!" Rory yelled. "They're _vampires_, for God's sake."

"We hope." The Doctor added.

"If they're not vampires," Alex blinked slowly. "What are they?"

"Makes you wonder what could be so bad it doesn't actually mind us thinking it's a vampire?"

-x-

Alex felt bad for Rory. So, she offered to have her come along as well. The Doctor immediately spoke up at that, his protective instincts of her coming. Alex had rolled her eyes and after a long, long moment convinced him she would be fine.

Rory, Amy, and Alex stood as petitioners in front of Signora Calvierri. Rory was wearing Guido's clothes and Amy and Alex was wearing a simple skirt and blouse that once belonged to Isabella. Alex had washed out the highlights in her hair, and wrapped it up tightly in some cloth. She prayed, now that she was there, that she wouldn't be found out. "So, basically, both of our parents are dead from getting the plague. I'm a gondola... driver... so... money's a bit tight... so having my sisters go to your school for special people would be brilliant. Cheers." Alex sighed mentally. He wasn't very good at acting…

Francesco showed some interesting in Amy, but turned his attention to Alex, and his eyes flashed. Alex didn't see this; she made sure to keep her head down, putting on the shy act. Alex saw a pair of shoes in her vision, and made sure to keep calm as he lifted up her face to look into her eyes. The man smiled eerily. Alex felt chills run down her spine at his face. She knew he liked her, and that gave her a disgusted feeling, but she held it back behind a façade of shyness. She blinked up at him and looked away shyly. Unfortunately, that seemed to make him even more interested.

"Have we met?" Francesco asked.

"I've just one of those faces." Rory answered.

"I wasn't talking to you." Alex held back a shiver as she felt his gloved hand run down her cheek. She gripped her skirt and begged whatever God there was that she wouldn't be found out.

"She's got the same face… Which is because she's my sister!" Rory said. Alex bit her tongue so much she could taste blood. God, he was horrible at acting.

Signora turned to the servant, her face showing she was very much turned off. "Carlo, explain yourself. Why have you brought me this imbecile?"

"Signora, they have references from the King of Sweden." He explained.

"What?" She couldn't believe such an idiot could have such high references. "Let me see." She held out her hand and Rory walked up to the throne and handed over the physic paper. "Well, now I can see what got my steward so excited." She handed the paper back to Rory. "What say you, Francesco? Do you like them?"

Francesco had been circling the two girls, but mostly Alex. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. "Oh, I do, Mother. I do." Even the way he said that gave Alex shudders.

"Then we would be delighted to accept her. Say goodbye to your sisters." Rory and Amy gripped each other's hands just before Carlo led a stuttering Rory away. Alex patted Rory's back heartedly.

"Tell Uncle," Alex threw out, "Doctor," _whatever_, "that we'll see him soon, okay?" At the door, Rory nodded. "We'll be fine."

Behind the girls, Francesco bared his teeth and Rory saw this as the doors closed. "A – Amy!"

-x-

Carlo was leading Amy and Alex through the school. The girls watched as Carlo lead them upstairs. Alex was determined to avoid eye contact. She didn't need any of the girls from earlier to recognize her. He took them to a room that they were to share with some other girls. "There are clothes on the bed. Get changed and wait here."

Amy looked about at the opulent, domed room. "Blimey. This is private education, then?" All the other girls passed Amy and Alex as they left the room. All but one.

"Hey." Amy greeted. "Hello. I'm Amy. This is Lexi. What's your name?"

"Isabella." The friends shared a look. Well, they had found Guido's daughter, at least.

They rushed over and sat on Isabella's bed. "Listen, Isabella, we're here to get you out of here, but we're gonna need you to tell us what's going on. What is this place? What are they doing?"

"They, um... they come at night. They gather around my bed and they take me to a room...with this green light and a chair with...with straps, as if for a surgeon." Alex felt her gut squeeze. The friends shared another look.

"What happens in there?" Amy asked.

"I wake up here. And the sunlight burns my skin like candle wax." A bell tolled and Amy looked around warily and Alex swallowed and looked around nervously.

-x-

Dressed in white gowns and carrying a lamp, Amy and Alex made their way downstairs to try and find the room Isabella mentioned. They heard moans and cries and followed them. As they passed through one of the chambers, they didn't notice the skeleton hand sticking out from a wooden chest.

-x-

The girls went to the well in the center of the courtyard, set down the lamp and released the bars locking the gate. Done, Amy picked up the lamp to head back inside and nearly walked in to Carlo. She shrieked and dropped the lamp. Alex hissed to herself and grabbed Amy to back her up.

-x-

Amy gasped as Carlo forced her down the stairs. Alex struggled harshly, screeched quietly and scratching at his arm, hissing to herself. "Control yourselves, child!" He ordered. The Signora, Francesco and some of the girls were waiting in the chamber.

"Get your hands off us!" Amy yelled.

"Psychic paper. Did you really think that would work on me?" There was a hum of power as the chamber was bathed in green light. Amy looked about her nervously. "Carlo, take the brunette child away into another chamber. She's special." Alex struggled even more as Carlo tried to separate the friends.

"No! Lexi! Lexi!" Amy cried as Alex was literally dragged away.

"Amy! Amy!" Alex was forced into a chair and hissed as the man tied her into it.

-x-

Alex heard voices coming from the other chamber, mostly Amy's before it became quiet. Finally, she turned when she heard footsteps and Signora and Francesco walked into the chamber. Signora circled Alex and the girl glared boldly at the alien. "Where are you from? Did you fall through the chasm?"

Alex stayed stubbornly quiet. "Mother this is pointless. Let's just start the process."

"Hold your tongue, Francesco!" Signora snapped. "I need to know what this girl is doing in a world of savages with psychic paper." Two girls came into the room bring forth a wooden chair with wrist straps on it with them. "Who are you with? I scarcely believe your idiot brother sent you." Francesco set a hook into the eye socket above the chair. "What are you doing in _my _school?" One of the girls attached an IV to the hook. Alex continued to stay quiet, just staring boldly and stubbornly at the 'vampire' before her.

"Fine, I'll tell you. I'm from out of town."

Signora laughed. "Put her in the chair." Carlo came over and untied Alex and pushed her into the chair and the girls fastened the straps as Alex struggled. Francesco held her head from behind.

"Let me go! Damnit! I said, _let me go_!" She snarled at them.

"Listen to her, mother; she has such fire in her blood." Francesco ran his lips down her neck and Alex flinched and started to kick again.

"Oh, make sport of me, will you? Tease me as if I were your dog? Well, this dog has a bite, girl." Signora turned and showed her teeth.

"No! Don't you dare!" Signora came towards her. "_Doctor_!" The Signora leaned in and bit Alex's neck. After a few painful moments, the Signora pulled away from Alex's neck and stood, licking her lips. The girls left. Alex's eyes were glazed as her world sort of faded in and out; the trauma had been too much for her. Francesco leaned down and ran a finger along her neck by the puncture wounds.

"Mother… Where you drink from her, may we share?" The boy breathed, his fangs already showing. "I'm so thirsty."

The Signora turned again, a sweet, motherly look to her face, her mouth now normal. "Of course, darling." She answered affectionately. Alex wanted to cry out in pain as Francesco sunk his teeth into her neck, but all that bubbled up was a whimper.

It felt like forever, but it was actually a couple of hours. Her world faded out, they unhooked her and led her to a similar room, but by the long walk – or at least, that's what Alex thought it was, she wasn't sure, her mind was fading so much – it was obvious they had led her to probably a whole different part of the school. They had drunk her until she was completely dry and then, they hooked her up to the IV for a moment, letting the liquid drip into her. It raged like a fire in her veins, and there were many times when she cried out in agony.

"Here is how this works." Signora said when Alex was in clarity for a moment. "Fire, we drank you until you're dry. Now… We're fill you up with our blood. It rages through you like a fire, changing you, until one morning you awake and your humanity is a dream...now faded."

"Or you die." Francesco chuckled as he affectionately brushed a piece away from Alex's paper white face. "That can happen. Although, you've survived so far, so there's a good chance you'll live."

"What happens if I survive?" Alex's voice was no more than a rasp. She blinked slowly, her head lolling to her shoulder.

"Then there are 10,000 husbands waiting for you in the water."

Alex struggled to regain her strength. "Sorry, but I'm already spoken for." Her brain didn't have enough energy to realize what kind of confession she had just made there. She gathered all her strength and kicked at the Signora. Francesco restrained her, but it wasn't necessary since she practically collapsed back into the chair, having used up the little strength she had in the first place. The Signora was stunned. There was a slight electric hum of technology. The Signora flipped back part of her dress to reveal a device clipped to her clothes. Her image flickered to show an insectoid creature with a fish head. Her human image returned.

Signora looked about ready to freak out when they heard footsteps and voices from above and ran upstairs leaving Alex alone. Alex's head dipped down even more, having no strength, and tried to focus on breathing. Her brain faded out as her eyes lolled shut.

"_Allie! Allie! Allie_!" Alex opened her eyes, and groaned. She didn't want to wake, she wanted to sleep. She felt someone shaking her and whined, the pain still fresh to her. "Allie!"

Her eyes finally focused to show the Doctor. "Doctor," her voice was a broken whisper.

"Oh Allie," He unhooked her and pulled her to him, but she collapsed. He let her fall into his arms, and lowered them to the floor. He ran his hand down her cheek looking over her. "Oh my sweet Allie, I should have never let you go."

She swallowed with difficulty. "It's hurts, Doctor," she sobbed dryly. "It really hurts." He buried his face into her hair and held her tightly to him, protectively.

"I know, I know." He _hated _it when she was in pain and there was nothing he could do. He hauled her up into his arms.

"Lexi!" Amy cried and Alex flinched as it started a pounding within her head. "Lexi," Amy's voice quieted down. "What did they do?"

"She…" Alex struggled to form the words from her dry mouth. "She said that they…sucked me dry…and was replacing my blood…with theirs." She felt the Doctor nod determinedly, he knew what to do.

"Rory, take her." He hated to hand her over. He wanted to keep her curled up to himself, but he needed to get them all out safely and to do so, he needed his arms free. Rory nodded and took Alex into his arms. Alex whimpered. He stalled and pointed at Rory. "You take _good _care of her." He ordered. "Now! Move! Move!" They ran out and into a door.

The followed a series of tunnels, Alex faded out most of the time, but she came back when she heard Amy speak up. "They're not vampires!"

The Doctor was using the sonic at the door. "What?"

"We saw them." Alex rasped. Amy nodded her head, finishing for Alex.

"We saw her. They're not vampires. They're aliens!"

The Doctor was chuckling. "Classic!"

"That's _good _news?" Rory yelled. "What is wrong with you people?" _Everything_. Alex answered mentally, slowly fading out again.

The Doctor heard the aliens as they began to break through the door, and the Time Lord urged Rory forward into a passage.

-x-

"Come on, move!" Alex was just barely conscious, her head was killing her. It throbbed painfully at her, and she whimpered. Francesco led the way with a torch. The Doctor once again brandished the ultraviolet light as a weapon, causing Francesco to hesitate. "Keep moving! Come on, guys!" Francesco sent the girls forward. He wanted that brunette girl as his wife, and he wasn't going to stop until he got just that.

Isabella finally got to doors that lead to the outside. She opened it and ushered the other forward down the stairs to the canal where Guido was waiting. Alex cried out in pain and covered herself as the sun burned her skin. "Rory!" The Doctor yelled, hearing Alex's cry.

"It's not me!" Rory defended. He put her down and leaned down to check on her. In doing so, he blocked the sun and Alex calmed, now just whimpering in the after effects of the sunlight.

"Quickly. Get out. Quick!" Isabella stopped in the sunlight, seeming to have the same effect as Alex did, and put up her hands to block her eyes.

"Oh…" The Doctor ran back to Isabella. "Come on, run!"

"I can't!" Before she could do anything else, she was dragged back inside.

The Doctor ran to the doors, but they closed before he could get there. He pounded on the doors and spasmed once since the door was electrified. He fell to the ground. Rory and Amy rushed over to him. Alex cried out again and covered herself, shying away from the blinding hot sun. The brunette curled into a ball, covering her skin.

"Is he dead?" Amy asked, but kept looking back at her friend.

"No, he's breathing." Alex faded out into unconsciousness.

-x-

Alex's mind slowly came to her. She felt something soft and comfortable underneath her. She shifted her head slightly, and found someone was over her. She breathed deeply, enjoying the scent that came to her nose. It was a…minty smell. She decided she enjoyed it quite a bit. However, there was something bugging her… She knew this smell. She had smelled it before… Alex slowly opened her eyes, and found she was on a bed, with the Doctor's jacket covering her head and hands up. She slowly sat up, keeping the jacket wrapped tightly around her skin; she peeked out though, and winced at the onslaught of light.

Alex jumped a bit when she felt hands come on either side of her head, but relaxed when her Time Lord's face came into view. "Allie… How are you feeling?" He asked softly.

Alex shrugged stiffly. "Sore, tired, cranky, annoyed, in pain. What's new?" The Doctor smiled and kissed her forehead intensely. Alex sighed, knowing what he was thinking. "Doctor," Her voice croaked. "I'm fine."

"I shouldn't have let you go, Allie." He said against the skin of her forehead. "I should have made you stayed with us. Now, look at you…"

"Doctor," Alex repeated herself. "I'm fine." He kissed her forehead again, and Alex felt tingles go through her.

He brushed her hair away from her neck to examine the bite marks. While Francesco's touch had been frightening and disgusting, the Doctor's touch was light, sweet, and just plain beautiful. Alex's felt the _good _kind of chills run through her as his fingers brushed against the sensitive skin over her neck. However, the pleasure turned to pain as he poked at her marks gently, Alex whined in protest. "You're going to be fine." He whispered. He showed her a piece of candy. "Open wide." She opened her mouth and he slipped the piece in. She sucked on it, and found, that when she swallowed the candy's sweetness, that her headache receded just a bit. Alex sucked on it more enthusiastically, since her head had been throbbing since the moment she woke up.

The Doctor turned and paced. "I need to think." He shouted in frustration. "Come on brain, think, think, think!" He sat down on the table. "Think!"

Alex noticed that Amy was sucking on a piece of candy too. She talked around the sweet. "If they're fish people, it explains why they hate the sun."

The Doctor didn't even blink, but reached over and put a hand over her mouth. "Stop talking. Brain thinking. Hush." He ordered.

"It's the school thing I don't understand." Rory said. Alex rolled her eyes, _what part of 'hush' are you not understanding_?

The Doctor repeated his actions and put his other hand over Rory's mouth. "Stop talking. Brain thinking. Hush." He repeated.

"I say we take the fight to him." Guido said.

"Ah-ah-ah!" The Doctor said. He needed silence to think.

"What?" The black man asked.

"Ah!" He nodded at Rory, who got the message and reached over and put his hand over Guido's mouth. "Her planet dies, so they flee through a crack in space and time, and end up here, then she closes off the city and, one by one, changes people into creatures like her to start a new gene pool. Got it. Then what? They come from the sea, they can't survive forever on land, so what's she going to do? Unless she's going to do something to the environment to make the city habitable... She said, 'I shall bend the heavens to save my race'." The Doctor took his hands off their mouths and rested them onto their heads, forcing them to nod. "Bend the heavens... Bend... the heavens... She's going to sink Venice."

"She's going to what?" Alex asked, thankful that her voice was coming back.

"And repopulate it with the girls she's transformed." The Doctor finished.

"You can't repopulate somewhere with just women. You need... blokes." Rory said, actually making a good point.

"She's got blokes." Amy said. Alex nodded, remembering vaguely what the woman – alien – had told her.

"Where?"

"In the channel," Alex answered. "She had said, 'there are 10,000 husbands waiting in the water'."

"Only the male offspring survived the journey here. She's got 10,000 children swimming in the canals, waiting for Mum to make them some compatible girlfriends. Ew. I mean, I've been around a bit, but, really, that's...that's...Ew."

"I second that." Alex nodded her head in agreement. There were just no words for it; it was a big, fat, totally, '_ew_' moment.

There was a loud clattering from the floor above. Everyone looked up at the ceiling. "The people upstairs are very noisy." The Doctor said.

"There aren't any people upstairs."

"I knew you were going to say that. Did anyone else know he was going to say that?" Alex had a feeling he would as well. Wood creaked as if someone was walking across the floor.

Rory was looking up. "Is it the vampires?"

"Like the Doctor said, Rory, not vampires. Just fish… Fish from space." Alex paused. "Out of all the things I figured I'd get to say, 'fish from space' was _not _one of them." The Doctor peeked at her for a moment. He couldn't help himself. He chuckled. There was a loud thump and breaking of glass as the converted girls entered the room. There were more outside the window. They stood quickly, startled. The Doctor brandished them with the ultraviolet light as Guido crossed himself.

"Aren't we on the second floor?" Rory pointed out.

The girls at the window broke the glass and the Doctor used the light to keep them back. He quickly grabbed Alex's arm and heaved her up. He pushed her behind them, keeping her close, protecting her. He then used the sonic screwdriver on them, which showed their true selves. "What happened to them?" Guido muttered.

"There's nothing left of them. They've been fully converted. Blimey, fish from space have never been so...buxom." Alex shot the Doctor a look and whacked his back hard. The Doctor cleared his throat, swallowing the urge to turn and tell Alex that she had nothing to worry about, that she, in fact, to the Doctor, had a much better…buxom. However, he figured that would probably anger her more than flatter her. Although, he could clearly picture a beautiful rosy color appear across her cheeks as she slapped him again. He turned off the sonic screwdriver. "Move. Come on."

They ran downstairs, Amy, Rory, Alex, the Doctor, and then Guido. "Give me the lamp!" The Doctor handed it over, still running, and Guido used it against the girls. The door to the outside opened, and Amy and Rory ran outside, disturbing the chickens. Alex ran outside and yelped at the sun's rays. She covered herself in the Doctor's coat. It didn't hurt as much as last time, but there still was pain. The Doctor followed behind. He rushed to his brunette and grasped her shoulders; she burrowed back into his coat.

Guido stopped at the door before closing it, locking the Doctor and Alex out. Both turned in surprise. "Stay away from the door, Doctor." Guido yelled through the door as the only warning, before footsteps and faint yelling announced he had left the door.

The Doctor pounded on the door. "No! Guido! What are you doing?" The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver but it was useless. "Guido!" He yelled again. The Doctor froze for a second and whirled around to his Alex, realizing what the man was going to do. The Doctor ran and grabbed Alex on the way, whipping her around and away from the house. The Time Lord was thrown to the ground as the house exploded. Thanks to his quick working mind, he had just enough time to cover Alex with his body.

The Doctor got up and leaned down to see Alex's face. "Allie, love, are you alright?"

Alex felt her heart jump and knew it was because of what he had just called it. "Y – Yeah." She breathed quietly. "I'm okay." The Doctor helped her up and they ran to where Rory and Amy were as people screamed.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Amy, and Rory looked at the damage. They heard the people clamoring in the streets. "Rosanna's initiating the final phase."

"We need to go. Come on!" Amy ordered.

"No, no. Get back to the TARDIS." Alex blinked and just looked at the Doctor strangely. Time Lord say what now?

"You can't stop her on your own." Amy contradicted.

"We don't discuss this!" The Doctor yelled. "I tell you to do something, Amy, and you do it. Huh?" Amy stormed off, angry.

"Thank you." Rory went after Amy.

"Yeah… You're welcome." The Doctor turned to his Alex. She was looking back at him, and he saw the unmovable stubbornness in her eyes. "Don't give me that." The Doctor cupped her cheeks, holding her face to his. "You're not coming."

"Yes I am." Alex took off his jacket, because it was cloudily, the sun no longer bothered her.

"You can't, Allie, you're too weak."

"And you can't, you're too alone."

The Doctor rubbed his face, frustrated. Why did she have to be _so _difficult? _And yet… I wouldn't love her any other way_. She was so damn determined to stay by him, it was one of those traits he hated and loved about her. "Allie, go back to the TARDIS."

"No." Alex shook her head. "I'm not going anywhere without you."

"Allie," He warned. He knew he couldn't pull off the same thing he did with Amy. Not to her.

The Doctor turned when he heard screaming and looked back at Alex – _his _Alex. "Allie, I can't let anything happen to you."

She smiled, her heart fluttering around, butterflies hammering her stomach walls. "Nothing will. I have a Time Lord, remember?" The Doctor smiled weakly. He reached out his hand and Alex grasped it. They ran off towards the screaming.

-x-

They got to the throne room of the school. The Time Lord walked directly to the throne and began to examine it. He opened the back to reveal alien circuitry and he took out the sonic screwdriver. Alex's hand was still tightly in his, and Alex felt a high, the way he held her hand. It was like he was never going to let go of it. "You're too late. Such determination...just to save one city. Hard to believe it's the same man that let an entire race turn to cinders and ash. Now you can watch as my people take their new kingdom." They turned to meet with Signora.

Alex scowled at the woman who drank her blood dry and tried to turn her into a freaky alien fish. "The girls are gone, _Signora_." Alex said bitterly. The Doctor squeezed her hand.

The woman stalled at that. She looked at the Doctor. "She's lying."

"Shouldn't we be dead?" The Doctor asked, answering her question. "Hmm?" She walked away. "Rosanna, please, help me. There are 200,000 people in this city."

"So save them." She answered carelessly. The Doctor looked at the throne. He knew he couldn't stop it from there and ran out of the room. Alex was hot on his heels. The Doctor looked out from the balcony down onto the city below. The bell tolled and he headed inside. The Doctor and Alex entered from the main doors as Amy and Rory entered from the side.

"Get out!" The Doctor ordered. "I need to stabilize the storm." He ran to the throne.

"We're not leaving you."

This just made the Doctor frustrated. "Right," He walked back to them. "So, one minute it's, 'you make people a danger to themselves', the next it's, 'we're not leaving you'! But if one of you gets squashed or blown up or eaten, who gets…" His rant was cut off as the room shook and some of the ceiling fell down. They all fell to the ground.

"What was that?" Rory asked alarmed.

The Doctor stood. "Nothing." He answered flippantly. "Bit of an earthquake."

"An earthquake?" Alex wasn't an expert, but she didn't think there were earthquakes in Venice, Italy.

"Manipulate the elements, it can trigger earthquakes. But don't worry about them."

"No?" Rory asked.

"No. Worry about the tidal waves caused by the earthquake." The Doctor faced the throne. "Right, Rosanna's throne is the control hub but she's locked the program, so tear out every single wire and circuit in the throne. Go crazy. Hit it with a stick, anything." He headed for the throne and began to check the wires. "We need it to shut down and re-route control to the secondary hub, which I'm guessing will also be the generator." The Doctor ran out of the room, yelling something about the bell tower. Amy, Alex, and Rory continued to pull all the wires they could, causing sparks. When they were done, Alex was the first to run outside to see if she could spot the Doctor. Rory and Amy came after her.

They ran into the courtyard and looked up. Alex spotted her Doctor. "There!" She pointed to him. He climbed up to the top of the tower using the cable and reached the giant sphere at the pinnacle. "Come on, Doctor, come on, come on, you can do it." Alex chanted softly.

"Come on!" Rory yelled, encouragingly.

The Doctor opened the sphere to reveal the device that was creating the storm. He began to examine it to see how to stop it. "Come on! Come on!" The three yelled from down there, watching him intently. The Doctor found a simple toggle switch and flipped it off. The rain stopped, the clouds clear, and the birds began to sing. Alex winced at the sun and covered her face but laughed none-the-less. Amy and Rory looked around before laughing and hugging each other. Alex jumped up and down clapping to herself and cried out in happiness.

The Doctor closed the sphere and looked down at the street with a little wave. "You did it!" Rory yelled up and Alex laughed.

-x-

The townsfolk were cleaning up after the storm. The Doctor, Alex, Amy and Rory head back to the TARDIS. "Now, then, what about you two, eh? Next stop Leadworth Register Office? Maybe I can give you away."

Alex swung their hands and laughed. "Don't even think about it!" She giggled. He grinned at her, somewhat floating, noticing her change in attitude towards touching and flirting.

He liked it.

He liked it a lot.

"It's fine. Drop me back where you found me. I'll just say you've..." Rory trailed off.

Amy started up. "Stay…" She interrupted. The two other time travelers looked back at them curiously. "With us. Please. Just for a bit. I want you to stay."

"Fine with me." The Doctor said.

"Yay!" Alex pumped her fist. "Rory!" Said brunette shook his head, he was still getting use to his fiancée's friend's strange behavior.

"Yeah?" He thought about it. "Yes, I would like that."

"Nice one." She kissed Rory. "I will pop the kettle on." She unlocked the TARDIS door, Alex right next to her. The ginger turned to her best friend. "Hey Lexi," the girl perked up. "Look at this. Got our spaceship, got our boys. Our work here is done."She entered the TARDIS. Alex laughed and opened it up behind her to go inside, and into another crazy, eccentric, exciting adventure with her friends and her Time Lord, not knowing the silence left behind her in Venice.

"_There were cracks. Through some we saw silence and the end of all things_."

My only real comment, other than 'it's good' is that if she was worse off than Amy, shouldn't she get better SLOWER? Like a day or so? Anywho, there you go.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter Thirty One**

Alex opened the TARDIS' doors and looked upon a two-story stone cottage. It was actually really nice… But not where they wanted to go. "Doctor," She called to her fiancé. "I think you got it wrong again!"

The brunette girl carefully made her way out of the flowers and patted the ground with her feet. She was wearing a purple elbow length shirt with a white jacket over it; some dark wash jeans and some pretty brown flats. Her hair was in a ponytail to get it out of her face. The Doctor popped his head out. The Doctor sighed; this hadn't been what he was aiming for to impress his Alex. He then stepped out, knocking a stone from the small retaining wall. "Rory." The Doctor greeted. Alex turned and laughed.

"Rory!" She threw her hands up. "Hey!"

"Doctor. Lex." Alex grinned at her name. She had felt a pang of pain when she remembered who else called her 'Lex' but that had been a while ago. She had gotten use to it from him now, even come to expect it.

"I've crushed your flowers." The Doctor announced. Alex laughed.

"Oh, Amy will kill you." Rory nodded.

"Speaking of which," Alex looked at the door, looking for her ginger haired friend. "Where is she?"

"She'll need a bit longer." He answered. Alex reached up her arms and they hugged.

"Whenever you're ready, Amy." The Doctor called to her. Alex broke the hug and went back to the Doctor's side. Their hands came together and held tightly to each other. Amy arrived. "Oh, wahey! Wahey! You've swallowed a planet." The Doctor rested a hand on her stomach. Alex shook her head with a smile. She pushed the hand away and the two best friends hugged.

"I'm pregnant." Amy announced.

The Doctor didn't seem to hear this. "You're huge."

"Yeah, I'm pregnant."

"No way," Alex laughed. "I'm engaged." She held up her left hand, to show on her ring finger, a beautiful – what looked like diamond – ring.

"Oh!" Amy laughed. "You're engaged?" Amy peeked a sly glance at the Time Lord, wasn't hard to figure out who she was engaged to.

Alex laughed and mimicked her. "You're pregnant?" The girls laughed and they talked to each other about their excitement.

"Look at you." The Doctor said. "When worlds collide."

Alex was trying so hard to hold back her laughter. "Doctor, she's pregnant."

"Oh, look at you both. Five years later and you haven't changed a bit." He hugged Amy. "Apart from age and size."

"Good to see you, Doctor." Amy said. "Good to see you too, Lexi." Alex grinned.

The Doctor paused and looked down at Amy's stomach. "Are you pregnant?"Alex finally laughed loudly and Amy shook her head and went back inside. The Doctor clapped Rory on the shoulders and took his fiancée into his arm as they followed after her.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Amy and Rory walked down a village lane. "Ah, Leadworth. Vibrant as ever."

"It's Upper Leadworth, actually." Rory informed. Alex looked around. "We've gone slightly upmarket."

"Where is everyone?" Alex asked. She supposed she was use to being surrounded by people – in alien markets – so this was strange to her.

"This is busy." The Doctor looked at Amy. "Okay, it's quiet, but it's really restful and healthy. Loads of people here live well into their 90s."

"Well, don't let that get you down." The Doctor said.

"It's not getting me down." Amy defended.

The four of them sat down on a bench in a cul-de-sac. "I wanted to see how you were. I don't just abandon people when they leave the TARDIS. This Time Lord's for life. You don't get rid of your old pal the Doctor so easily."

"We came here by mistake." Alex rolled her eyes. Amy nodded her head, she figured.

"Okay, a bit of a mistake." The Doctor corrected. "But look, what a result. Look at this...bench. What a nice bench. What will they think of next?" The four of them sat there, bored and with nothing to say. Alex laid her head on her Time Lord's shoulder. He gave her a soft squeeze in the hand.

"So. What do you do around here to stave off the, you know..."

Amy cut him off abruptly. "Boredom?"

"Self harm." Alex corrected.

"We relax." Rory answered. The Doctor turned to the girls and mouthed 'relax' to them. Alex bumped him a bit and gave him a stern look to behave. Her fiancé pursued his lips but knew he should or he'd regret it. "We live, we listen to the birds." Alex lifted her head up and watched as a bit of snow started to fall.

"Yeah, see, birds." Amy said, her tone betraying her words. "Those are nice."

"We didn't get time to listen to birdsong back in the TARDIS days." Rory either ignored her tone or was oblivious to it.

The birdsong became louder. "Oh, blimey. My head's a bit, ooh…" He held his head in his hand then sat back. Alex blinked as a suddenly heavy sleepiness came to her. "No, you're right, there wasn't a lot of time for birdsong back in the good..." The Doctor's voice drifted off as a heavy sleep started to come to him too. Their heads started to drift down. "Old… Days." The four fell asleep on the bench.

-x-

The Doctor woke up on the floor. "What? No, yes, sorry, what?" The Doctor got up and met Amy, Alex, and Rory at the console. "Oh, you're okay. Oh, thank God. I had a terrible nightmare about you two. That was scary. Don't ask, you don't want to know. You're safe now." Alex looked down at her left hand, and ran her fingers across her ring finger. The dream she had was almost realistic. Unlike most dreams that fade away when you woke up, she remembered it vividly.

The Doctor hugged Amy. "Oh, okay." She said surprised.

"That's what counts. Blimey, never dropped off like that before. Well, never, really. I'm getting on a bit, you see. Don't let the cool gear fool you. Now, what's wrong with the console?" Alex walked over to the Doctor, watching him carefully.

"What about me, Doctor?" He looked at her. "Was I in this nightmare?'

"Well you were, but…" He trailed off, not sure if he wanted to say anything. He had felt ecstatic honestly, that feeling of being her fiancé was one he couldn't get rid of. "But you…"

"I wasn't a part of the nightmare?" She asked.

"No… You were… A good part, actually." He confessed, before turning back to his TARDIS. Alex saw that he wasn't going to say anymore and decided to leave it alone, for now. "Red flashing lights... I bet they mean something." The Doctor bent down to check on the bottom of the console.

"Doctor, I also had a kind of dream thing." Rory said.

"Yeah, so did I." Amy nodded.

"Not a nightmare, though, just...we were married."

"Yeah, in a little village." The Doctor stood up and Alex and he shared a look of surprise. They had the same dream as well…

"A sweet little village and you were pregnant."

"Yeah, I was huge." Amy said. "I was a boat." The Doctor walked up behind Rory and tugged on his hoodie, remembering the ponytail he had been sporting. Alex came over as well, her arms crossed. "So you had the same dream, then? Exactly the same dream?"

"Are you calling me a boat?" Amy asked in a deadly voice.

Alex decided to add her two cents. "And we were visiting." Alex gestured to the Doctor and her. The Doctor held open Amy's jacket, remembering the size she had been from being pregnant.

"Yeah, yeah, you came to our cottage." Amy nodded. "And you were engaged to Alex." The Doctor took Alex's hand and looked at her left hand, remembering – more vividly than all the others – what the ring had looked like on her finger. Alex flushed a red.

"How can we have the same dream? It doesn't make sense." Rory said.

Amy remembered what the Doctor had said. "And you had a nightmare about us. What happened to us in the nightmare?"

"It was similar in some aspects." He let Alex's hand drop.

"Which ones?" Alex asked.

"Well, all of them." Alex rolled her eyes. She shook her head, leave it to the Doctor to think a 'peaceful life' would be a nightmare.

"You had the same dream." Amy said.

"Basically." The Doctor nodded.

"You said it was a nightmare." Rory pointed out.

"Did I say nightmare?" The Doctor tried to fix that. "No. More of a really good...mare. Look, it doesn't matter. We all had some kind of psychic episode. We probably jumped a time track." Alex looked around alarmed as a birdsong started up again. Alex swore that was the same one they heard in upper Leadworth.

"Doctor, if we're back to reality how come I can still hear birds?"

"Yeah, the same birds. The same ones we heard in the…"

-x-

They woke up on the bench. Rory's and the Doctor's head pressed against each other. Alex's head rested on her Time Lord's shoulder. "… Dream." Rory pulled away from the Doctor in embarrassment. "Oh. Sorry. Nodded off, stupid. God, I must be overdoing it. I was dreaming we were back on the TARDIS." The Doctor and Alex got up and Rory looked at Amy. When he saw recognition in her eyes, he realized. "You had the same dream, didn't you?"

Amy nodded. "Back in the TARDIS. Weren't we just saying the same thing?"

"Doctor, we thought this was the dream." Alex pointed out. The Doctor picked up a small stone from the path, examined it, and then threw it back to the ground.

Amy stood slowly. "I think so. Why do dreams fade so quickly?"

Rory walked over to the Doctor. "Doctor, what is going on?"

"Is this because of you? Is this some Time Lord thing because you've shown up again?" The Doctor turned and they made a small little circle.

"Listen to me. Trust nothing. From now on, trust nothing you see, hear or feel."

"But we're awake now." Rory said.

"But Rory, think about it. That's what we thought when we were on the TARDIS too." Alex pointed out.

Amy looked around. "But we're home."

"Yeah. You're home. You're also dreaming. Trouble is, Rory, Amy, Allie, which is which? Are we flashing forwards…or backwards? Hold on tight. This is going be a tricky one."

-x-

Alex shot up confused, and realized she was leaning against the TARDIS console. She got up quickly and leaned down for the TARDIS to hear her. "Sorry." She whispered. The ship gave a hum, understanding. The Doctor gripped a lever on the console to move it.

"This is bad. I don't like this." The Time Lord kicked the console and hurt his foot. Alex rolled his eyes and leaned down again, whispering another 'sorry' for the Doctor's rude behavior. She got another hum, and she couldn't help but think the TARDIS was in a similar train of thought that Alex was in. "Argh! Never use force. You just embarrass yourself. Unless you're cross, in which case – always use force." If the situation they were in wasn't so frustrating, Alex probably would have at least giggled at that statement.

"Shall I run and get the manual?" Amy asked.

The Doctor went downstairs to look under the console. "I threw it into the supernova!"

"You threw the manual into a supernova?" Alex leaned against the railing to look down at her Time Lord. "Why the hell did you do that?"

"Because I disagreed with it." Alex rolled her eyes, why was she not surprised? "Stop talking to me when I'm cross." He waved a finger at her. Alex stuck her tongue out at him. "Don't give me that tongue unless you're going to us it!" Alex's mouth opened and she grinned down as the Doctor stalled, realizing what he had just said. "That… Did not come out the way it should have…"

"You want some tongue, Doctor?" Alex laughed now. Amy giggled.

"Stop it, Allie!"

"Make me!" She shot back, still grinning.

"Okay," Rory decided it was best to get back onto topic. "But whatever's wrong with the TARDIS, is what caused us to dream about the future?"

"If we were dreaming about the future…" The Doctor headed back upstairs.

"Of course we were." Amy commented. "We were in Leadworth."

"Upper Leadworth." Rory corrected. Amy shot him a look.

"Yeah, and we could still be in Upper Leadworth, dreaming of this. Don't you get it?" The Doctor passed out some tools to each of them.

"No, okay, no this is real." Amy said, nodding for effect. "I'm defiantly awake now."

"And you thought you were awake when you were all elephanty."

Amy swung the wrench right into the Doctor's face dangerously. "Hey, pregnant."

"And you could be giving birth right now. This could be the dream. I told you, trust nothing we see or hear or feel. Look around you. Examine everything. Look for all the details that don't ring true." The Doctor took back the tools and went to the console.

"Okay, we're in a spaceship that's bigger on the inside than the outside."

"With a bow-tie wearing alien." Alex added. The Doctor came up behind her and shook her shoulders a little bit, his lips right next to her ear. Alex grinned, knowing he was probably giving her a look.

"So maybe 'what rings true' isn't so simple." Rory said.

"Valid point." The Doctor's voice was deep right next to Alex's ear. She leaned into him and his arms wrapped around her waist, he pressed his lips now to her hair. The TARDIS suddenly powered down leaving them in virtual darkness, the only light coming from the console. Alex looked around warily. What just happened? "It's dead." The Doctor announced. "We're in a dead time machine." The birdsong returned. As the TARDIS became darker, Rory went to Amy and took her in his arms. She took one of the Doctor's hands nervously. Alex felt the Doctor's arms tighten around her waist. "Remember – this is real, but when we wake up in the other place, remember how real this feels."

"It is real." Amy said firmly. "I know it's real."

-x-

The Doctor and Alex were standing in the middle of the street as a group of schoolchildren passed by. Amy and Rory woke up on the bench outside the library. "Okay. This is the real one, defiantly this one." Amy rubbed her stomach. "It's all solid."

"It felt solid in the TARDIS too. You can't spot a dream while you're having it." The Doctor lifted his free hand and waved his fingers in front of his face.

"What are you doing?" Rory asked as the couple got up to join them.

"Looking for motion blur, pixilation." The Doctor explained. "It could be a computer simulation. I don't think so, though."

A woman walked past them. "Hello, Doctor." Alex gave her a weird look; did she know the Doctor from somewhere?

"Hi." The Time Lord greeted.

"Hello." Rory answered at the same time. Alex turned her weird look upon Rory. The woman paused to look back before continuing on.

"You're a doctor." The brunette Time Lord said as a statement.

"Yeah." Rory answered proudly. "And unlike you, I've actually passed some exams."

"A doctor, not a nurse." The Doctor continued. "Just like you've always dreamed. How interesting." He walked away, dragging Alex along by the hand.

Rory followed. "What is?"

"Your dream wife, your dream job, probably your dream baby. Maybe this is your dream." The Doctor said.

"But, Doctor," Alex shuffled her hands, trying to say something. The Time Lord looked at her curiously; she usually never had trouble saying what was on her mind. "I mean, this could be…. Our dream… too…" She held up her ring as evidence.

The Doctor looked at it for a moment, honestly enjoying the way the ring looked on her finger. He flicked the thought away. "True, true."

"It isn't just my dream." Rory said. "It's Amy's dream too. Isn't it, Amy?"

"Yes. Course it is, yeah." Again, Amy's words were betrayed by her tone.

The Doctor pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "What's that?"

Alex looked back and saw a sign for it. "That would be an old person's home."

The Doctor looked at the home and saw the residents at the window looking out. "You said everyone here lives to their 90s. There's something here that doesn't make sense. Let's go and poke it with a stick." Alex grinned. She loved that line! The Doctor and Alex headed off and Rory followed with a groan.

Amy put her hands on her back. "Oh. Can we not do the running thing?" It wasn't easy to run with a baby growing within you.

-x-

The residents were relaxing in the room. One of the elderly women was knitting. "Oh, hello, Dr. Williams." Alex looked around, it seemed Rory was a not just a doctor, but a well-liked one.

The women doing the knitting looked up. "Hello, Rory, love." She greeted kindly.

"Hello, Mrs. Poggit." Rory greeted. "How's your hip?"

"A bit stiff." Mrs. Poggit answered.

"Oh, easy, D-96 compound, plus…" The Doctor trailed off. "No, you don't have that yet, forget that."

"Who's your friend?" Mrs. Poggit asked. "A junior doctor?" _In a way, I suppose so_.

"Yes." Rory answered, and the Doctor looked at Rory.

"Can I borrow you? You're the size of my grandson." The Doctor knelt down as Mrs. Poggit put a sweater over his head. Alex smiled to herself, enjoying the Doctor being all sweet for an elderly woman. Alex, without really noticing, fiddled with her engagement ring, enjoying the feel of it on her finger, but mostly, enjoying the feeling of what it would be like to be going down the aisle, seeing the Doctor at the other end.

"Slightly keen to move on. Freak psychic schism to sort out." The Doctor suddenly leaned towards Mrs. Poggit, causing the woman to lean back. "You're incredibly old, aren't you?" The other elders looked towards the Doctor as the birdsong began and the Doctor, Alex, Amy, and Rory fell to the floor, asleep.

-x-

The four of them awoke leaning against the console. Alex growled, she was getting sick of this. "Okay, I hate this, Doctor." Amy was having similar thoughts. "Stop it; because this is defiantly real, it's defiantly this one. I keep saying that, don't I?"

"Yeah." Alex crossed her arms and slightly curled in. It was starting to get really cold. "You do."

The Doctor went up to the upper level of his ship. "It's bloody cold." Rory said, voicing Alex's thoughts as a shiver passed through her.

"The heating's off." The Time Lord announced. _Joy_. Alex thought.

"The heating's off?" Rory repeated.

"Yeah. Put on a jumper." _Sweater_, Alex was still American, and she refused to cave in to English terms. "That's what I do."

"Yes, sorry about Mrs. Poggit. She's so lovely though."

The Doctor looked through a circular glass at them. "Oh, I wouldn't believe her nice old lady act if I were you."

"And that would mean?" Alex asked.

"Everything's off, sensors, core power. We're drifting. The scanner's down so we can't even see out. We could be anywhere." The Doctor headed back to the console. "Someone, something, is overriding my controls." A hologram of a man appeared at the top of the steps. He was short, had a receding hairline and was a little on the heavy side. He was dressed similarly to the Doctor in a tweed jacket, stripped shirt and a bowtie.

"Well, that took a while." He walked down the stairs. "Honestly, I'd heard such good things. Last of the Time Lords, the Oncoming Storm. Him in the bowtie."

The Doctor turned to the strange man. "How did you get into my TARDIS? What are you?"

"What shall we call me?" Alex felt the hair on her neck stand on end as he passed her. "Well, if you're the Time Lord, let's call me the Dream Lord." However, there was something about this man, something that seemed almost…familiar, but she just couldn't put her finger on it.

"Nice look." Alex commented, offhandedly.

"This?" He looked down at himself. "No, I'm not convinced. Bowties?"

The Doctor took an item out of his jacket pocket – Alex thought it was a ball of some sort – and threw it at the Dream Lord. Alex almost flinched when the item passed through him. "Interesting." The Doctor muttered.

"I'd love to be impressed, but Dream Lord - it's in the name, isn't it? Spooky, not quite there." Alex whirled around and found him to be behind them. "And yet, very much here."

"I'll do the talking, thank you. Amy, want to take a guess at what that is?"

"Um, Dream Lord. He creates dreams." Amy said.

"Allie? Your turn?"

"Um…" Alex shrugged. "Maybe not just dreams, but maybe delusions as well?" The Doctor nodded, they were both right.

"Dreams, delusions, cheap tricks."

"And what about the gooseberry here, does he get a guess?"

Rory became defensive. "Listen, mate, if anyone's the gooseberry around here, it's the Doctor."

"There's a delusion I'm not responsible for." The Dream Lord said.

"No, he is. Isn't he, Amy?" The Dream Lord disappeared and Alex jumped away when she felt a cold sensation run through her spine. She turned to see the Dream Lord had appeared behind her.

"Hello Allie." The two stared each other down. "Oh, I always did enjoy your courage. Look at you, don't know who I am, and you still stare me down all stubbornly and bravely." Alex said nothing. "And that almost brooding silence. You're very good. Taught by him no doubt. But I know where you're heart lies."

"Shut up." Alex finally said her voice stronger than she felt right now. "You don't know anything."

"Oh, I think I do."

"I said shut up." Alex's voice was close to becoming a snarl.

"Oh, hear that voice, Doctor." Alex took a deep breath to calm herself. "You're quite impressive when you want to be, Allie. You could probably pass off as a Time Lady yourself."

"Leave her alone." The Doctor commanded.

The Dream Lord appeared right next to Alex, but instead of moving, she held her ground. "Oh come now, Doctor. You've traveled with her for a while now; you should know she can handle herself." He looked back at the brunette girl. "And to think he's got it wrong." The Dream Lord carelessly gestured to Rory. "The Doctor's not a gooseberry, is he Allie? He's got you. Pretty, brave, empathetic, kind old you." Alex turned to face him directly. "Selfish old you. I know what you want? Does he?"

"He knows." Alex said. Her anger was even clearer in her calm voice. The Dream Lord even seemed surprised by the intensity she had.

He disappeared and Alex turned to see him next to the stairs again. Her eyes were calm, but the anger and fire was clear beneath the façade of calm, like an ocean just before a raging storm. The Dream Lord had not been lying; Alex could easily pass as a Time Lady with the way she looked right now. "The precious couple. I've seen you're nightmares, Allie. I've seen your dreams. I know what you want and what you fear."

Something was really starting to bother her about this little man. "So does the Doctor." She said. He knew what she feared and what she loved. The Dream Lord was about to open his mouth, but Alex cut him off. She was done. "Are you trying to get a rise out of me?" She sneered. "'Cause if you are, you're wasting your time. I'm not stupid, dumbass. Now, will you please be so kind as to Leave. Me. Alone."

"She's a nice catch, isn't she, Doctor?" The Dream Lord said. "Much better than ginger."

"Shove off." Rory said.

"Oh, Amy, have to sort your men out. Choose, even." The Dream Lord appeared behind them again. They all turned to him. Alex came up next to the Doctor, and the Time Lord could easily feel her anger radiating off of her.

"I have chosen. Of course I've chosen." Without taking her eyes of the Dream Lord, she smacked Rory on the chest. "It's you, stupid."

"Oh, good, thanks." He was relieved by that. What he didn't understand is Amy knew. Amy knew what kind of connection the Doctor and Alex had. No one could have the Doctor, he was purely Alex's.

"You can't fool me. I've seen your dreams. Some of them twice, Amy. Blimey, I'd blush if I had a blood supply or a real face." Alex put a hand on Amy's shoulder and squeezed gently. The brunette knew the Dream Lord was trying to get a rise out of the ginger.

"Where did you pick up this cheap cabaret act?" The Doctor finally stepped in.

"Me? Oh, you're on shaky grounds." The Dream Lord replied.

"Am I?" The Doctor asked.

"If you had any more tawdry quirks you could open up a Tawdry Quirk Shop. The madcap vehicle, the cockamamie hair, the clothes designed by a first-year fashion student... I'm surprised you haven't got a little purple space dog just to ram home what an intergalactic wag you are."

"This is coming from the man with the same outfit." Alex retorted sourly. The Dream Lord gave Alex a look, a look Alex gladly returned with a glare of her own.

"Where was I?" The Dream Lord mumbled aloud.

"You were…" The strange man cut Rory off.

He moved to the upper level. "I know where I was. So, here's your challenge. Two worlds. Here in the time machine, and there in the village that time forgot. One is real, the other's fake. And just to make it more interesting you're going to face in both worlds a deadly danger. But only one of the dangers is real. Tweet, tweet. Time to sleep." The birdsong started up again, and the Doctor, Alex, Amy, and Rory fell to the floor asleep. "Oh, or are you waking up?"

-x-

They woke up abruptly on the lounge floor. The Dream Lord entered now in a suit with an X-ray film. "Oh, this is bad. This is very, very bad. Look at this X-ray. Your brain is completely see-through. But then, I've always been able to see through you, Doctor." Alex looked at her Time Lord curiously. It just kept coming back; something about this 'Dream Lord' seemed strangely familiar.

"Always? What do you mean 'always'?" Amy asked.

The Dream Lord ignored her. "Now then, here's the prognosis is this." The Doctor sat down in Mrs. Poggit's vacated seat. "If you die in the dream you wake up in reality. Healthy recovery in next to no time. Ask me what happens if you die in reality?"

Rory complied. "What happens?"

"You die, stupid." The Dream Lord replied harshly. "That's why it's called reality."

"Have you met the Doctor before? Do you know him? Doctor, does he?"

"Now don't get jealous. He's been around, our boy. Never mind that. You've got a world to choose. One reality was always too much for you, Doctor. Take two and call me in the morning." He disappeared. Alex growled.

"I _really _don't like him." Alex grumbled to herself.

"I agree." Rory said.

Amy crossed his arms, and store at the Doctor hard. "Who is he?" She asked.

"I don't know. It's a big universe."

"Doctor, he knows you, his conversations make that obvious." Alex pointed out. "I mean, why is he doing this?"

"Maybe because he has no physical form. That gets you down after a while, so he's taking it out on folk like us who can touch and eat and feel." The Doctor looked down and realized he still had the sweater on. He got up and removed it.

"What does he mean deadly danger? Nothing deadly has happened here. A bit of natural wastage, obviously."

The Doctor looked around. "They've all gone. They've all gone." Alex looked around and realized all the elderly people were gone. The Doctor ran outside and the other followed him.

-x-

Children were in the playground next to the local ruins. A teacher was with them. The Doctor exited the old people's home and watched as some of the children head into the ruins. "Why would they leave?" Rory called after the two fasted past time travelers.

"And what did you mean about Mrs. Poggit's act?" Amy added.

"One of my tawdry quirks – sniffing out things that aren't what they seem." The Doctor explained. "So come on, let's think. The mechanics of this split we're stuck in… Time asleep matches time in our dream world, unlike in conventional dreams."

"And we're having the same dream at the same time." Alex added.

"Yes, sort of communal trance, very rare, very complicated. I'm sure there's a dream giveaway. But my mind isn't working because this village is so dull! I'm slowing down, like you three have." Alex shot him a look when he called the town dull and it just turned into a downright glare at that last comment. She reached out and smacked his arm. He turned and she turned her glare full force on him. "Not, you Allie." He fixed. Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Amy suddenly grabbed her stomach. "Oh. Ow. Really. Ow!" She screamed. "It's coming." Alex whirled around with wide eyes. What? Now?

"Help her, you're a doctor." The Doctor said to Rory.

"You're a doctor!" Rory retorted.

"You're both doctors," Alex snapped. "Do something!"

"It's okay, we're doctors." The Time Lord squatted down and held his hands between her legs, near her knees, as if to catch the baby when it fell out. "What do we do?"

Amy stopped panicking within seconds. "Okay, it's not coming." Alex just stared at Amy in disbelief. Really? She did _not _just do that.

The Doctor stood. "What?"

"This is my life now and it just turned you white as a sheet. So don't you call it dull again, ever. Okay?" Alex had to admit, she wasn't the one scary. When Amy wanted to be, _she _could be terrifying.

"Sorry." The Doctor muttered.

"Yeah." She walked off and the three followed her. The Doctor saw Mrs. Poggit heading for the ruins. Amy and Alex headed for the swing set and they both sat down. Both men stood behind their girls. Alex leaned back and her head touched the Doctor's stomach. He put his hands onto her shoulders, squeezing them gently.

"Now, we all know there's an elephant in the room." The Doctor said and Amy threw him a look.

"I have to be this size, I'm having a baby." Amy's voice strained.

"No, no. The hormones seem real, but no. Is nobody going to mention Rory's ponytail?" The girls looked at him and he slowly smiled. "You hold him down, I'll cut it off." He put his fingers into a scissor motion. Amy chuckled and Alex giggled, but tapped the Doctor's front.

"This from the man in the bowtie." Rory defended.

"Bowties are cool." The Doctor responded. He walked farther, and Alex had to grab the chains from the swing to keep herself from falling. The Doctor watched Mrs. Poggit watching the children. "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't hire Mrs. Poggit as a babysitter." Mrs. Poggit turned and stared at the Doctor. "What's she doing? What does she want?" The Birdsong started again.

_Shit_. "Oh, no, here we go."

-x-

The Doctor was at the console as Alex, Amy, and Rory joined him. Alex rubbed her arms, freezing. Amy was mimicking her actions. "It's really cold. Have you got any warm clothing?"

"What does it matter if we're cold? We have to know what she is up to." The Doctor snapped but sighed. "Sorry. Sorry." He rubbed his face. "There should be some stuff down there, have a look." Amy went to look, and with a defiant zip of his hoodie, Rory followed. The Doctor opened his arms when he saw his Alex was shivering. She didn't hesitate and curled up into him, purring when she found he was warm. The Doctor closed his arms and rubbed her back, trying to get her warm. The Doctor rested his chin on her head.

"Who is he, Doctor?" Alex asked. "Who is the Dream Lord?" The Doctor sighed and buried his face into her hair, and Alex knew he wasn't going to answer. He might not even know who he was, yet. Alex knew he'd figure it out at some point.

The Doctor kissed her head, resisting the urge to just reach up, hold her face, and kiss her intensely. Something about the moment was making it hard. He wasn't the only one feeling either, Alex felt some in her as her skin tingled and butterflies started up. They both decided it was best to let go and the Doctor went into the space under the console, setting an enamel mug on a box with a crank. The crank came off so the Doctor hit it. The box opened showing a number of gadgets inside. Alex watched him from above.

Alex looked up and saw Amy heading back up to the console with some blankets in her arms. Alex gestured and Amy tossed her a blanket, which Alex happily wrapped around herself tightly. The Doctor had created something out of kitchen gadgets and he handed it to Rory. "Ah, Rory, wind." He handed Amy the attached wire. "Amy, could you attach this to the monitor, please."

Amy did so and Rory just looked at the gadget in his hands strangely. "I was promised amazing worlds. Instead I get duff central heating and a weird, kitcheny wind-up device."

"It's a generator. Get winding." Rory slowly did so.

"It's not enough." Alex announced, looking at the monitor.

"Rory, wind." The Doctor ordered.

Rory wound faster. "Why is the Dream Lord picking on you? Why us?"

The monitor screen beeped to life and showed a starscape. "Where are we?" Amy asked.

"We're in trouble." The Doctor said.

Alex blinked when a white ball of light appeared on the monitor, looking very close to the TARDIS. "What is that?" Rory asked.

"A star. A cold star." The Doctor ran to the doors and opened it, letting a blinding light. Alex covered her eyes from the light, still a little 'allergic' from light from her episode in 'Vampires of Venice'. "That's why we're freezing. It's not a malfunction. We're drifting towards a cold sun. That's our deadly danger for this version of reality." The Doctor thankfully closed the doors and Alex dropped her hands. They all looked at the huge monitor on the wall.

"This must be the dream. There is no such thing as a cold star. Stars burn."

"So's this one, I suppose." Alex said. "It's just burning… cold."

"Is that possible?" Rory asked the Time Lord.

"I can't know everything. Why does everybody expect me to, always?" The Doctor headed to the console area and sat down dejectedly.

"Because you act like you know everything?" Alex pointed out. The Doctor gave her a look and she shrugged. She was just being honest.

"Okay, this is something you haven't seen before." Rory said. "So does this mean this is the dream?"

"I don't know, but there it is, and I'd say we've got about 14 minutes until we crash into it. But that's not a problem."

"Because you know how to get us out?" Alex asked hopefully, figuring it was probably in vain.

The Doctor put on his stethoscope. "Because we'll have frozen to death." Alex nodded, figuring he would say something like that.

"Then what'll we do?" Amy asked.

The Doctor took the stethoscope to the controls. "Stay calm. Don't get sucked in to it, because this just might be the battle we have to lose."

"Oh, this is so you, isn't it?" Rory said bitterly.

"What?" The Doctor asked.

"What a weird new star, 14 minutes left to live and only one man to save the day. I just wanted a nice village and a family." The Dream Lord appeared behind the Doctor. Alex groaned, she did _not _want to deal with him right now.

"Oh, dear, Doctor. Dissent in the ranks. There was an old doctor from Gallifrey, who ended up throwing his life away; He let down his friends and..." He stopped when the birdsong started up. "Oh, no, we've run out of time. Don't spend too long there, or you'll catch your death here."

-x-

The Doctor ran up the steps to the ruins. "Where have the children gone?" The Doctor wondered. The area was empty aside from small piles of dirt and cloth. The Doctor checked them with the sonic.

"Don't know. Play time's probably over." Rory turned to Amy and leaned against the railing. Alex walked off and ran her fingers across a pile of dirt, her mind giving off small alarm bells as her gut squeezed. She heard Rory's and Amy's conversation but ignored it. "You see, this is the real one. I just feel it. Don't you feel it?"

"I feel it both places." Amy replied.

"I feel it here. It's just so tranquil and relaxed. Nothing bad could ever happen here."

"Not really me, though, is it? Would I be happy settling down in a place with a pub, two shops and a really bad amateur dramatics society?" Rory looked at her shocked. "That's why I got pregnant, so I don't have to see them doing Oklahoma." Alex finally stood up, looking at all the piles of dust.

"Doctor," Her voice was hesitant, afraid of the realization of what these piles might actually be. "What are these piles of dust?"

The Doctor let some dust fall from his fingers. "Playtime's defiantly over." Alex put her hands to her mouth in horror.

"Oh my God." Amy muttered.

"What happened to them?" The Doctor looked into the village and saw the elderly walking along the path towards them.

"I think they did." The Doctor said.

"They're just old people." Amy said. How could old people do something like this?

"No. They're very old people." He headed down the stairs, Alex hot on his tail. "Sorry, Rory, I don't think you're what's been keeping them alive." The elderly lined up along the path facing the park. The Doctor, Alex, Amy, and Rory were heading towards them when the Dream Lord appeared.

"Hello, peasants. What's this, attack of the old people? Oh, that's ridiculous. This has got to be the dream, hasn't it? What do you think, Amy? How about you, Allie? Let's all jump under a bus and wake up in the TARDIS." He turned to the Doctor. "You first."

"Leave her alone." He ordered, using his Time Lord voice.

"Do that again. I love it when he does that. Tall dark hero, 'leave her alone'."The Dream Lord seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Just leave her alone." Rory said, talking about Amy. Rory didn't realize that the Doctor had been talking about Alex.

"Yes, you're not quite so impressive. But I know where your heart lies, don't I, Amy Pond?"

"Shut up! Just shut up and leave me alone."

The Dream Lord turned too looked at Alex. "Don't start with me." She snarled. "Shut up and leave _both _of us alone."

He turned back to Amy. "But listen, you're in there. Loves a redhead, our naughty Doctor! Has he told you about Elizabeth the First? Well, she thought she was the first..."

"Drop it. Drop all of it. I know who you are."

The Dream Lord looked at him. "Course you don't."

"Course I do. No idea how you can be here, but there's only one person in the universe who hates me as much as you do." The Dream Lord grinned, and seemed impressed.

"Never mind me. Maybe you _should _worry about them." The elderly of the village began advancing. When Alex looked back at where the Dream Lord had been, he was gone. They all turned back to the elders.

"Hi." Rory greeted.

"Hello. We were wondering where you went. To get reinforcements! Are you all right? You look a bit tense." The Doctor said.

"Hello, Mr. Nainby." Rory greeted to an elderly man next to Mrs. Poggit.

"Rory…" Alex warned.

"Mr. Nainby ran the sweet shop. He used to slip me the odd free toffee." Mr. Nainby lifted Rory by the collar with one hand. "Did I not say thank you?" He threw the country doctor backward into the mud. "How did he do that?" Rory stood back up.

"I suspect he's not himself. Don't get comfortable here. You may have to run. Fast."

"Can't we just talk to them?" Amy asked exasperated, one couldn't exactly run with a baby in them.

The elderly opened their mouths to reveal an eye in each of them. Alex's eyes widened and she backed up a bit. "Oh, that is nasty." She muttered.

"There is an eye in her mouth!" Amy freaked.

The Doctor was using his sonic screwdriver. "There's a whole creature inside her. Inside all of them. They've been there for years, living and waiting."

"That is disgusting." Rory muttered, and Alex couldn't help but agree. "They're not going to be peeping out of anywhere else are they?" Mrs. Poggit leaned forward and shot a green mist. Rory pulled Amy to safety and the Doctor shoved Alex back to miss the gas. He put himself in front of them. "_Run_!" Rory and Amy left but the Doctor felt Alex's hand gripping his jacket tightly. "Okay, leave them." He didn't have the time to try and unsuccessfully convince Alex to leave. "Talk to me. Talk to me. You are Eknodines, a proud, ancient race - you're better than this. Why are you hiding away here? Why aren't you at home?"

Mrs. Poggit's voice had changed, into a deeper baritone. "We were driven from our pl…"

"Planet by upstart neighbors." The Doctor finished.

"So we've…" Mr. Nainby was cut off by the Doctor again.

"… Been living here inside the bodies of old humans for… years. No wonder they live so long, you're keeping them alive."

"We were humbled and destroyed." Mrs. Poggit said. "Now we will do the same to others."

"Okay, makes sense, I suppose." The Doctor muttered. "Credible enough, could be real."

A man came up alongside the Doctor, pushing his bicycle. "Morning." The man greeted.

Mrs. Poggit shot the green mist at the man and he turned to dust. The Doctor turned to her. "You need to leave this planet." The creature within Mrs. Poggit screeched.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex were practically stumbling down the road, a group of elderly residents following. They were fighting to fall asleep as they heard the birdsong. They made it into a butcher's shop. Alex stumbled into the shop and fell against the wall, shaking her head, trying with effort to shake off the sleeping. The Doctor locked the door and flipped the sign to 'closed'. The Dream Lord was behind the counter dressed as a butcher complete with an apron and boater. "Oh, I love a good butcher's don't you?" Alex glared sleepily at the Dream Lord. _This was all his fault_. "We've got to use these places or they'll shut down. But you're probably a vegetarian, you big flop-haired wuss."

The Doctor took a key from a shelf and tried to unlock another door. "Shut up, will ya?" Alex snarled. "_We're busy_."

"Maybe you need a little sleep." The birdsong returned and they slipped to the ground.

The Dream Lord leaned over the counter. "Oh, wait a moment." The Doctor stood up and helped Alex back up. "If you fall asleep here, several dozen angry pensioners will destroy you with their horrible eye thingies." The Doctor, with Alex next to him, went into the hall behind the counter. "Fingers in the ear? Brilliant." The Doctor slid to the ground. Alex covered her ears, but she could still hear the birdsong. "What's next, shouting 'boo'?" The Dream Lord turned and motioned for the elderly to come in. "Come in. Come in." The pensioners entered and made their way around the counter. "Yes, we've got lots at 'steak' here this week. Lots at steak. Get it?" The Doctor got up with a burst of energy and heaved his brunette up as she continued to doze in and out. He gripped the door in the back. "Are these jokes wasted on you two?"

The Doctor made his way to the second freezer door but slid to the floor as the pensioners came closer. "Wait, stop…" He reached into his pocket.

"Oh, I can't watch." He put his hands over his eyes. The Doctor stood with effort, keeping a tight hold on his Alex, used the sonic screwdriver to unlock the door. He locked it behind him and fell asleep as the pensioners pounded on the door.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex woke up, their eyes in front of the other. They were on the TARDIS floor, Amy and Rory on either side. Amy clutched the blanket. "Ah, it's colder." Alex shivered and curled up.

"The four of us have to agree, now, which is the dream." The Doctor buttoned up his jacket and wrapped his arms around Alex. She scooted over and curled up into him.

"It's this, here." Rory said, first.

"He could be right." Amy said. "The science is all wrong here, burning ice?"

"But ice can burn." Alex insisted. "I mean, it's a really big universe, it's possible for ice to burn." She knew this from experience, in a big universe like this, anything was possible.

"We have to agree which battle to lose." The Doctor said. "All of us, now."

"Okay, which do you think is real?" Amy asked.

"I don't know." Alex said, rubbing her eyes.

"This one." The Doctor said.

"No, the other one." Rory argued.

"Yeah, but are we disagreeing, or competing?" The Doctor retorted.

"Competing over what?" Amy asked. The Doctor and Rory just stared at her and Amy groaned and got up.

The Doctor checked his watch. "Nine minutes 'till impact." He stood up with his Alex in his arms.

"What temperature is it?" Alex asked quietly.

"Outside? Brrr…How many noughts have you got? Inside? I don't know but I can't feel my feet and…other parts." Alex pressed herself to him and kissed his cheek in a quick moment. The Doctor froze for a moment, her hips pressing an… interesting part of him and Alex grinned, which told me she knew what she did. She winked at him, and he tried to glare but his heart fluttered. Was she flirting with him, even just a little bit? He hoped so.

"I think all my parts are basically fine." Rory said. Alex rolled her eyes.

"Stop competing!" There were more important things to worry about.

"Can't we call for help?" Rory asked. He held the phone out.

The Doctor took the phone. "Yeah, the universe is really small – bound to be someone nearby!" He tapped Rory with the phone before hanging it up.

"Put these on, the three of you." Amy threw a blank with a hole cut out at the Doctor and Alex and slipped another over Rory's head. Alex took it gratefully, willing to do anything to get warm.

"Oh, a poncho." Rory said cynically. "The biggest crime against fashion since lederhosen."

Amy put her on. "Here we go." She looked over at the two men. "Oh, look Allie, our boys." She said.

Alex smiled. "Our poncho boys." She corrected and Amy grinned.

The two stood between the two. "If we're going to die, let's die looking like a Peruvian folk band." Amy said. The frozen star loomed closer in the monitor.

"We're not going to die." Rory said with confidence.

"No, we're not." He checked his watch. "But our time's running out. If we fall asleep here, we're in trouble." The Time Lord started to pace. "If we could divide up, then we'd have an active presence in each world, but the Dream Lord is switching us between worlds. Why, why, what's the logic?"

The Dream Lord appeared with a poncho now on and paced alongside the Doctor. "Good idea, veggie, let's divide you four up, so I can have a little chat with our lovely companions. Maybe I'll keep them, and you can have Pointy Nose to yourself for all eternity, should you manage to clamber aboard some sort of reality." Rory and the Doctor looked around, and Alex looked around confused.

"Can you hear that?" Both girls looked at him confused.

"What? No."

"Hear what?" Alex asked. She felt hands on her shoulders, and she turned back to the Doctor. She looked at him, starting to become afraid when she realized his eyes were starting to drop.

"Amy, Allie, don't be scared, we'll be back." The Doctor and Rory started fall asleep on the floor. Alex grasped the Doctor's shoulders, helping him down to the ground. His head fell to the ground.

"Rory, Doctor, don't leave us." Amy said.

"Doctor," she whispered and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Amy, Allie, we're going to have fun aren't we?" The Dream Lord said, but Alex ignored him and ran her fingers in the Doctor's hair, keeping him against her for comfort.

"No, please, not alone."

"Its okay, Amy." Alex knew she had to be strong for her friend. "It's going to be alright."

-x-

The Doctor woke in the freezer and saw Alex was still asleep next to him. He grasped her head and kissed it gently. "You're going to be okay, Allie." He wasn't going to let anything hurt her. The Doctor leaned against the door and listened. Outside, the pensioners were waiting, the aliens screeching from their mouths. The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver. "Okay, where is it?" The Doctor tested the sonic screwdriver before opening the door. He shot the light and grabbed Alex and ran in the confusion. The Doctor heaved his girl onto his back.

The Doctor cut though a yard and came out in a different street where a pensioner was attacking a man in an old VW bus. "Oh, help, somebody!" The man cried.

"You couldn't live near the shops, could you?"He raced to the bus, pushed the pensioner away, and climbed into the driver's seat. He locked his door and rested Alex onto the passenger seat. "Hook her up." He ordered the man. The Doctor drove the bus though the village as the man hooked the unconscious woman up and got near the other doors. They saw two young women as they were being surrounded by pensioners. They slid the door open. "Get in, get in, get in. Quickly, quickly, over here. Quickly, come on, jump in." The Doctor ordered to the running girls. "Quick get in now, quickly. Hurry up." The women climbed into the car and the man closed the door. "Are we in?"

He peeked at his Alex and her head moved in her sleep, mumbling something incoherently. Even though it wasn't a good time, he couldn't help but notice that she was beautiful when she slept. The Doctor shook his head and got back to business as he drove the bus. They saw a family. The Doctor stalled the buss and the man opened the door again. "Come on, let's go, quickly, all four, that's it everyone in." Once the family was in the Doctor drove off.

-x-

The inside the TARDIS had become coated in ice. Amy was sitting in a lonely vigil over the Doctor and Rory. Alex made sure to keep the ice off of her Time Lord's face. His head was on her lap, as he slept. The Dream Lord appeared beside Amy. "Poor Amy. He always leaves you, doesn't he? Alone in the dark. Never apologizes."

"He doesn't have to." Amy got up and walked away from the man.

"That's good, because he never will. And now he's left you two with me. Spooky, old, not-to-be-trusted me." He relocated to a chair, lounging in a robe that bore a deal of chest. Alex scrunched up her nose in disgust and turned her attention back to her Doctor. She brushed the hair from his face affectionately and ran her fingers lightly across his face. "Anything could happen."

Amy turned around, facing the Dream Lord. "Who are you and what do you want? The Doctor knows you, but he's not telling me who you are. And he always does. Takes him awhile sometimes, but he tells me. So you're something different."

"Oh, is that who you think you are? The one he trusts?"

"Actually, yes."

The Dream Lord stood up. "The one girl in the universe to whom the Doctor tells everything?"

"I'm not just talking about me." Amy retorted. "Alex is the person who he trusts the most."

"But to answer your question, _Dream Lord_." Alex sneered. "Yes. We do."

"So, what's his name?" He disappeared and reappeared back in tweed, squatting at the Doctor's feet. Alex encircled her arms around the Doctor protectively. "Now, which one of these men would you really choose? Look at them. You ran away with a handsome hero. Would you really give him up for a bumbling country doctor who thinks the only thing he needs to be interesting is a ponytail?"

"Stop it." Amy ordered.

"But maybe it's better than loving and losing the Doctor." The Dream Lord stood up. "Pick a world and this nightmare will all be over." He stood between the two recumbent figures. Alex's arms tightened around her Time Lord. "They'll listen to you. It's you they're waiting for. Amy's men. Amy's choice." He disappeared.

Alex really, _really _was starting to hate that man. She ran her hands through the Doctor's hair absentmindedly. Amy had chosen, her choice was Rory. Why was he so insistent on her choosing? She didn't need to. She already had. Alex looked down at the Doctor. Her choice had already been made. She had already chosen. She leaned down and gently kissed the Doctor's temple. She whispered against his cold skin. "I'll tell you someday." She wanted to wait, until, maybe, the right moment – or at least, the next best option. Now, was not the time.

Amy bent over and straightened Rory's poncho. She looked over at the Doctor before looking at her brunette friend. She saw such a sweet smile on her lips, a look she had not seen before. Amy smiled. She didn't need to chose, it was already so obvious. The Doctor belonged to Alex Harper. The man didn't belong to anyone else. It was obvious that they were just… perfect for each other. Amy resumed her seat on the stairs.

-x-

The Doctor pulled the bus up in front of the church and moved everyone inside. "Everybody, out, out out! Into the church, that's right. Don't answer the door." The Doctor then drove the bus out of the village proper towards Amy's and Rory's cottage. He continued to glance at Alex, concerned, hoping that she would wake up soon. The Dream Lord appeared in the back seat wearing a race car driver's suit, helmet in his lap.

"It's make your mind up time in both worlds." He announced.

"Bye." The Doctor said curtly. "I need to find my friends."

"Friends? Is that the right word for the people you acquire? Friends are people you stay in touch with. Your friends never see you again once they've grown up. The old man prefers the company of the young, does he not? Look at Allie for instance," The Doctor peek at look at his girl – still sleeping. "She gets older each day, but…wait, there's something wrong, Doctor. And you've missed it."

"I don't miss anything," especially when it came to Alex. He felt a pang of pain though. He never liked to think about how she was getting older in a way he never could.

"But, you have." The Dream Lord contradicted. "She's 22 right now, but look at her, Doctor. Really, for a moment actually look at her." The Doctor could only for a second, but his hearts seemed to stop when he realized something. _No, it couldn't be_… "Now you've figured it out. If she's 22, why doesn't she _look _22? She doesn't look a day over 19. That's a big thing, how could you miss that?" The Doctor's hearts were racing. How was that possible? It was like she wasn't aging physically, but that was impossible, she was human. The Doctor looked in the review mirror and saw the Dream Lord had disappeared.

The Doctor arrived at the cottage and saw the elderly laying siege. He eyed the cottage, looking for a way in. "Okay…" Just before he got out, Alex suddenly awoke with a gasp. "Allie…"

She looked over at him, and the Doctor could not honestly believe his eyes. Her eyes showed her age of 22, actually even older from her travels with him, but when he looked at her face, it wasn't a day over 19, literally. He filed it away, for now. "What?" She looked around. "What happened?"

"I can't explain now." The Doctor waved her over. He opened the door and ducked down behind the bus. "Quickly, Allie." Even though she didn't know what was going on, she followed the Doctor.

-x-

They got up to the window and they got in quickly before any of the elders could. "It's alright," the Doctor said, taking note to Amy's and Rory's alarmed faces. "We had to stop off at the butchers." The Doctor fell to the floor and Alex climbed in quickly after him, falling to her knees.

"What are we going to do?" Rory asked.

The Doctor didn't get a chance to answer. Amy gasped. "I think the baby's starting."

"Honestly?" Rory asked.

"Would I make it up at a time like this?" She snapped.

"Well, you do have a history of…" Amy glared at him. "Being very lovely." _Oh, nice save, Rory_. Alex thought. Amy cried out. "Why are they so desperate to kill us?"

The Doctor stood up. "They're scared. Fear generates savagery." A piece of garden statuary was thrown through the window. Rory went to look and Mrs. Poggit shot him with the green mist. He fell back with a groan and Amy went to comfort him. Alex found a lamp – _sorry about this Mrs. Poggit _– and knocked the woman off the roof with it. The Doctor and Alex whirled around to watch Amy and Rory.

"Rory!"

"No! I'm not ready." He began to dissolve into dust. Alex put her hands up, tears spilling past her eyes.

"Stay." Even the Doctor was emotional, he whipped his eyes.

"Look after our baby." Rory dissolved into dust.

"No. No. Come back." Amy looked at the pile of dust.

The Doctor mouthed 'Amy' and Alex sucked in a shuttering breath. The distraught woman turned to the Doctor. "Save him. You save everyone. You always do. It's what you do."

"Not always. I'm sorry."

"Then what is the point of you?" Alex winced. She knew those words would really hurt her Time Lord. Amy touched the pile of dust that was Rory and stood up with the help of a bureau. The Doctor went to help, to comfort, but he couldn't bring himself to touch her. Amy clutched Rory's ponytail. "This is the dream. Definitely, this one. Now, if we die here, we wake up, yeah?"

The Doctor nodded. "Unless we die."

"Either way, this is my only chance of seeing him again." Amy was so close to tears. "This is the dream?"

"How do you know, Amy?" Alex asked softly.

"Because if this is real life, I don't want it. I don't want it."

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Amy left the house and the elderly paused. "What aren't they attacking?" Amy yelled.

"Either because this is just a dream, or because they know what we're about to do." Alex saw some movement out of the corner of her eye, and on pure instinct, she pushed the Doctor out of the way, and got hit with some green mist. She groaned painfully and fell to the ground. "No, Allie! Allie!" The Doctor rushed back to her side and cradled her in his arms. Her mouth was opened just a small bit. She looked liked she wanted to say something, her hand touched his cheek. But, she couldn't say anything as the mist took effect and turned her into dust. The Doctor watched the scene with blank eyes. "No," He finally said. "No, no, no, _no_!" He screamed and buried his fingers into the dust which had been Alex – _his _Alex. "No! NO!"

"Doctor…"

"No, no, no, no, no, no…" The Doctor put his hands up to his face. She couldn't be dead. No. She couldn't. He wanted her – no, he _needed _her by his side. He couldn't do without her. He couldn't _live _without her; it felt like he couldn't breathe. "Allie," His ranting dissolved into her name. "Allie, Allie, Allie, Allie…" He was chanting her name, as if praying for her to come back, and he was. She was his light. His beautiful, shinning light in his dark world. He put his hands back into the dust. He couldn't see any sort of existence now without her.

Amy came over, seeing such overwhelming pain and panic in the Doctor's face. She had never seen it before, but wasn't surprised that Alex could get such a strong reaction out of the Time Lord. "Doctor."

"No! NO! _No_!" He shot up. "She can't be! _She can't be_!" He couldn't even say she was dead, because she _couldn't _be dead. He had to have her with him.

"Doctor!" The Doctor whirled around and looked at Amy with panicked eyes.

"Amy," He grasped his friend's shoulders. "What… Do I do…? I can't… I can't do anything without her." The Doctor's voice was nothing like his usual voice, but was now broken and empty. Through this, Amy saw just how much the Doctor really did _need _the brunette. Suddenly, his eyes turned into something akin to rage, but with so much more power. He turned to the elders and they at least had the sense to step back. They had just angered a Time Lord. That was the wrong move.

They just unleashed hell on Earth.

The Doctor walked towards them. "Bring her back." He said, his voice calm, but the anger and rage within chilled even Amy to the bone. "Bring her back now!" He ordered loudly, and the atmosphere crackled with the power behind his voice. He was the 'Oncoming Storm' for a reason. He had just seen the love of his life die in his arms. They weren't going to get away with this. "_Bring. Her. Back_!"

"Doctor!" Amy cried, worried of what he might do.

"I said bring her back!" The Doctor roared at them an angry lion ready to tear the world to get his Alex back to him. He stormed up to Mrs. Poggit, and the woman back away from him. They all stepped back. This man had taken down worlds, evils, whole _armies_.

This was a man to be feared.

"Doctor!" Amy came up to them as the Doctor started to charge now. She ran in front of him and held him back, barely.

"You killed her! You killed Allie! Bring her back! I want her back! You bring her back _now_!" His command roared through the air and split it with unspoken power. The air crackled and sparked silently and the silence after was deafening.

"_Doctor_!" The Time Lord looked down at his friend. "You and me, we've got one chance of seeing them again. One chance." The Doctor looked up, now his eyes held determination. But Amy could still see it. She could still see the fires of hell in his eyes. He glared chillingly at the elders, causing them to take another step away from the Devil himself. They walked to the bus; both of them, and the Doctor handed over the keys, and held her hand in his tightly for a moment. He didn't care if he died anymore. He was with Amy. If this was reality, he didn't want it if Alex wasn't with him. Amy walked around to the driver's seat to start the car, and, as the Doctor walked to the passenger side, the Dream Lord was there. Without a word, the Doctor got into the vehicle.

The Doctor looked out the window, seeing Alex's crystal, pure, beautiful face in his mind as Amy started the car. Well, here goes nothing. The Doctor thought. I'm coming, Allie. Whether it was in death or in reality, he was going to met Alex there. Amy drove the car forward, smashing through the fence and straight at the front door.

-x-

A thick layer of ice covered everything in the TARDIS, including the four bodies. The Doctor didn't want to open his eyes for a moment – honestly – afraid of what he might find. He slowly opened them and his hearts stopped when he saw a pair of Egyptian blue eyes blinking at him. His hearts started up in overtime, and such a huge weight was released from him, his anger dissolved into nothing more than pure, utter relief. The two brunettes, in unison, reached out for each other and grasped each other's hands tightly in their own.

"So… You chose this world." The Dream Lord was speaking, but the Doctor wasn't paying any attention. He just continued to suck in those beautiful eyes, and when Alex smiled at him, he returned the smile with a purely relieved, full-blown grin. "Well done. You got it right. And with only seconds left. Fair's fair. Let's warm you up." He restored the power. "I hope you've enjoyed your little fictions. It all came out of your imagination, so I'll leave you to ponder on that. I have been defeated. I shall withdraw. Farewell." The Dream Lord disappeared.

The Doctor slowly rose to his feet, but he couldn't bear to have Alex out of his sight right now so he lifted her up as well and guided her to the console. Amy and Rory kneeled, facing each other. "Something happened. I... What happened to me? I..." Amy slowly took him into a hug, just as relieved to see Rory as the Doctor was to see Alex. "Oh. Oh, right. This is good. I am liking this. Was it something I said?" Amy released the hug and looked at him. "Can you tell me what it was so I could use it in emergences? And maybe birthdays." They both turned at the sound of the TARDIS starting up again.

"What are we going to do now?" Alex asked.

"Me, I'm going to blow up the TARDIS." Alex just looked at him blankly. Did he hit his head when he fell asleep or something?

"What?" Rory asked.

"Notice how helpful the Dream Lord was? Okay, there was misinformation, red herrings, malice, and I could have done without the limerick, but he was always very keen to make us choose between dream and reality." The Doctor laughed like the maniac he was.

"What are you doing?" Amy panicked.

"Doctor! The Dream Lord conceded. This isn't the dream!" Rory said.

"Yes, it is!" The Doctor contradicted.

Amy turned to Alex. "Stop him!"

"Star burning cold. Do me a favor! The Dream Lord has no power over the real world. He was offering us a choice between two dreams."

"How do you know that?" Amy asked.

"Because I know who he is." The TARDIS exploded to black.

-x-

It came back to see everything to normal, all ice gone. The Doctor was leaning against the console looking at something in his hand as Amy, Alex and Rory came down the stairs. "Any questions?" The Doctor asked cheerfully.

"Yeah," Alex had a lot and figured it was best to start off with the most obvious. "What's that?"

The Doctor showed what was in his hand: six glittering bits. "A speck of psychic pollen from the candle meadows of Karass don Slava. Must have been hanging around for ages. Fell in the time rotor, heated up and induced a dream state for all of us." The Doctor opened the door and blew them out into space.

"So that was the Dream Lord then, those little specks?" Rory asked.

"No, no. No. Sorry, wasn't it obvious? The Dream Lord was me. Psychic pollen, it's a mind parasite. It feeds on everything dark in you. Gives it a voice, turns it against you. I'm 907. It had a lot to go on."

"If that's true, why didn't it feed on us as well?" Alex asked, gesturing to the humans there.

"Darkness in you three? It would've starved to death in an instant. I choose my friends with great care. Otherwise I'm stuck with my own company, and you know how that works out."

"But those things he said about you." Amy said. "You don't think any of that's true?" Alex rolled her eyes. Amy would be surprised at how negatively the Doctor thought of himself.

"Amy, right now a question is going to occur to Rory." He spun her by the shoulders to face Rory. "And seeing as the answer is about to change his life, I think you should give him your full attention." He pushed her towards Rory and walked to the other side of the console. Alex followed him.

"I remember what happened from the episode." Alex announced and looked at the Doctor, wondering. He looked back at her. "Amy ran the bus into the house, because Rory wasn't there. Now, here's my question: I don't remember much after walking outside the house. So… What happened?"

The Doctor was silent for a very long moment. "You died." He finally said. "One of them tried to get me and you pushed me out of the way and it got you instead."

Alex looked at him, seeing such a sadness and pain in his eyes. She hadn't seen anything like it before. "Doctor?" She reached out and touched his hand.

"You have…" The Doctor squeezed her hand tightly. "You have no idea what you do to do me, Allie. And the thought… The thought of you…" He took a moment to steal himself. "Of you dead, was one that was horrible. More horrible than anything I've ever had to face. I would have torn that whole world apart if it meant getting back to you." He finally looked up at Alex's soft, sad face. The next thing he said totally hit Alex right in the heart. "A world without you, Allie, is a world not worth living."

Alex felt her throat constrict as she felt light headed. "Doctor…" She breathed. She pulled him over to her gently and hugged him tightly. "I'm not going anywhere." She said softly. "We're gonna be together, forever." The Doctor looked up distantly, remembering what the Dream Lord had told him about Alex.

He shook his off and grinned at her, rubbing his nose against her. She giggled. The two brunettes looked around the console to see Rory lean in and kiss Amy. After a pause, Amy kissed back. The Doctor and Alex watched them with a smile. "So…" He applauded. "Well, then, where now? Or should Allie and I just pop down to the swimming pool for a few lengths?"

"I don't know." Rory answered. "Anywhere's good for me. I'm happy anywhere. It's up to Amy this time. Amy's choice." The Doctor clapped his hands and started to work on the controls. In the reflective surface, he saw the Dream Lord smile back at him. The Doctor looked about nervous. He looked back and his reflection was his own.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter Thirty Two**

The Doctor had promised them that they would be going to Rio. So, Alex decided to go with that summer kind of feel. She wore a cream colored strapless baby doll shirt. It had three pink heart shaped buttons on the chest, with a pink belt right under it. On the 'skirt' of the blouse, it had a cute, flowery design. With some cute jean shorts and some green flats, and she was adorable. She decided to keep her hair down.

"Behold…" The Doctor said, near the doors. He was grinning like a loon – _oh, what's new_? He opened the doors. "Rio!" The sight that greeted them was a cemetery. Alex, Amy, and Rory stepped out.

"Nuh-uh." Amy said.

"Nope." Alex sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Not really getting the sunshine carnival vibe." Rory commented.

"No." The Doctor walked forward. "Ooh, feel that, though, what's that?" He started to bounce in place. "Ground feels strange…" He looked at his companions to see them just looking at him, strangely. "Just me. Wait… That's weird."

"What's weird?" Rory asked, curious.

"Doctor, stop trying to distract us. We're in the wrong place." The Doctor ran around to the other side of the church as Amy kept talking. "Doctor, its freezing and Allie and me dressed for Rio. We are not stopping here." The Doctor plucked some grass. Alex realized as she hugged herself, that the patch of grass he got it from was different than the rest of the grass. "Doctor! You listening to me? It's a graveyard! You promised me a beach."

"Blue grass." He said, indirectly telling them he hadn't been listening one bit. "Patches of it all 'round the graveyard." Alex, Amy, and Rory joined him. "So, Earth, 2020-ish, ten years in your future, wrong continent for Rio, I'll admit, but not a massive overshoot."

Amy tugged on Alex's arm and when she turned she noticed two people waving at them from the other side of the valley. "What are those people doing waving at us?" Alex asked.

The Doctor looked over. "Can't be." He muttered. Rory started to wave back but Amy stopped him. The Doctor took out some binoculars and looked through them. "It is! It's you two."

"No, we're here. How can we be there?" Rory asked. However, Alex understood and lifted her hand and waved. The future Rory and Amy seemed to enjoy this and waved more.

"Ten years in your future. Come to relive past glories, I'd imagine. Humans, you're so nostalgic." The Doctor smiled, always enjoying the personalities of humans.

"We're still together in ten years?" Amy asked.

"No need to sound so surprised." Rory said. "Anyways, what's more shocking is where is Lex?"

"Oh." Alex laughed. "I'm probably still with the Doctor." She waved at the future Amy and Rory again. The Doctor nodded, figuring in ten years, she'd still be with him. Especially with… The Doctor peeked at her. The more he paid attention the more it came into focus, she wasn't aging… Not even a little bit. It was as if her physical clock had stopped all together.

"Hey, let's go and talk to them! We can say hi to Future Us! How cool is that?" Amy took Rory by the arm and started to head off.

The Doctor stopped them. "No, best not, really best not. These things get complicated very quickly, and...oh, look! Big mining thing. Oh, I love a big mining thing. See, way better than Rio! Rio doesn't have a big mining thing."

"We're not going to have a look, are we?" Amy groaned. Alex mentally chuckling, knowing what was coming with the look that was in the Doctor's eyes.

"Let's go and have a look." He headed down the valley as Alex laughed and followed him. "Come on; let's see what they're doing."

Alex kept up with the Doctor easily and heard Amy call from a distance. "Doctor! Lexi!" The brunette tugged on the Time Lord's arm and they let her catch up with them.

"Where's Rory?" Alex asked as they started down to the 'mining thing'.

"He's putting my engagement ring back in the TARDIS. He said he would catch up with us." Amy explained and Alex nodded.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Amy arrived at the drill site and the locked gate. "Restricted access. No unauthorized personal. Mm." He used the sonic screwdriver on the lock and it opened.

"That is breaking and entering." Amy said.

Alex laughed. "More like sonicing and entering, Amy. We broke nothing." She said cheekily. The Doctor grinned and opened it for his brunette girl and his ginger haired friend.

"Come on, then." Amy said as she walked through with Alex right behind her.

The Doctor looked back at where they came unsure. "You're sure Rory'll catch up with us?"

"Don't worry, Doctor." Alex called. "He'll be fine. Now come on, you wanted to see a big mining thing." The Doctor shrugged and followed after his girl.

-x-

The trio walked through the halls. "What about now, can you feel it now?"

"Honestly, Doctor, we don't know what you're talking about." Alex insisted.

"The ground doesn't feel like it should."

"It's ten years in the future," Amy pointed out. "Maybe how this ground feels is how it always feels."

"Good thought." The Doctor complimented. "But no. It doesn't." A whirring sound began. Alex looked around curiously. "Hear that, drill in start-up mode. Afterwaves of a recent seismological shift and blue grass." He put the blue grass in his mouth and made a face before pulling the grass off his tongue.

"Ew, Doctor." Alex couldn't stop herself from giggling and pushed at the Doctor's arm.

"Oh, please." Amy said. "Have you always been this disgusting?"

"No, that's recent." The Doctor said, and they started to walk again. "What's in…" He entered a room with a young woman. She had black curled shoulder length hair with brown eyes. She was wearing a white shirt with red stripes, some dark wash jeans and some construction worker boots. "Here? Hello!"

The woman turned. "Who are you?" She demanded. "What're you doing here?" She then noticed the choice in clothing of the two friends. "And what're you wearing?"

"We dressed for Rio!" Alex grumbled, the Doctor turned and gently nudged her arm. Alex threw a pout in his direction.

The Doctor took out the physic paper. "Ministry of Drills, Earth and Science! New Ministry, quite big, just merged, lot of responsibilities on our shoulders, don't like to talk about it." _That is such a lie._ Alex thought, rolling her eyes. _He loves to talk_. "What're you doing?'

"None of your business." The Doctor walked carelessly over to the monitors.

"Where are you getting these readings from?" He asked.

The woman was removing the equipment from the hole. "Under the soil."

A man entered the room. He had receding grey hair and blue eyes. He was wearing a red and black jacket, with some brown pants and brown shoes. "The drill's up and running again." He noticed the three newcomers. "What's going on? Who are these people?'

The Doctor ignored the man and knelt down by the hole and tested the soil, letting it fall from his fingers to the ground. Alex bent down beside him, hugging her knees to her chest. Amy leaned back. "Amy, Lexi, the Doctor." Amy introduced curtly. She was obviously annoyed that they were still there, and not in a nice, lovely beach. "We're not staying, are we, Doctor?"

"Why's there a big patch of earth in the middle of your floor?" The Doctor asked, and without even having to look around, Alex knew that Amy was rolling her eyes.

"We don't know," The woman replied. "It just appeared overnight." Amy walked closer to the hole and peered at it.

The Doctor stood quickly. Alex, out of reflex, stood up right after him. "Good, right, you all need to get out of here very fast." He went over to the monitor, with Alex by his side.

"Why?" She asked.

"What's your name?" Alex asked.

"Nasreen Chaudhry."

"Look at the screens, Nasreen, your readings." The Doctor said. "It's moving." Amy knelt by the hole.

The man walked up to the Doctor, Alex, and Nasreen. "Hey, that's specialized equipment. Get away from it."

"What is?" Nasreen was more curious about what the Doctor was talking about. As Amy looked at the hole, the soil started to steam.

"Doctor, this steam, is that a good thing?" Both brunettes turned to look over their shoulders.

"Shouldn't think so." The Time Lord replied. They walked over and Alex bent down, leaning on her knees, to stare curiously at the steam. "It's shifting when it shouldn't be shifting."

"What shouldn't?" The Doctor didn't get to answer as the ground began to shake.

"The ground, the soil, the earth, moving, but how?" The Doctor turned around and walked over to the monitor. "Why?"

"Earthquake?" Amy asked.

"What's going on?" The man asked.

"Doubt it." The Doctor answered. "'Cause it's only happening under this room." More holes started appear as the ground subsided underneath. The Doctor whirled around and in one swift movement grabbed Alex's shoulders and pulled her back just as a hole appeared just where she had been. "It knows we're here. The ground's attacking us."

"No, that's not possible!" _Now it is, Nasreen_.

"Under the circumstances, I suggest…" More holes appeared and Alex finished for him.

"_Run_!" The Doctor took Alex's hand and grabbed Nasreen with his free hand and they ran for the door. The man tried to run but he was trapped. Amy paused.

"Tony!" Nasreen cried.

"Stay back, Amy!" The Doctor ordered. "Stay away from the earth!"

Amy leapt over one hole to get over to help Tony. "It's okay." She said to him. The ground opened up underneath Amy, trapping both her feet. "It's pulling me down!"

"Amy!"

"No! Amy!"

The two brunettes' cries had been in unison, blending together in a choir of horror. "Doctor, Lexi, help me, something's got me!" The Doctor ran over to his friend and dropped to the floor, stretching out on his stomach and reached for her. Alex tried to run but halted abruptly as holes formed in her path. She growled, and as if they could read her mind, the holes got bigger, enough that she knew she wouldn't be able to jump over them without getting caught. Alex looked back at the Doctor and Amy and watched helplessly. "Doctor, the ground's got my legs."She sunk down to her waist.

The Doctor gripped both of Amy's hands. "I've got you." He grunted.

"Okay." Nasreen helped Tony out of the hole that he was in.

"Don't let go." Amy said.

"Never." The Doctor answered his voice full of assurance.

"Doctor, what is it, why is it doing this?" Alex could hear that her friend was close to tears.

"Stay calm, keep hold of my hand, don't let go. Your drill shut it down! Go! Now!" Nasreen and Tony ran to the control room to shut down the drill.

"Can you get me out?" Amy asked.

"Amy, try and stay calm." The Doctor told her. "If you struggle, it'll make things worse. Keep hold of my hand. I'm not going to let you go." Amy's arm started to slip from his grip and she sunk lower.

"Doctor, it's pulling me down, something's pulling me!" Amy's voice started to fill with panic.

The Doctor gripped her wrist with both hands. "Stay calm." He repeated. "Hold on, if they can just shut down the drill…"

"I can't hold on!" Amy cried. She sunk lower; all that was showing of her now was her head and arms. The Doctor was straining to hold onto her. "What's pulling me? What is under the earth? I don't want to suffocate under there."

"Amy, concentrate." The Doctor said, and Alex put her hands to her face. "Don't you give up!"

"Tell Rory…"

"No. Amy!" Amy sunk lower. "Amy, no!" Amy was swallowed by the Earth. Alex's heart stopped and her legs shook for a moment. _Oh no_… "No! No!" He dug through the Earth, trying to get to her, but the Earth wouldn't let up. "No! No! No! No! No! No! No!" He slapped the dirt in frustration and got up. "No. No!" He used the sonic screwdriver on the ground, but that didn't seem to do any good either.

Alex slowly made her way back to her Time Lord. She reached out and touched his arm. He turned to her and he suddenly had his arms around her and squeezed her tightly to him. Alex could feel his emotions, and knew that part of him felt that if he didn't keep a tight hold onto her, she might disappear under the earth as well. She buried her face into the crook of his neck and squeezed tightly, trying to send him a message that she wasn't going anywhere. Nasreen and Tony rushed back in. "Where is she?" Nasreen asked, breathless.

"She's gone." The Doctor answered. His voice was grim. "The ground took her."

-x-

They had gone over what happened. The readings were back on the monitor and the Doctor reviewed them. "Is that what happened to Mo? Are they dead?" Tony asked.

The Doctor had returned to pacing, like he always did when he thought hard. "It's not quicksand. She didn't just sink – something pulled her in, it wanted her."

"The ground wanted her?" Nasreen asked surprised.

"You said the ground was dormant," The Doctor commented. "Just a patch of Earth, when you first saw it this morning. And the drill had been stopped."

"That's right." Tony answered with a nod.

"But when you re-started the drill, the ground fought back."

"So what, the ground wants to stop us drilling?" Nasreen's voice was full of disbelief. "Doctor, that is ridiculous."

The Time Lord used the sonic on the hole through which Amy was taken. The ground began to vibrate. "I'm not saying that, and it's not ridiculous." The Doctor defended. "I just don't think it's right." He tapped the screwdriver to his forehead. "Oh!" A light bulb went off. "Of course! It's bio-programming!"

"Bio-what?" Alex asked, wondering.

The Doctor stood up and faced his beautiful brunette. "Bio-programming!" The Doctor clapped. "Oh, clever. You use bio-signals to resonate the internal molecular structure of natural objects. It's mainly used in engineering and construction, mostly jungle planets, but that's way in the future, and not here. What's it doing here?"

"Sorry, did you say jungle planets?" Nasreen asked skeptically.

"You're not making any sense, man." Tony said. Alex shook her head, she got that just fine. _He is, you just need to keep up_.

The Doctor had the same thoughts. The Doctor turned to the man and gave him a look. "'Scuse me, I'm making perfect sense, you're just not keeping up. The earth, the ground beneath our feet, was bio-programmed to attack."

"Yeah, even if that were possible, which, by the way, it's not, why?" Nasreen asked. She crossed her arms.

"Stop you drilling! We find what's doing the bio-programming, find Amy, get her back. Ssh ssh ssh! Have I gone mad? I've gone mad!"

"That's nothing new, Doctor." Alex commented dryly.

"Ssh!" The Doctor waved at his Alex.

"Doctor," Nasreen spoke up.

"Ssh ssh! Silence! Absolute silence!" The Doctor jumped over the hole to get close up to Nasreen and Tony. "You stopped the drill, right?"

"Yes." The two scientists were giving the Time Lord a look that obviously told they thought he was nuts.

"And you've only got the one drill?"

"Yes."

"And you're sure about that?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes."

The Doctor jumped over to the other side and lay down onto his stomach next to the hole, listening. Alex's eyes moved down to the Doctor's ass and smirked to herself. _Ooh, new regeneration or not, this man's got a _good _looking ass_. She mentally cackled, enjoying herself drowning a bit in the gutter. "So," The Doctor brought her out from her naughty thoughts. "If you shut the drill down… Why can I still hear drilling?" Alex's smile slowly faded. Everyone leaned down near him, to hear, and Alex could just faintly hear a whirring sound, one just like a drill. "It's under the ground."

"That's not possible." Tony said.

The Doctor jumped up suddenly and rushed over to the machinery, using the sonic screwdriver on them. Alex moved out of his way. "Oh, no, what, what are you doing?" Nasreen rushed over. That was important equipment.

"Hacking into your records," The Doctor answered easily. "Reports, samples, sensors, good, just unite the data, make it all one big conversation, let's have a look." Alex saw all the information the Doctor sought for come onto the screens. "So. We are here and this is your drill hole." The screen showed the top ground, where they were, and it dropped down. It finally showed a number, 21.009. "21.009 kilometers."

"Mmm," Alex nodded to herself. "Good job."

"Thank you." Nasreen answered. "It's taken us a long time."

"Why here, though?" The Doctor asked. "Why drill on this site?"

"We found patches of grass in this area, containing trace minerals unseen in this country for 20 million years." She explained.

"The blue grass? Oh, Nasreen, those trace minerals weren't X marking the spot, saying dig here. They were a warning. Stay away. 'Cause while you've been drilling down… Somebody else has been drilling up." The Doctor pulled up a screen on one of the monitors showing a vertical network of tunnels. "Oh, beautiful. Network of tunnels all the way down."

"No, no, we've surveyed that area." Tony said.

"You only saw what you wanted to see." Alex answered.

Nasreen pointed to something on the bottom of the screen, where something was registering. They were three small dots, moving up. "What are they?"

"Heat signals. Wait, dual readings, hot and cold, doesn't make sense. And now they're moving. Fast. How many people live nearby?" The Doctor asked.

"Just my daughter and her family." Tony answered. "The rest of the staff travel in."

"Grab this equipment and follow me." He closed up some of it and headed for the door. Alex jogged after him.

"Why?" Nasreen demanded. "What're we doing?"

The Time Lord stopped and turned around. Alex almost ran into his chest, if she hadn't put her arms out. "That noise isn't a drill. It's transport. Three of them, 30km down, rate of speed looks about 150km an hour. Should be here in...ooh, quite soon, 12 minutes. Whatever bio-programmed the Earth is on its way up, now." The Doctor turned back around and left with Alex right behind him.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Tony were carrying the computers and Nasreen was pulling up the rear pushing a wheelbarrow full of equipment. "How can something be coming up when there's only the Earth's crust down there?"

"You saw the readings." Alex pointed out. Those readings don't lie.

"Who are you two, anyways?" Nasreen asked. "How can you know all of this?" There was a whirring sound again and a red light streaked across the sky, like lightening. "Whoa," The woman paused. "Did you see that?" They all turned just as another red streak flew across the sky.

"No, no, no!" The Doctor took out a slingshot from his pocket – Alex had to take a double take, _who carries a _sling shot _around in their pocket_? – picked up a rock, and shot it off into the sky. It hit a force field, red lights streaked out from the impact. He then took out his sonic screwdriver, and aimed it at the sky, revealing the field surrounding the village and the drill site. "Energy signal originating from under the earth. We're trapped."

Rory joined them, along with a woman and a young boy. The woman was wearing a pink trench coat, with a light pink stripped shirt underneath, some black pants and some black shoes. Her brown hair was up in a neat bun. The brunette boy was wearing a black, white, and yellow stripped shirt with some khaki pants and some tennis shoes. "Doctor!" Rory called. "Something weird's going on here, the graves are eating people."

"Not now, Rory!" The Doctor responded. "Energy barricade. Invisible to the naked eye. We can't get out and no-one from the outside world can get in."

"What?" Rory asked.

"What about the TARDIS?" Alex asked.

"The what?" Nasreen's question went unanswered.

"No, those energy patterns would play havoc with the circuits. With a bit of time, maybe, but we've only got nine and a half minutes."

"Nine and a half minutes to what?" Rory asked.

"We're trapped. And something's burrowing towards the surface." Nasreen answered quickly.

Rory looked around; finally taking note to the fact he couldn't see Amy anywhere. "Where's Amy?"

"Get everyone inside the church." The Doctor ordered. He picked up the computer and Alex gently tugged on his tweed jacket. He looked at her, and she nodded towards Rory. It was better for the Doctor to tell Rory now. "Rory, I'll get her back."

"What d'you mean, get her back? Where's she gone?"

"She was taken, Rory." Alex said softly. "The earth took her."

"How?" Rory turned to the Time Lord. "Why didn't you stop it?"

The Doctor put the case back down. "I tried, I promise. I tried."

"Well, you should've tried harder!"

"Rory," Alex put her hands up and walked over to her friend. "Look at me, come on, hun, look at me." He finally looked at her and she saw his shoulders flex, and she tried to give him a calming look. "We'll find her, Rory. We will. I swear, and I know the Doctor does to. _We will find her_."

The Doctor came up next to his brunette. "Come on, please." He said. "I need you alongside us." The Doctor picked up the case, grabbed Alex's hand, and headed to the church.

-x-

The church was in a severe state of disrepair and disuse with boxes, crates, and junks everywhere. The Doctor, Nasreen, and Tony were setting up the equipment. They had just explained the situation fully to Rory, Ambrose and Elliot. Unfortunately, Ambrose was not buying it. "So we can't get out, we can't contact anyone. And something, the something that took my husband, is coming up through the Earth."

"Yes." The Doctor answered. "If we move quickly enough, we can be ready."

"No, stop." Ambrose ordered. "This had gone far enough. What is this?"

"He's telling the truth, love." Tony tried to convince her, but by her face, she wasn't having it.

"Come on…" She said. "It's not the first time we've had no mobile or phone signals. Reception's always been rubbish."

"Look, Ambrose, we saw the Doctor's friend get taken, okay? You saw the lightning in the sky. I have seen the impossible today, and the only person who's made any sense of it, for me, is the Doctor."

"Him?" Ambrose asked skeptically. He didn't look like much to her.

"Me." The Doctor repeated, popping up to show his face.

"Can you get my dad back?" Elliot asked. Everyone got silent and turned to the Doctor

"Yes." The Time Lord answered, with no hesitation. Alex knew that the boy didn't even have to ask. The Doctor would do whatever it took to get everyone safely back anyways. He walked over to Ambrose, the only one who still had doubts about what he could do. "But I need you to trust me and do exactly as I say from this second onwards because we're running out of time."

She was silent for only a moment. "…So tell us what to do." She whispered. She wanted her husband back.

"Thank you. We have eight minutes to set up a line of defense. Bring me every phone, camera, every piece of recording or transmitting equipment you can find." Everyone went around, and gathered up all the small electronics they could find. Rory and Alex were going through all of them. The Doctor continued. "Every burglar alarm, every movement sensor, every security light. I want the whole area covered with sensors." Ambrose, Rory and Alex hooked up cameras at the ideal positions. The Doctor then came around and soniced them.

-x-

The monitor was showing that whatever it was that was coming up was getting closer. "Right, we need to be ready for whatever's coming up." The Doctor announced.

Alex bent down to Elliot's level. "Okay, Elliot, want to help?" The boy nodded eagerly and she grinned. "We need a map of the village, marking where all the cameras are."

"I can't do the words," Elliot confessed. "I'm dyslexic."

"Well then," Alex thought about that and grinned. "Can you draw?" He nodded. "Ah well, there's something you have that I could _never _do." The two grinned at each other. "Draw like your life depends on it, Elliot." She winked at him and he ran off.

"You're good with kids, Alex." The Doctor commented. Alex turned and grinned.

"I don't know, what do you think Doctor? Maybe we could have some kids around." The Doctor stopped all he was doing as Alex realized what she had just said. "Ah… Um…" She cleared her throat. "I'm gonna go… See if… Um, ya know, Rory needs my help." She quickly ran off and the Doctor's mind wandered off, the thought of having 'kids' with Alex filling his mind.

He shook his head and looked at the clock. "6 minutes 40."

-x-

Elliot was drawing his map as Rory, Alex, and Ambrose continued to put up the cameras.

-x-

Alex looked around the van and saw the Doctor's backside sticking out as he examined the cab. "Oi! Time Lord!" She tapped his shoulder. He hit his head and rubbed it as he leaned back out to see his girl standing there. "About what I said earlier…"

"Don't worry about it, Allie." Alex nodded, understanding what he was saying. _Best not talk about it, just move on_.

"Camera's are all ready and online." Alex announced. The Doctor grinned at her.

"Good job, love." Alex smiled.

She couldn't hold her tongue. "Have I mentioned how much I love it when you call me, 'love'?" The Doctor's grin turned sly.

"Well, with this new face I'm not sure, it's a little fuzzy." Alex giggled at him.

"I love it when you call me, 'love'." Their faces were so close; their grins didn't reach their eyes, as a soft, almost passionate look came to their eyes. Alex felt dizzy and lost as she looked into the Doctor's hazel eyes. They were so deep, just like she remembered. Their lips came up, close. The Doctor's hand came up to lightly touch her waist. Alex's hand trailed across the Time Lord's jaw.

However, they snapped out of it when they heard a collection of 'clunks'. Alex took a step back away from the Time Lord and looked away. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply. _So close_… When he opened his eyes he saw Alex watch as Ambrose came around the van with vast amounts of gardening implements and other things. "Oi! What are you doing?"

"Resources." The Doctor said, hiding up his irritation. He had been _so close _to kissing his Alex again. His lips tingled. He had missed the warmth of her lips to his. He had missed her unique taste when he buried his tongue snuggly inside her mouth. "Every little helps. Meals on wheels. What've you got here then, warmer in the front, refrigerated in the back."

"Bit chilly for a hideout, mind." She set the items onto the passenger seat in the van.

"What are those?" Alex finally asked.

"Like he said, every little helps." Ambrose answered.

"No." The Doctor and Alex said in unison. "No."

"No weapons." The Doctor explained. "It's not the way we do things."

"You said we're supposed to defend ourselves." Ambrose protested.

"Ambrose," Alex said. "You're better than that. Now, please, we're asking nicely and politely. Please put them away." The Doctor and Alex walked off.

-x-

The countdown showed 3:23. Elliot ran in with his map and gave it to Alex. "Oho!" She laughed and took it. "Brilliant, this is. Perfect. Dyslexia never stopped Da Vinci or Einstein," and she should know. She had met them. "It's certainly shouldn't stop you."

"I don't understand what you're going to do." Alex tapped her nose and gave the map to the Doctor.

"Doctor, take it away." She said.

"Two phase plan. First, the sensors and cameras will tell us when something arrives. Second, if something does arrive, I use this to send a sonic pulse through that network of devices, a pulse which would temporarily incapacitate most things in the universe." The Doctor explained.

"Knock 'em out." Elliot summed up. "Cool."

"Lovely place to grow up, 'round here." The Time Lord commented.

"Suppose. I want to live in a city one day. Soon as I'm old enough, I'll be off."

Alex smiled. "He was the same way." She gestured to the Doctor with her chin as she worked on the computer.

"Did you get away?" Elliot asked the Doctor.

"Yeah."

"Do you ever miss it?" The Doctor looked over at Elliot. Alex paused, pain rippling through her. She remembered this part, and it always made her want to cry.

"…So much." Alex closed her eyes and took a deep breath to get herself together. The Doctor peeked a look at her and knew what she was feeling. He always knew.

The Time Lord came around and put his hands on her thin shoulders. He rested his head on one of them. Alex smiled at his reflection on the computer screen. He returned the look. "Is it monsters coming? Have you met monsters before?"

"Yeah." The Doctor answered, but he just couldn't seem to look away from the mirror image of his Alex on the screen.

"You scared of them?" Alex laughed.

"Nah!" She reached out and ruffled Elliot's hair. "_They're _scared of _him_!"

"Will you really get my dad back?" Elliot asked. This time the Doctor looked at Elliot.

"No questions." The Time Lord went back to work.

Alex grabbed the map. "Gonna go put this to work." She ruffled Elliot's hair again. "Good job, sweetie." The Doctor looked at her back shocked as she ran out. Did she just say sweetie? The Time Lord heard Elliot say some about his headphones and he waved the boy off. 'Sweetie' was what River always used to greet them, and it might be possible that she got it from the blonde… However, River worked backwards with them, which meant… _River_ got the term 'sweetie' from _her_. The Doctor chuckled when the realization hit him. He wasn't surprised. Alex was one to have an effect on people.

-x-

Rory and Alex were setting up cameras on two of the gravestones. "How're you doing?" Alex heard the Doctor asked.

However, Alex looked up alarmed as it slowly started to get dark. _What_? "It's getting dark." She mumbled. They looked up to see the light from the sun being blocked. Within seconds the whole town was in darkness. "Doctor, what's happening?"

"Shutting out light from within the barricade. Trying to isolate us in the dark. Which means..." They heard the same rumbling that they had heard in the factory. "It's here." They all rushed back to the church, meeting Ambrose along the way. Ambrose got to the door first, and was having trouble with it. The Doctor and Alex tried to help.

"I can't open it!" She said. "It keeps sticking! The wood's warped."

"Anytime you would like to join us!" Alex said to Rory annoyed.

"Can't you sonic it?" He asked.

The Doctor turned to him. "It doesn't do wood." He then turned back around and they pushed at it again.

"That is…rubbish." Alex rolled her eyes and the Doctor turned back around, ticked.

"Oi! Don't diss the sonic!" Rory shook his head and joined them finally and the four of them opened the door. They joined Nasreen and Tony as the church door slammed shut behind them. The ground was shaking due to the imminent arrival. "See if we can get a fix." The Doctor ran to the computer. Items began falling from the shelves. Alex moved away from them. The Doctor narrowed down the area with the program that Tony had set up. Suddenly though, the computers sparked as the power cut off.

"No power." Tony said.

"It's deliberate." The Doctor announced.

"What do we do now?" Alex asked quietly.

Tony turned on a bright flashlight. "Nothing." The Time Lord said frustrated. He began to pace. "We've got nothing! They sent an energy surge to wreck our systems."

"Is everyone okay?" Rory asked. He was a nurse, after all. It was his job. "Is anyone hurt?"

"I'm fine." Nasreen answered.

"We're good, Rory." Alex answered, for her and the Doctor.

"I'm good." Tony replied.

"Me too." Ambrose added. There was a loud rumbling.

"Doctor, what is that?" Rory asked.

"It's like the holes at the drill station." Tony commented.

"Is this how they happened?" Nasreen wondered. The Doctor knelt then bent over to listen to the ground.

"It's coming through the final layer of Earth." He muttered.

"What is, Doctor?" Alex asked. The Doctor stood quickly. There was silence. It was the kind of silence that made Alex's hair stand up on end.

"The banging's stopped." Tony muttered.

Ambrose looked around the room, realizing they were missing someone. "Where's Elliot?" Alex blinked and looked around, realizing she hadn't seen him. "Has anyone seen Elliot? Did he come in? Was he in when the door was shut? Who counted him back in? Who saw him last?"

The Doctor's face dawned with realization. He had been the last to see Elliot. "I did."

Ambrose's voice grew with panic. "Where is he?"

"He said he was going to get his headphones." Alex knew she could hear guilt in the Doctor's voice.

"And you let him go? He was out there on his own?" Tony put a hand on his daughter's shoulder. Alex tried to help but Ambrose wasn't having any of it. Alex sighed and back off, figuring it wasn't best to get into a fight with the woman right now. Alex turned sharply when she heard pounding on the door.

"Mum! Grandpa Tony! Let me in!" There was no doubt it was Elliot's voice. Ambrose turned to her son's cries.

"Elliot!" She rushed over to the door.

"Let me in!" Elliot cried.

"He's out there! Help me!" Alex tapped Rory's shoulder and both him and Tony ran over to help Ambrose. Elliot continued to pound outside the door.

"Open the door!" The pounding stopped. "Mum! There's something out here!" The Doctor and Alex shared a look of alarm; they were finally showing themselves…

"Push, Elliot, push Elliot!" Ambrose called to her son.

"Mum!" Elliot cried.

"Hurry up!" Ambrose's voice was near panic again.

"Mummy…"

"Come on!" Alex cried. They got the door to open.

"Elliot!" They all rushed out, but Elliot was gone. "Where is he? He was here. He was here! Elliot!" She ran off into the graveyard.

"Ambrose!" Alex cried after her. "Don't wander off!"

"Ambrose!" Tony ran after her. A few minutes passed, and Alex turned when she swore she heard commotion.

"Doctor!" Alex cried as she ran off after it. The Doctor and Rory were right behind her. She finally got up to see Tony was holding his neck in pain, with Ambrose next to him, in tears. "What happened?" She demanded.

"My dad's hurt." The woman sobbed.

"Get him in the church now!" The Time Lord ordered.

"Elliot's gone." Ambrose sobbed even more. "They've killed him, haven't they?"

"I don't think so. They've taken three people, when they could've just killed them up here. There's still hope, Ambrose. There is always hope."

Ambrose was crying. "Then why've they taken him?"

"Ambrose, we don't know." Alex said. "But we'll get him back, him and your husband. But we have to stop this attack first, now _please _get your father inside the church."

Ambrose turned and helped her dad up. "Come on, Dad." They headed back to the church.

"So, what now?" Rory asked.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex were walking along the street. The Time Lord gave his brunette sunglasses. "Put them on." He ordered quietly. She put them on and swallowed back her laughter when she realized they gave off heat signatures. Alex waved her hand in front of her face and giggled very quietly. The Doctor grinned at his Alex and grasped her hand. Both looked up when they heard something rustle around in the bushes, something that didn't give off heat. "Cold blooded." The Doctor's voice turned sing-song. "I know who they are…"

The Time Lord stood by the meals on wheels, whistling. Alex was near the back, drumming her fingers against the van. Alex kept her head low and watched out of the corner of her eye as the Doctor took out the fire extinguisher from the front seat and shut the door. In the window, she saw that something caught his eye. Alex looked up just enough to see the creature running up towards them. The Time Lord spun out of the way and it hit the side of the car. The Doctor attacked with the extinguisher, and it screamed. Alex pounded on the van, cueing Rory, who jumped out with a cry of his own. Alex and Rory grabbed the creature and pushed her into the refrigerated back and locked the door.

"We got it!" Rory cheered.

"Whohoo!" Alex laughed. "We do _good _work!"

"Defending the planet with meals on wheels!" The Doctor grinned.

They raised their hands to 'high five' but were distracted by a rumbling. "What was that?" Rory asked.

"Sounds like they're leaving." The Doctor said.

"Without this one?" Alex asked. The darkness went away as the sun was allowed to shine through again. The three of them squinted at the sudden sunshine.

"Looks like we scared them off!" Rory proudly said.

"I don't think so." The Doctor intervened. "Now both sides have hostages."

-x-

Rory was sitting on a toppled grave marker and Alex was standing near him as the Doctor came around from the front of the church. "I've met these creatures, before." The Doctor told. "Different branches of the species, but all the same…" They entered the basement doors. "Let's see if our friend's thawed out…"

"Are you sure?" Rory asked. Alex watched the creature, sitting on the floor in the shadows. "By yourself?"

"Very sure." The Doctor nodded.

"What about the sting…?" Alex asked.

"Venom gland takes at least 24 hours to recharge. Am I right?" He turned his attention back to the humans. "I know what I'm doing. I'll be fine." Rory left and Alex gave the Time Lord a meaningful stare. The Doctor turned, blocking Alex from the creatures view. He tapped her nose with a smile and kissed her cheek gently. She smiled and left as well.

-x-

They all met up back at the church after the Doctor had talked to the creature. The Doctor was sitting on a bean bag chair with Alex sitting on him. She was leaned back, her head resting on his shoulder. The Doctor was absentmindedly playing with her hair. The Doctor had just told them about his plan. "You're going to what?" Rory exploded.

"I'm going to go down below the surface, to find the rest of the tribe. To talk to them." The Doctor repeated.

"You're going to negotiate with these aliens?" Ambrose said bitterly.

"They're not aliens! They're Earth...liens! Once known as the Silurian race, or, some would argue, Eocenes, or Homo reptilia. Not monsters, not evil." The Doctor lifted Alex up and he stood up. Alex plopped down in his vacant seat, snuggling in even more when she found it was still warm. "Well, only as evil as you are. The previous owners of the planet, that's all. Look, from their point of view, you're the invaders. Your drill was threatening their settlement. Now, the creature in the crypt. Her name's Alaya. She's one of their warriors and she's my best bargaining chip. I need her alive. If she lives, so do Elliot and Mo and Amy. Because I will find them. While I'm gone, you four people, in this church, in this corner of planet Earth, you have to be the best of humanity."

"What if they come back?" Tony asked. "Shouldn't we be examining this creature, dissecting it, finding its weak points?"

"No." Alex pointed at the man. "No dissecting, no examining. Got it?"

"We return their hostage, they return ours. Nobody gets harmed. We can land this, together. If you are the best you can be. You are decent, brilliant people. Nobody dies today. Understand?" The Doctor said. Everyone nodded quietly. Nasreen applauded but stopped nervously when no one joined her.

Alex got up quickly as the Doctor left to go to the TARDIS. She caught up to him and got in front of him quickly. He stopped short, almost running into her. She reached up and fixed his bowtie. "You," she tugged on his tie. "Be careful, please."

The Doctor smiled and kissed her forehead. "Of course."

"No. I want you to _promise _me." Alex didn't like the thought of him going down being as reckless as he was.

The Doctor chuckled against her forehead. "You're not coming?"

"I think it's best if I stay up here and make sure Alaya is safe." Alex said. The Doctor nodded, it would be best. "That's why I want you to be extra careful, since I'm not there to make sure you are." The Doctor smiled.

"I promise." Alex relaxed, feeling much better. He kissed her forehead again and they walked to the TARDIS. Nasreen ran up behind him. The Doctor closed the doors, to make sure nothing of the inside could be seen. "No, sorry, no, what're you doing?"

"Coming with you, of course." Nasreen grinned. "What is it, some kind of transport pod?"

"Sort of, but you're not… coming with me!" Tony joined them.

"He's right, you're not."

The Doctor didn't like the look within the woman's eyes. It reminded him of Alex's look whenever she got so stubborn about something, that he couldn't anything else but to just give in, knowing she wouldn't back down any other way. "I have spent all my life excavating the layers of this planet. And now you want me to stand back while you head down into it? I don't think so!"

The Doctor checked his watch. "I don't have time to argue!"

"I thought we were in a rush."

"It'll be dangerous." The Doctor could see Alex was grinning. She obviously liked Nasreen.

"Oh, so's crossing the road." She pointed out.

"Oh, for goodness' sake, all right, then! Come on!" The Doctor unlocked the door. Alex tugged on his jacket. He turned and grinned. "I promise, Allie, I'll be careful." He kissed her cheek and she smiled. He went inside. Alex sighed and walked back into the church.

-x-

Rory thought it would be a good idea to see Alaya. The homo-reptile stood up. "You had to come and see me."

Alex tapped Rory's shoulder, telling him she could handle this. Alex took a couple of steps towards the woman. "We're going to keep you safe." She said.

"Your tribe is going to give us back our people, in exchange for you." Alex peeked a look at Ambrose, she didn't like the way the woman said it, but let it pass.

"No." She walked as far as the chains allowed her. Rory, Ambrose, and Tony all stood back but Alex held her ground. Alaya was – if she was honest with herself – just a bit impressed by at least that ape. "Shall I tell you what's really going to happen, apes? One of you will kill me. My death shall ignite a war. And every stinking ape shall be wiped from the surface of my beloved planet."

"We won't let that happen, Alaya." Alex said calmly.

"I know apes better than you know yourselves. I know which one of you will kill me. Do you?"

-x-

Alex stood out, looking out at the Earth that she knew as her home, apart from the TARDIS. She sighed. She was remembering what was happing right now. Amy would have woken up and Mo would have talked to her just as a Silurian approached her, with a surgeon's mask over his mouth and nose, wearing a doctor's style apron and holding a syringe. The Doctor and Nasreen would have gotten to the bottom of the Earth by now and found that it wasn't just a small tribe they had to deal with. Instead, it would be a whole civilization.

Alex looked down into the Earth. "Be safe, my Time Lord." She whispered, before going back inside.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter Thirty Three**

**Hello fellow readers! :) This is your lovely author speaking... as I'm sure you know ^^' Anyways, I just wanted to say one thing before you dive into my story. I am betaing a WONDERFUL story called 'Sister Stars' and I am recommending it to everyone who loves a good DoctorxOC story like me :) Now, I'm not just recommending it because I'm betaing it - for those who don't know, beta is when someone looks over a story for someone else, to you know, correct any mistakes the author missed, very handy if you're writing a story, the one who is writing 'Sister Stars' is my beta :) - anyways, the reason why I am recommending this story, is because it is REALLY good :) She's a very good author and it's very well made, so please, look for 'Sister Stars' and read it, see if you like it, and please, if you do, let her know :) As she puts it, reviews are love.**

**Thank you, now onto the story! **

Rory and Alex decided the best plan while waiting for the Doctor to come back. It was best if they took turns watching over Alaya, making sure to keep her safe. Alex walked down, volunteering to be the first. Alaya looked at the ape in disgust. Alex walked over and grabbed a chair, the same chair the Doctor had used, and sat down in front of Alaya. Alex crossed her arms and folded her arms together and watched Alaya with interest. "Hello." The brunette greeted kindly. Alaya just watched her. "Come on," Alex said. "You talk, I know you do."

"I do not talk to primitive apes like you." She hissed.

"Do you have to call us apes?" Alex leaned back in her chair. "I don't think we're that bad."

"You are primitive." Alex shrugged.

"I would have to disagree again." She scratched her chin. "I can't help but think we're quite intelligent. Although," She laughed and Alaya looked confused, not understanding what was 'funny'. "Compared to the big, wide universe out there, I suppose we are primitive."

"Big, wide universe?" Alaya repeated.

Alex grinned. "Yeah, I've seen it all, out there." She gestured to the window, looking out into the sky. "We are a bit behind in all the technology, I suppose."

"You are more violent as well." Alex answered the homo-reptile with a cool look.

"This coming from the people who attacked us."

"You attacked us first." Alaya retorted. "I know you apes better than you know yourselves."

"This again?" Alex sighed. "We're going to keep you safe, Alaya. Sorry, but no wars. Not today, at least."

"Are you so sure of this, 'Doctor'?"

"Yes, actually." Alaya looked surprised again. "I trust that man with my life. And, actually," she grinned. "I've had to do that quite a few times. And can I just say, it worked out quite well."

Alaya leaned back, peering curiously at the ape before her. This ape was different from the rest, such a strange, curious thing she was. "You are a strange ape." Alex laughed and Alaya frowned. What was so funny? "What?" She demanded.

"You're not the first to tell me so." Alex chuckled. "I'm a strange creature, eh? Different from other 'apes' you've seen, right?" Alaya said nothing, but Alex saw in her eyes that she was right. "Yeah, that's me." She laughed again. "I'm a curious thing. I'm different, and Alaya." The woman turned back to her. "I'm proud of it."

"How can you 'proud' of something like that?" Wining wars and battles were something to be proud of, not being different and strange.

Alex shrugged. "I'm one not to be a part of the masses. It's just how I am, Alaya. I don't like going with the crowd, quite the opposite. I like going _against _the flow." She grinned; showing Alaya that was she said rang true. "Oh," Alex leaned back, realizing something. "I've haven't introduced myself, how rude of me. I'm Alex. Alex Harper. Nice to meet you, Alaya of the Silurians."

"It does not matter." Alaya said firmly, but Alex caught her tone and it sounded like she was more talking to herself than Alex. "All of the disgusting apes will be whipped from my beloved planet."

There was a long moment of silence afterwards. Alaya and Alex just stared at each other. "May I ask you a question, Alaya?"

"… Yes."

"You love this planet, yes?"

Alaya didn't see where this was going. "Of course."

"I can't help but doubt you." Alex said, and Alaya glared at the woman. How dare she doubt her love of her planet? "Just hear me out, Alaya. Just think about this for even a moment. You want to start a war with the 6 billion of people out there, across the whole planet. So… _If _– and this is very much an _if _– wars comes, this planet will become nothing more than a waste land." Alaya's confidence faltered when she realized what the ape was trying to say. "War is a terrible, awful thing. It will ravage this whole planet and completely destroy it. If you love this planet so much… Are you really willing to risk that?"

"We could restore it." Alaya said and Alex shook her head.

"Again, I disagree." Alex looked up at the window. "It won't be the same; Alaya, you and I both know that. No amount of technology or science could change that."

"You do not know anything." Alaya hissed. She was frustrated at how much she was coming to realize how smart this _ape _was.

"I know a lot." Alex contradicted kindly. "I love this planet too. There's a lot of people out there who love this planet. And we're willing to fight for it. Just like we have, but really," Alex sighed. "Is war really an option? We've already had some really _nasty _wars before and all of them were horrible. Do you really want to start another one?"

"If it gets my planet back from these disgusting apes, then yes." Alex sighed.

"I'm sorry, Alaya. But we're going to keep you safe. Like I said, I'm not going to let you start a war."

Alaya watched the ape for a moment. "You will not be the one to kill me." Alex looked over. "You have compassion and softness and kindness that none of the other apes could even compare to."

"None of us are going to kill you." Alex said firmly.

Alaya smirked. "That is what you think, _Alex_. But you are wrong."

Alex would have said more but Tony came in to take over her place. "Alex…" The brunette stood up with a disappointed sigh and placed the chair back in its spot.

"I will repeat what I said, Alaya." She looked up at the determined ape. "_I will not let you start a war_." She walked out.

-x-

Alex walked around, honestly bored out of her mind. She'd rather be watching Alaya than doing nothing. Yes, Alaya was a deadly woman, but at least she had something to do. Alex sighed, boredom numbing her mind as she walked back into the church. "Oh my God!" Alex cried when she saw Tony sitting, catching sight of his wound. "What the hell happened?"

"It's nothing." Tony wheezed.

"Like hell it's nothing." Alex growled. "Rory!" She cried. "Rory!" The brunette came into the room and his eyes widened when he saw Tony's wound. "Tony's injured."

Rory ran over and tended to his wounds. "I'm a nurse," Rory said to Tony. "You should've told us." Alex turned whirled around when they all heard screaming in the distance.

-x-

Alex, Rory, and Tony rushed downstairs to see Alaya lying on the floor, wheezing. Ambrose was standing there, taser in hand. _No, no, no, no!_ Alex screamed in her mind. Rory and Alex rushed over to Alaya's side to see if there was anything they could do. "Ambrose…" Tony muttered. "What've you done?"

"She kept taunting me about Mo and Elliot and you." The woman defended.

"We have to be better than this!" Tony snatched the taser from her hands.

"She wouldn't tell me anything." Ambrose said. "I thought sooner or later, she'd give in. I would've done. I just… I just want my family back, dad." Alex finally turned and glared at the woman bitterly. Now, she probably wasn't going to see her family again, thanks to her stupid move.

"I'm sorry. How do we help you? Tell us what to do." Rory asked.

"I knew this would come. And soon the war." Alaya wheezed.

"You're not dying." Alex said firmly, though she knew it was a _complete _lie. "We're not going to let you, not today…" Alaya looked at the only ape who she actually felt something towards. She moaned and died. Alex just stared at Alaya's body blankly for a moment. She then got up and turned to Ambrose in fury. "What the hell?" She snarled. "What the hell, woman? What is wrong with you?"

"Lex…" Rory put a hand on Alex's shoulder, but she shrugged it off.

"What the _hell _were you _thinking_? Dammit! Just… _Dammit_!" Alex yelled at her. "We just lost our only bargaining chip! We were supposed to keep her safe! We were supposed to keep her _alive_! _What part of that didn't you get_?"

"Alex," Tony tried to intervene.

"I was doing it for us humans!"

"_No you weren't_." Alex snarled. "Don't you dare give that _shit _to me! _I _was doing it for us humans! You were doing it for _yourself_!"

"They took my family!" Ambrose yelled at the furious woman. But her fury was nothing compared to Alex's.

"And there we are!" Alex threw her arms up. "That's why you did it! You did it for _yourself_! Thank you, Ambrose, thank you _so much_." She said bitterly, snarling at the woman. Ambrose took a step back at the fearsome angry in Alex's voice. The room crackled and sparked with energy. Alex wasn't just angry, she was _furious_. She had promise Alaya that she would keep her safe. But, not only that, she had promised the Doctor. _Her _Doctor. Thanks to Ambrose, that now became a lie and more than anything, she _hated _to lie to her Doctor. "_Dammit_!" She screeched, letting loose. "_You possibly just started a war, Ambrose! Do you have any idea what you did? You stupid, stupid woman! We were supposed to be better than this! Thanks to you, we probably just lost our chance at ever seeing your family and my friend _Ever. Again!"

"No!" Ambrose sobbed. "I did it for them! I want them back!"

"I have a Time Lord down there." She continued brutally. "You don't think I'm not affect by that? You don't think I've been worrying _every single damn second _he's been down there? But I trusted that he would get them all out! But _no_, you couldn't do that, could you? You had to try and take things into your own hands! You just _had _to be a _selfish bitch _and kill Alaya! _Dammit_!" Alex snarled loudly. "Thanks to you Ambrose, you probably aren't ever going to see your husband or your son every again! And I'm not going to see my best friend or my boyfriend ever again! I'm probably not going to see my Time Lord again! _DAMMIT_!" Through her fury she wasn't aware of what she had called her Doctor. She was just so furious.

The silence after her roaring was defining, everyone looking at Alex shocked at such power she held in her anger. Alex's harsh breathing broke the silence every couple of seconds. Her body was shaking with her wrath. Her hands were in tight fists and she glared hatefully at Ambrose. Her aura seemed to just screamed, 'hell' and everyone took a step back.

The silence was broken by a buzzing electrical sound and the lights flashed. Everyone looked over as an old computer flared to life. It showed another Silurian. "Oh, my God." Alex growled softly at the damn woman.

"_Who is the ape leader_?" She demanded.

"It's them. How are they doing that? How do they know that we're in here?" Ambrose came over and covered Alaya's body with a tarp. Thankfully, she was smart enough not to look up into Alex's cold, bitter, powerful eyes.

"_Who speaks for the apes_?" She demanded again. The four humans looked at each other.

"Don't tell them what's happened." Tony said. Alex took a very deep breath, relaxing her body and locking up her rage for now.

She walked forward. "I speak for the humans." She said with confidence she didn't feel right now. "Some of us, anyways."

"_Do you understand who we are_?"

"Yes." Alex nodded. "You're Silurian. You were the previous owners of the Earth before you went underground – that part I'll be honest is a bit fuzzy. Our drill had almost hit your oxygen patches, so you sent some warriors up here to attack, since you think we attack first. You found that there's a lot more humans that you're probably planned and now you want to wage war so that you can 'get your beloved planet' back."

The Silurian was quiet; she seemed even just a little bit impressed that the ape could attain that much information. "_We have ape hostages_." The view zoomed out to show the hostages tied to the pillars.

Alex's heart stopped when she saw her Time Lord. "Doctor!" She cried, completely running her serious façade. She was so ecstatic to see her Doctor again. "Doctor, you're okay!" She saw Amy. "Amy! Amy are you okay?"

"Amy!" Rory rushed up next to Alex.

Ambrose saw her husband. "Mo! Mo, are you okay?"

"_I'm fine, love_!" Mo answered. "_I've found Elliot. I'm bringing him home_!"

"Amy! I thought I lost you!" Rory breathed a sigh of relief.

"_What, 'cause I was sucked into the ground? You're so clingy_." Amy teased.

"Doctor!" Alex smiled. "You're okay! I thought I told you to be careful!" She wanted herself to be annoyed at him for breaking that promise but she was too relieved to know he was at least okay. She laughed relieved laugh.

The Doctor smiled. "_Sorry, love_." Her heart fluttered as he called her that. "_I'm working on that! See ya soon, love_!"

"_Tony Mack_!" Nasreen said happily.

"Having fun down there?" Tony laughed.

"_Not to interrupt_," The Doctor said. "_But just a quick reminder to stay calm_."

The Silurian's next words caused all of Alex's happiness to leave into bitterness. "_Show me Alaya._" Alex's heart stopped. "_Show me and release her, immediately, unharmed, or we kill your friends._" Alex's smile faded and she stood up, hiding her face from view. A few tears fell and she looked back at the body lying beneath the tarp. "_… One by one_." Alex walked over to the body. Without knowing it, thankfully, from the screen's sight it looked like she was kneeling down next to Alaya speaking to her.

"No!" Alex turned when Ambrose spoke up. _Don't you dare make it worse than it already is, you stupid woman_!

"Ambrose…" Rory said.

"_Steady now, everyone_." The Doctor said.

"Ambrose, stop it!" Tony ordered.

"Get off me, dad!"

"Ambrose," Alex's voice was straining. "Don't you dare!" She hissed.

Ambrose ignored the woman. "We didn't start this!"

"_Let Alex deal with this Ambrose, eh_!" The Doctor tried.

"We're not doing what you say any more. Now, give me back my family!" Everyone waited silently for the Silurian's reply. Alex's whole body tensed up and she watched the screen with wide eyes.

"_No. Execute the girl_." The camera angle shifted to show the soldiers moving Amy.

"No! Amy!" Alex screamed. "No!"

Rory pushed Ambrose to the side. "No, wait! No!"

"_Rory_!" Amy cried. Alex rushed over to the computer.

"_Execute him next_." Alex heart stopped when she saw the Silurian gesture to the Doctor.

"No! Don't you dare, Doctor! Amy! _No_!" Alex screamed. "Dammit! She's not speaking for us! Please! She's not speaking for us!" Amy was pushed to the center of the room in front of the soldiers.

"_There's no need for this_…" The Doctor looked at his brunette and saw such horrible fear in her eyes. He realized that nothing else could compare to this, after all the times he seen her afraid, this had to be the worst. This was her worst fear…

She was afraid of losing her Doctor.

"Listen! Listen! Whatever you want… We'll do it!" Rory cried.

"_Aim_." The Silurian ordered.

"Amy!" Rory's and Alex's voice blended into unison of fear. One for her best friend. One for the woman he loved.

"_Rory_!"

"_Don't do this_!" The Doctor yelled.

"_No_!" Alex screamed and they lost the connection and all they saw was static. Alex shot up and whirled around at Ambrose. Tears were streaming down her face. "_Dammit_! You just had to do that, didn't you? You just had to go and kill them all! Now my Time Lord and my best friend are going to die and _it's all your fault_!" Alex sobbed, her hands shaking. She put her hands up to her face and Rory reached out and distraught woman. She kept chanting 'it's all your fault', 'it's all your fault', 'it's all your fault'. Rory rocked his friend gently as she sobbed uncontrollably. She had just lost her Time Lord. She had just lost her Doctor, for a _second _time. _Don't I ever get a break_?

Rory reached down and hit the monitor, trying to get the connection back. "Nothing!" He said frustrated. "We've got to get down there." He started to walk off.

"_Rory_! _Allie_!" Alex looked up and whirled around. "_Oh, my sweet Allie, don't cry, love. I'm alright. Sorry about the scare, now wipe those tears from that pretty face_!" Alex did as told. "_Much better, love_." Alex's heart was beating around crazily. She was getting to old for this…

Rory came back to the monitor. "Where's Amy?"

"_She's fine, look, here, she is_." The Doctor moved aside for them to see her.

"Oh, thank God." Rory sighed.

"_Keeping you on your toes_!" Amy tried to chuckle.

"Are you okay, Amy?" Alex asked.

"_I'm good, Lexi. You're not looking to well though_." Alex chuckled dryly; she could only imagine what she looked like right now.

"_No time to chat. Listen, you need to get down here… Go to the drill storeroom, there's a large patch of earth in the middle of the floor. The Silurians are going to send up transport discs to bring you back down using geothermal energy and gravity bubble-technology. It's how they travel and frankly it's pretty cool. Bring Alaya. We hand her over; we can land this after all. All going to work promise. Got to dash! Hurry up_!" The Doctor ended the signal.

"The moment we get down there, everything will fall apart."

"We have to return her. It's the least we could do." Alex sighed.

-x-

Rory had picked up Alaya, still within the tarp, and they went back to the drill storeroom. Rory set her down on the ground. Five 'discs' were waiting for them. "So we get on those, and they take us down through the Earth?" Tony asked.

"Yeah." Alex's voice didn't hold much in it, like an abnormal state of calmness after one went through a livid state.

"Geothermal gravity bubbles or something." Rory said.

"They sent five." Ambrose pointed out. "She was our only bargaining chip."

"And she'd be alive if it wasn't for you." Alex said bitterly. Ambrose shot the woman a look. It was obvious Alex wasn't going to let that go for a while.

"We have to hand her back." Rory said with finality.

"Wait. Before we go down, there's something I've got to do... Dad, I need your help." Alex turned and watched them with suspicion. They were arguing, mostly Tony; Alex only got part of their conversation.

"No!" Tony objected. "No way."

"Please, Dad… Just a precaution."

"I told you, I won't do it!" Tony said.

"Look at what they did to you!" Ambrose responded.

"This isn't about me or you."

"No, it's about your grandson. If you won't do it for me, do it for Elliot. I know I did wrong. But I can't lose him, Dad." She left. Alex looked back and got a really nasty feeling in her stomach. Alex shook it off, she couldn't honestly be so selfish and so _stupid _as to do yet _another _stupid, reckless move, could she? After a long moment, Tony finally returned and they all got on the 'discs'.

If Alex still wasn't so frustrated with Ambrose she would have probably laughed. The Doctor had been right; it was really cool, actually. Within a few minutes, they got to the Silurian civilization. Alex was the first to enter the room, she saw the Doctor's back. "Doctor!" The Time Lord turned around and Alex rushed to him. She jumped into his arms. "Oh, Doctor…"

"Allie, love." He hugged her so tightly to him. "Oh, love, hello." He greeted with a smile.

She gripped him as tightly as she could to him. "I thought… I thought I lost you again…"

The Doctor kissed her forehead. "Nonsense, love, how many times do I have to say it? Can't die now…" He grinned and leaned back to see her relieved face. "I need to take care of you." Rory and Ambrose entered and both were welcomed as well. Alex felt tears fall past her eyes. "I'm sorry," she croaked. "I'm so sorry. I tried to stop it, but I couldn't, Doctor. I'm so sorry. Please, please don't be angry with me. I hate when you're angry with me."

The Doctor's eyebrows furrowed. He didn't understand what she was talking about. "What are you talking about, love?" He brushed away her tears with his thumbs as he cupped her cheeks. "I could never be angry with you, Allie." The Doctor looked up as finally Tony entered the room. His hearts dropped when he finally realized when Alex had meant. He looked back down at Alex. "No. Don't do this. Tell me you didn't do this." More tears fell from Alex's eyes and she shook her head and held back a sob. The Time Lord hugged her tightly to him.

The Doctor moved away from Alex and she looked at the leader. The Silurian looked at her. "I'm sorry." She said. "I'm so very very sorry." Tony laid his burden on the floor. The Doctor squatted down and pulled the cloth away from Alaya's face. Everyone got a good look before he put it back in place. He glared at Tony.

"What did you do?" He asked angrily.

"Doctor, it wasn't him." Alex said. She gave Ambrose another glare. "It was her."

"Mum?" Elliot asked.

"I just wanted you back." Elliot walked away from her. Everyone else looked at her with pity and shame. The Doctor walked up to the leader.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. You have to believe me, they're better than this." The Doctor tried to fix.

"This is our planet!" Ambrose said.

"We had a chance here." The Doctor turned to her.

"Leave us alone." The Time Lord strode over to Ambrose.

"In future, when you talk about this, you tell people there was a chance but you were so much less than the best of humanity."

Armed soldiers entered the room. The previous Silurian entered as well. "My sister." She saw the body. She leaned down and uncovered it and wailed before gently replacing the shroud. "And you want us to trust these apes, Doctor?"

The Doctor wagged a finger at her. "One woman. She was scared for her family. She's not typical."

The Silurian stood and faced Ambrose. "I think she is." Alex walked boldly up to the woman and she hissed.

"What do you know?" Alex glared. "You've been asleep for years! You don't know anything! I'm sorry, I am very, _very _sorry for your loss. I never wanted to kill Alaya. I _promised _her that I wouldn't let that happen, okay? And right now, I'm _very _bitter about that. Trust me, and I'm angrier at her," Alex pointed bitterly at Ambrose, "than you are lady. But you are _wrong_. She was one human, one stupid, idiot, _selfish _human. We're not all like that. You can't make a judgment on one human."

The Doctor turned to the leader again while the Silurian and Alex stared at each other, both not backing down. "One person let us down. But there's a whole race of dazzling, peaceful human beings up there. You were building something, here, come on...an alliance could work."

"It's too late for that, Doctor." The Doctor looked at Ambrose questioningly. Alex turned back to the woman in dread. Tony ran a hand through his hair his frustration.

"Why?"

"Our drill is set to start burrowing again in…" She checked her watch. "15 minutes."

Nasreen turned to Tony. "What?"

"What choice did I have? They had Elliot."

"Don't do this, don't call their bluff." The Doctor said.

"Let us go back. And you promise to never come to the surface ever again. We'll walk away, leave you alone."

"_What_?" Alex exploded. "_What the hell is wrong with you_? _DAMMIT_! _HOW MANY MISTAKES ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE UNTIL YOU REALZIE YOU. ARE. _WRONG_. YOU STUPID, SELFISH WOMAN_!" The air again crackled and sparked with fury. Alex's body shook again and the air in the room seemed to suffocate with fury and anger. Alex glared so bitterly and angrily at Ambrose.

"Execute her!" The Silurian ordered.

"No!" The Doctor pulled Ambrose to safety as the soldiers fired. The Time Lord grabbed his brunette, but kept her tightly in his arms as she hissed at Ambrose angrily. He had forgotten how nasty Alex could be when she was angry. God, she reminded him of himself whenever he got angry. She certainly had the power and anger of a Time Lord within her. "Everybody, back to the lab! Run!" The humans ran for the exit.

"Execute all the apes!" The Doctor pulled out the sonic screwdriver and used it on the guns, causing them to explode.

"This is a deadly weapon – stay back." One of the soldiers approached from the seats and lashed out at the Doctor and Alex with her tongue. The Doctor backed out of the way with Alex next to him and they ran out of the room.

-x-

The humans ran through the tunnel, the Doctor and Alex following. "Take everyone to the lab, Rory!" Alex ordered. The Doctor and Alex dodged a beam from a gun. "We'll cover you! Go!" The Doctor and Alex took a stand as the others ran. The Silurian – _what was her name_? Alex thought before it came to her, _oh yeah Restac_! – and her warriors arrived. The Doctor used the sonic on their guns.

"Ah-ah! Stop right there! Or I'll use my very deadly weapon again. One warning, that's all you get. If there can be no deal, you go back into hibernation. All of you. Now. This ends here." The Doctor warned.

"No. It only ends with our victory." Restac hissed.

"Like he said, Restac. One warning." Alex said firmly. The Doctor disabled the last two guns and they ran away. Restac gave chase.

-x-

The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the doors once his girl and he were inside and they slid shut. "Elliot, you and your dad keep your eyes on that screen. Let me know if we get company. Amy," he tossed her a stopwatch. "Keep reminding me how much time I haven't got." Mo and Elliot watched the screen showing the tunnel outside.

"Okay, 12 minutes 'till drill impact." Tony was sitting down, Nasreen standing next to him.

"Tony Mack, sweaty forehead, dilated pupils, what're you hiding?" Tony opened his shirt to show the infection has spread across his chest. Alex grimaced.

"Tony!" Nasreen cried horrified. "What happened?"

The Doctor used the sonic as a scanner on the infected area. "Alaya's sting." Tony panted. "She said there's no cure. I'm dying, aren't I?"

The Doctor moved to the control panel and checked his readings. "You're not dying, you're mutating. How can I stop it? Decontamination program! Might work - don't know. Eldane, can you run the program on Tony?"

Mo spoke up. "Doctor, shedload of those creatures coming our way! We're surrounded in here!" Eldane helped Tony to the decontamination chamber as the Doctor spoke.

"So, question is, how we do stop the drill, given we can't get there in time? Plus also, how do we get out, given that we're surrounded? Nasreen, how d'you feel about an energy pulse, channeled up through the tunnels to the base of the drill?"

"To blow up my life's work?" Nasreen asked.

"Um, basically, yeah." Alex was sheepish. "There's not really a nice way of putting that."

"Right, well, you're going to have to do it before the drill hits the city, in..."

Amy picked up for her. "11 minutes, 40 seconds…"

"Yes!" The Doctor grinned. "Squeaky bum time!"

"Yes, but the explosion is going to cave in all the surrounding tunnels so we have to be on the surface by then." Nasreen explained.

"But we can't get past Restac's troops." Rory pointed out.

"I can help with that…" Eldane spoke up. "Toxic Fumigation - an emergency failsafe meant to protect my species from infection. A warning signal to occupy cryo-chambers. After that, citywide fumigation, by toxic gas. Then the city shuts down."

"You could end up killing your own people." Alex pointed out.

"Only those foolish enough to follow Restac." Eldane responded.

"Eldane, are you sure about this?" The Doctor asked.

"My priority is my race's survival. The Earth isn't ready for us to return yet."

"No." The Doctor agreed.

"10 minutes, Doctor." Amy said.

"But maybe it should be. So here's the deal. Everybody listening? Eldane, you activate shutdown... I'll amend the system, set your alarm for 1,000 years' time." Eldane went to the controls. "1,000 years, to sort the planet out. To be ready. Pass it on. As legend, or prophesy, or religion, but somehow, make it known. This planet is to be shared."

"Yeah. I get it." Elliot said.

"9 minutes, 7 seconds." Amy spoke up.

The Doctor joined Eldane at the controls. "Yes, fluid controls my favorite! Energy pulse timed, primed and set. Before we go, energy barricade, need to cancel it out - quickly." He used the sonic screwdriver on the controls and barricades came down.

"Fumigation pre-launching."

"There's not much time for us to get from here to the surface, Doctor!" Rory called.

"Ah-ha, super-squeaky bum time! Get ready to run for your lives. Now..."

Eldane cut him off. "But the decontamination program on your friend hasn't started yet." Everyone looked at Tony in the chamber.

"Well, go. All of you! Go!" Tony said.

"No, we're not leaving you here!" Ambrose protested.

"Granddad!" Elliot ran into the chamber and hugged Tony.

"Now you look after your mum. You mustn't blame her. She only did what she thought was right." Tony told his grandson.

"I'm not going to see you again, am I?" Elliot asked.

"I'll be here." He touched Elliot's heart. "Always. I love you, boy." They hugged tightly. "You be sure he gets home safe!" He said to his daughter. Elliot went to Mo who pulled him close.

"This is my fault." Ambrose said.

"No, I can't go back up there. I'd be a freak show. The technology down here's my only hope." He hugged Ambrose.

"I love you, Dad." She said.

"Go. Go. Come on… Go on." Tony said. Eldane activated the fumigation.

"_Toxic fumigation initiated_." A voice announced. "_Return to cryo-chambers_. _Toxic fumigation initiated_. _Return to cryo-chambers_. _Toxic fumigation initiated_…"

"They're going! They're leaving!"

"Okay." The Doctor took charge. "Everyone follow Nasreen. Look for a blue box. Get ready to run." The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the door and it slid open. He turned to Eldane. "I'm sorry."

"I thought for a moment, our race, and the humans…" Alex sighed.

"So did we…" She mumbled.

"Doctor! Lexi! We've got less than six minutes."

"Go! Go! I'm right behind you!"

"Go on, Amy." Alex waved her off.

The Time Lord turned to Nasreen. "Let's go."

"I'm not coming either."

"What?" Alex asked.

Nasreen walked over and stood by Tony, hand on his arm. "We're going to hibernate with them, me and Tony."

"Doctor, Alex, you must go!" Eldane said, they were running out of time.

Tony looked at Nasreen. "I can be decontaminated when we're woken. All the time in the world."

"But… Nasreen… You…" The Doctor trailed off.

She walked back to the brunettes. "No. This is perfect. I don't want to go. I've got what I was digging for. I can't leave when I've only just found it."

Amy ran in. "Doctor! Lexi!"

"Thank you, Doctor." Nasreen turned to Alex. "Thank you, Alex."

"The pleasure was all ours." He hugged her and Alex hugged her next and the Time Lord grabbed Alex's and Amy's hand. They headed for the door.

"Come and look for us." The doors to the lab slid shut.

An alarm blared; the soldiers entered the cryo-chambers. Fumes began pumping through the tunnel and the large chamber Mo and Amy had discovered earlier. In a different tunnel, The Doctor, Alex and Amy met up with Rory, running towards them. "Other way, idiot!" Amy called to her fiancé.

"_Immediate evacuation_… _Toxic fumigation is about to commence_." Mo, Elliot, and Ambrose had paused at the sight in front of them. The Doctor, Alex, Amy, and Rory joined them and kept running. The tannoy repeated its announcement.

"Come on!" The Doctor yelled.

-x-

They arrived at the tunnel where the TARDIS was. "No questions just get in! And yes, I know it's big!" The Time Lord unlocked it and ushered the family inside. "Ambrose, sickbay up the stairs, left, then left again... get yourself fixed up. Come on! Five minutes and counting..."

"Um… Doctor…" Alex said and the Time Lord turned and stopped when he saw the crack in the tunnel wall, the same crack from Amy's childhood bedroom.

"Not here. Not now. It's getting wider." The Doctor mumbled.

"The crack on my bedroom wall." Amy said. Alex remembered what the Doctor had said in Amy's bedroom when she was a child:

_The Doctor ran his fingers along the crack in the wall. "Two parts of space and Time that should have never touched right here_."

The Time Lord walked up and squatted down. "And the _Byzantium_. All through the universe – rips in the continuum. Some sort of space-time cataclysm. An explosion, maybe. Big enough to put cracks in the universe. But what?" The Doctor studied the crack, fascinated.

Amy checked the stopwatch. "4 minutes 50… We have to go!"

"The Angels laughed, when I didn't know. Prisoner Zero knew, everybody knows, except me!" The Doctor said, obviously annoyed. He hated it that everyone else knew something he didn't.

"Doctor, just leave it and let's go!" Alex said.

"But where's the explosion," the Time Lord pulled a red hankie from one of his inside pockets. "There's shrapnel." He walked over to the crack.

"Doctor, you can't put your hand in there!" Rory yelled.

"Why not?" The Doctor reached in with the hand holding the hankie. He cried out in pain as the light got brighter. Alex, Rory and Amy watched nervously, not knowing what to do. "I've got something!" The Time Lord cried.

"What is it?" The Doctor fell to the ground, clutching the item wrapped in the hankie. It sizzled with heat and energy.

"I don't know." He answered.

"Doctor!" Rory said. A dying Restac crawled into the tunnel. The Doctor jumped up off the ground.

"She had to be there, when the gas started…" Alex said. "She's been poisoned."

"You!" Restac growled.

"Okay, get in the TARDIS, both of you." He reached into jacket pocket.

"You!"

"Doctor!" Rory pushed the Doctor out the way and was shot.

"Rory!" Amy cried. Rory groaned in pain. Restac died.

"Rory, can you hear me?" They all rushed over to his side.

"I don't understand." Rory struggled with the words.

"Shh-shh. Don't talk." She stroked his face. "Doctor, is he okay? We have to get him in the TARDIS!"

"We were on the hill. I can't die here."

Amy was tearful. "Don't say that."

"You're so beautiful… I'm sorry." Rory died.

"Doctor, help him." Alex wrapped an arm around Amy.

The Doctor looked towards the crack and saw the tendrils of light reaching out, touching Rory's feet.

"_If the time energy catches up with you, you'll never have been born. It will erase every moment of your existence. You will never have lived at all_."

The Doctor stood. "Amy, Allie, move away from the light, if it touches you you'll be whipped from history. Amy, Allie move away now."

"No! I am not leaving him! We have to help him!" The Doctor got Alex to stand up.

He then gripped Amy's shoulders gently. "The light's already around him, we can't help him."

"I am not leaving him!"

"We have to, Amy." Alex said, just as tearful.

"No!"

"Sorry."

"Get off me!"

"Sorry!" He repeated as he lifted her up and dragged her to the TARDIS.

"Get off me!" The Doctor pushed Amy inside and grabbed Alex tightly and they got inside the TARDIS.

"No!" Amy rushed back to the doors to get out. "No! No!" The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the doors to prevent Amy from going outside. She shouted and pounded on the door. "Let me out, please let me out... I need to get Rory." The Doctor walked determinedly to the console. Amy turned around, tears streaming down her cheeks. She looked at Alex for a moment, to see such regret in her eyes. Alex didn't want to leave Rory either, they were best friends. She saw the monitor. "That light, if his body's absorbed I'll forget him. He'll never have existed. You can't let that happen." The Doctor pulled a lever on the console. "What are you doing?" She ran to the console. "Doctor! No!" The TARDIS began to dematerialize. Amy began to beat her hands against the Doctor's chest as he hugged her. "No! No! Doctor, we can't just leave him there!"

"Amy," Alex's clear voice reached her friend's ears. "Keep him in your mind. Remember him, 'cause if you don't, you'll lose him forever."

"On the Byzantium, I still remembered the Clerics because I am a time traveler now, he said." Amy said.

The Doctor gripped her head with his hands. "They weren't part of your world. This is different...this is your own history changing."

"Don't tell me it's going to be okay." Amy sobbed. "You have to make it okay."

"It's going to be hard, but you can do it, Amy." The Doctor took her to the jump seat and knelt in front of her. Alex came over and mimicked his motion. "Tell me about Rory. Fantastic Rory, funny Rory, gorgeous Rory. Amy, listen to me. Do exactly as I say. Amy, please. Keep concentrating. You can do this."

"I can't."

"No, Amy, you _can_." Alex said. "You can do it."

"We can't help you unless you do. Come on. We can still save his memory. Come on, Amy, please… Come on, Amy, come on. Amy, please. Don't let anything distract you. Remember Rory. Keep remembering, Rory is only alive in your memory. You must keep hold of him. Don't let anything distract you. Rory still lives in your mind." The TARDIS jarred upon materializing, knocking them onto the floor. The box containing the engagement ring fell in front of the Doctor and he stared at it.

"What were you saying?" Amy said brightly. Alex and the Doctor could only stare at her. Alex felt her heart plump down into her stomach. Mo and Elliot walked down the stairs.

"I have seen some things today, but this is beyond mad." Mo said.

Amy looked at the stopwatch. "Doctor! Lexi! 5 seconds 'till it all goes up!"

-x-

The TARDIS had materialized in the graveyard overlooking the drill site. They watched as it exploded. Later, Elliot, Mo, Amy, and Alex walked through the graveyard as the Doctor and Ambrose stood at the entry of the church. "All Nasreen's work just erased." Amy said.

"Good job she's not here to see it."

Alex laughed. "I can't imagine what she's going to do to Tony once they wake up."

"Yeah," Mo laughed with her. "She's going to give him hell!"

"You could've let those things shoot me. You saved me." Ambrose said.

"An eye for an eye. It's never the way. Now you show your son how wrong you were. How there's another way. You make him the best of humanity... in the way you couldn't be." He looked at her with a gentle smile before leaving.

-x-

The trio decided it was best now to leave. They walked back to the TARDIS. "You're very quiet. Oh! Hey! Look! There I am again! Hello, me!" She waved at her future self, who was now alone.

"Are you okay?" The Doctor asked.

"I thought I saw someone else there for a second. I need a holiday. Didn't we talk about Rio?" Amy asked.

"You go in." The Doctor said. "Just fix this lock, keeps jamming." He unlocked the door for her.

"You boys and your locksmithery." Amy entered and closed the door.

Alex didn't move at first and the Doctor looked at her. She reached out and hugged him tightly, and he hugged back. "Oh, my dear Allie…"

"I thought I would have lost you." She whispered. "It was really scary. I don't think I could handle that again."

The Doctor kissed her head and leaned back. "I'm okay, Allie. Really, love, I'm okay." He kissed her forehead and she smiled at him. She walked into the TARDIS. The Doctor unwrapped the item he took from within the crack. It was a piece of something with words written on it, very familiar words. He held it up to the TARDIS signed…

… And it matched.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter Thirty Four**

Alex had skipped out on 'Vincent and the Doctor'. She had remembered how sad that episode was for her, and she told the Doctor, telling him just that she just wanted to skip the next adventure, and he'd understand why. The Doctor had nodded and shrugged. After that adventure, he had come to her and told her that just like she predicted, he had understood.

The brunette girl decided to wear a cute white and purple blouse. It was baby doll style, white on the chest and sleeves, and purple on the 'skirt'. The sleeves were on her upper arms and it had two purple straps on her shoulders. It was scrunched around the sleeves and along the collar. She had some light wash jeans and some cute blue flats.

The TARDIS materialized in a park and Alex jumped out, pouting when she saw it was not the destination they had been going for. The Doctor came out and looked around. "No, Amy, it's definitely not the fifth moon of Sinda Callista. I think I can see a Ryman's." There was a blast from inside the TARDIS, and the Doctor was knocked to into Alex and both of them to the ground. Alex grunted as she hit the ground with a Time Lord on top of her. Both rolled over as they heard the 'whirring' of the TARDIS taking off. "Amy! Amy!" The TARDIS dematerialized.

Both of the Time travelers looked at where the TARDIS use to be. "Amy…" Alex muttered. _Crap_!

-x-

Alex and the Doctor were reduced to walking about the area when Alex stalled for a moment. She read the advertisement for a shared flat in the paper shop window. Above it, there was a white paper tapped to it with a red message.

'Doctor, Lexi – This one

No. 79A Aickman Road

Amy xx ↓'

"Doctor!" Alex called to the Time Lord. "I think you need to see this." He came back around and looked at it. "Seems like Amy wants us to go there."

The Doctor grinned at Alex. "Let's go, then." He offered his arm and she took it and they walked into the store to get the note and then they were off to see the flat. The Doctor fiddled around with his pockets.

"What are you doing?" Alex giggled.

"Ah-ha!" He lifted up an ear piece. "This way we can talk to Amy." Alex nodded.

"I didn't know you had an earpiece of the TARDIS."

"Oh, there's still quite a few things you don't know about me, love." He grinned at her flirtatiously. Alex returned the grin.

"I'd love to find out." The Doctor stopped at an ATM. "What are you doing now?" She asked with a smile.

"We'll need rent, won't we?" The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and aimed it at the ATM. Alex watched as the machine easily spat out a lot of money.

"Don't you think that's a bit much?"

The man shrugged. "I don't know." Alex walked over and snatched a paper bag she found and they put it all into the bag.

-x-

They got to the apartment and the Doctor knocked on the door. Alex sighed and just leaned her head against his shoulder. The Time Lord smiled. He noticed that she was getting closer and closer to him each day. _Hopefully, it won't be long_…

It won't be long before he could kiss his Alex again.

A man opened the door. He had short dirty blonde hair and a 6 o'clock shadow. He wore a dark blue pin stripped shirt and some black pants. "I love you!"

The Doctor and Alex looked at each other as the man became obviously stunned. "Well, that's good, 'cause we're your new lodgers. Do you know," The Doctor took the adorable keys from the man's hands. "This is going to be easier than we expected!" The Doctor offered a lovely grin.

"But I only just put the advert up today, I didn't put my address."

"Well, aren't you lucky I came along? More lucky than you know." He looked up. "Less of a young professional, more of an ancient amateur, but frankly we're absolute dreams."

The man became fluster. "Hang on, mate, I don't know if I want you staying, and give me back those keys, you can't have those!" He snatched the keys back.

"Yes, quite right. Have some rent." The Doctor handed him the paper bag. He opened it to see it filled with cash notes.

"That's probably quite a lot, isn't it? Looks like a lot. Is it a lot? I can never tell."

"I told you that was a lot." Alex said. The Doctor shrugged. They stepped past the man into the house, and he followed, closing the door behind him. Alex noticed that the light at the top of the stairs began to flicker.

"Don't spend it all on sweets. Unless you like sweets. We like sweets. Ooh." He turned to the man and gave him an air kiss. Alex giggled. "That's how we greet each other nowadays, isn't it? I'm the Doctor. Oh, and this is my lovely girl, Alex Harper." Alex shook his hand. "Well, they call me the Doctor, I don't know why. I call me the Doctor too. Still don't know why." Alex giggled again.

"Craig Owens. The Doctor and Alex?" Craig asked.

"Yep." Alex answered and turned to look upstairs. "Who lives up there?"

"Just some bloke." He answered.

"What does he look like?" The Doctor asked.

"Normal. He's very quiet." There was a loud bang from above, and the three occupants all turned. "Usually. Sorry, who are you two again? Hello?" The Doctor just walked off into the other room and Alex followed him. "Excuse me?"

"Doctor, what is that?" Alex whispered as they went to the corner of the room with the spreading stain on the ceiling.

"Ah!" The Doctor looked at it closely. "I suppose that's… dry rot?"

"Or damp. Or mildew." Craig added.

"Or none of the above." The Time Lord corrected.

"I'll get someone to fix it."

"No, I'll fix it." The Doctor said. "I'm good at fixing rot. Call me the Rotmeister. No, I'm the Doctor, don't call me the Rotmeister. This is the most beautiful parlor I have ever seen; you're obviously a man of impeccable taste." The Doctor walked over and sat on the countertop. "We can stay, Craig, can't we? Say we can."

"You haven't even seen the room." Craig said.

"What room?" Alex asked curiously.

"Your room."

"Our room?" The Doctor asked. "Oh, yes, our room, our room." The Doctor smiled slowly. "Take us to our room!"It was off to the side of the main flat that they had been in. Craig opened the doors and they entered.

"Yeah, this is Mark's old room; he owns the place, moved out about a month ago." Craig explained. "I'm sorry, but it's only meant for one person. I didn't expect two people to want it."

"Nah, it's okay. We can share, can't we, Doctor?" Alex asked.

The Doctor very much enjoyed that thought. "Of course, love." Alex smiled.

Alex turned back to Craig. "You said that Mark lived here, where is he now?"

"Oh, an uncle he'd never even heard of died and left a load of money." The blonde answered.

The Doctor tested the bed, deciding it would do for his Alex. "How very convenient. This'll do just right. In fact..." They heard more noise from above. "No time to lose. I'll take it. Ah...you'll want to see our credentials." The Doctor took out his psychic paper. "There...National Insurance number..." He then pulled it behind his back and switched it to his other hand. "NHS number…" He switched the paper again. "References…"

"Is that a reference from the Archbishop of Canterbury?" Craig asked.

"We're his special favorites." He put a finger to his lips in the 'shh' sign. "Are you hungry?" He suddenly asked. "I'm hungry. What about you, love? You hungry?" Alex nodded, knowing it was better to just roll with him. The Doctor walked out of the door of his room.

"I haven't got anything in." Craig said as he and Alex followed.

The Doctor got out into the kitchen and completely raided the fridge and cabinets. "You've got everything I need for an omelets fines herbs! Pour deux!" The Doctor began to cook at impressive speeds. "So who's the girl on the fridge?"

Craig looked at it. "My friend. Sophie."

"Girlfriend?" Alex asked, leaning against the counter, next to the Doctor.

"A friend who is a girl. There's nothing going on." _Uh-huh_… Alex thought with a sly smile.

"Ah, that's completely normal. Works for me." The Doctor said.

Craig continued. "We met at work about a year ago at the call centre."

"Oh, really, a communications exchange? That could be handy." The Doctor commented.

"Firm's going down though. The bosses are using a totally rubbish business model. I know what they should do, I got a plan all worked out, but I'm just a phone drone, I can't go running in saying I know best. Why am I telling you this? I don't even know you two."

"Suppose we just have those kinds of faces." Alex said.

"People never stop blurting out their planes while we're around." The Doctor added. After a couple of normal talking, the Doctor finished with his omelets for everyone and they sat down to eat. Craig sat on the couch, the Doctor on the chair, and he tugged Alex into his lap. With some more pleasant conversations, they finished their meals.

"Oh, that was incredible! That was absolutely brilliant. Where did you learn to cook?"

"Paris, 18th century." Alex nudged him with her elbow. "No, hang on, that's not recent, is it? 17th?" Alex rolled her eyes and leaned back to whisper in his ear.

"Try 20th century, Time Lord."

"Ah, yes, 20th." The Doctor nodded. "Sorry, I'm not used to doing them in the right order."

Craig stared at him for a moment. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a bit weird?"

"They never really stop." The Doctor smiled.

Alex changed the subject. "Have you ever been to Paris, Craig?"

"Nah, I can't see the point of Paris. I'm not much of a traveler." He answered.

"We can tell from your sofa." The Doctor said.

"My sofa?"

"You're kinda starting to look like it." Alex pointed out.

He laughed. "Thanks, mate, that's lovely!" Alex smiled a bit. "No, I like it here." Alex looked down when she noticed he started… stroking… the keys he had taken from them earlier. "I'd miss it, I'd miss…"

"Thos keys?" The Doctor said.

"What?" Craig asked.

"You're sort of… folding them." He pointed out.

"I'm holding them." Craig defended. He put the keys down onto the sofa arm.

"Right." The Doctor said.

"Of course." Alex nodded.

"Anyways…" He got up and walked to the table by the door. Alex felt the Doctor lean into her and he reached over and patted the keys very gently. Alex giggled into his ear. He smiled at her. "These…" He held up another set of keys. "These are your keys."

"We can stay?" The two met him halfway.

"Yeah, you're weird and you can cook, it's good enough for me." He held up each key. "Right, outdoor, front door, your door."

"Our door?" The Doctor and Alex were smiling. "Our place. Our gaff." The Doctor took the keys. "Ha-ha! Yes! Me with a key." He jingled them to Alex and she laughed.

"And listen, Mark and I, we had an arrangement where if you ever need me out of your hair, just give me a shout, okay?" He winked.

The Doctor winked back. "… Why would I want that?"

"In case you want to do something with her." He gestured to Alex. She raised an eyebrow and the brunettes looked at each other. Alex gave him a look, since he knew she'd get it if it was from her. The Doctor's face cleared when he understood what Craig was saying.

"Oh, I will. I'll shout if that happens. Yes. Something like... I WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS! By the way, that... the rot. I've got the strangest feeling we shouldn't touch it." The Doctor tugged Alex off and they walked into their room. The Doctor flopped onto the bed, he had pressed a button as soon as they got in and the earpiece now flashed. Alex plopped down next to him, her arms draped over his chest, her face close to his ear. "Earth to Pond, Earth to Pond. Come in Pond."

"_Doctor! Lexi_!" Both of them winced at the feedback from her call. "_Oooh. Sorry_." Amy must have gotten it too.

"Could you not wreck my new earpiece, Pond?" The Doctor asked annoyed. The Doctor laid back down next to his brunette. He slipped his arm underneath her waist and held her to him. Alex just snuggled into his warmth, burying her face into his neck.

"How's the TARDIS doing, Amy?" Alex asked her lips right next to the earpiece.

"_See for yourself_." Amy held the mic. out so that the Doctor and Alex could hear.

The Doctor sat up and Alex mentally groaned. She had been comfortable too. She just buried her face where his head had been, soaking up the residual warmth. "Ooh, nasty." The Doctor said. "She's locked in a materialization loop, trying to land again but she can't."

"_And whatever's stopping her is upstairs in that flat. So go upstairs and sort it_!" Amy ordered.

"I don't know what it is yet!" The Doctor stood up on the bed. Alex gave him a look, he better not start jumping, or she'd have to hit him, _hard. _"Anything that can stop the TARDIS from landing is big, scary big!"

"_Wait… Are you scared_?" Amy asked.

"I can't go up there until I know what it is and how to deal with it! It is vital that this 'man' upstairs doesn't realize who and what I am." The Doctor bounced on the bed, but at Alex's growl he stopped but smiled anyways. "So no sonicking. No advanced technology. I can only use this." He tapped his earpiece. "'Cause we're on scramble." The Doctor jumped on the floor and Alex reached out and grabbed a pillow and threw it at him, since he had shaken the bed. "Ooh, sorry love." He got back to his conversation with Amy. "To anyone else hearing this conversation, we're talking absolute gibberish." He looked at some hair jell. "All I've got to do is pass as an ordinary human being. Simple. What could possibly go wrong?" He put one some sunglasses. Alex laughed at him from the bed, has he seen what he looked like?

"_Have you seen you_?" Amy asked through the earpiece.

"So you're just going to be snide? No helpful hints?"

"_Hmm, well, here's one… bowtie, get rid_!"

The Doctor checked himself in the mirror and then looked at it to see Alex's with her eyes closed. "Bow ties are cool." He took the sunglasses off and put them into his pocket. "Come on, Amy, I'm a normal bloke, tell me what normal blokes do."

"_They watch telly, they play football, they go down to the pub_."

"Love?"

"Basically, the same." Alex mumbled. "Although… we have a different version of 'football' than what you consider 'football' what you call 'football' we call 'soccer'."

The Doctor flipped through a book. "I could do those things. I don't, but I could." There was a crashing from above that jolted Alex back into the world of consciousness. "Hang on. Wait, wait, wait! Amy?" Alex jumped up and walked over to her Time Lord's side. They heard Amy screaming as she was probably thrown around as the TARDIS shook again. The hands of the clocks in the room began spinning back and forth. The Doctor looked at his watch and both saw it was doing the same thing. "Interesting. Localized time loop."

"_Ow! What's all that_?"

"Time distortion. Whatever's happening upstairs, is still affecting you." They heard Amy scream again.

After a few moments, Alex noticed all of the clocks stopped. "_It's stopped… ish_!" Amy announced. "_How about your end_?"

"Our end's good." The Doctor answered.

"_So, doesn't sound great, but nothing to worry about_?"

"No, no, no, not really!" The Doctor answered. "Just keep the zigzag plotter on full, that'll protect you." Amy did as told, but they heard her yell, 'ah!' along with a loud noise.

"Amy, I said the zigzag plotter!" The Doctor yelled.

"_I pulled the zigzag plotter_!" Amy objected.

"What, you're standing with the door behind you?" Amy paused and looked behind her.

"_Yes_!"

The Doctor mimed what he said. "Okay, take two steps to your right and pull it again!" Amy did so and Alex could barely hear her friend sigh in relief.

"Oh. Now, I must not use the sonic. I've got work to do, need to pick up a few items."

"_Hey_!" But it went ignored.

The Doctor threw a few pieces onto the bed and walked out. "Come along, love!" Alex followed him.

-x-

The Doctor had gotten a range of strange items. The Doctor walked backwards towards the house, pulled a shopping cart. The cart was filled with odds and ends. In the distance, a cat meowed. "Ssh! Don't get comfortable!" The Doctor pulled the house keys from his pocket and gave them to Alex who unlocked the front door. It was a long night, thankful the Doctor had gotten her some special ear plugs so that she didn't have to listen to the Doctor's noise. They moved the mattress, with the pillows and sheets, to a corner of the room, so that it was out of the way. The Doctor then turned the bed frame upside down and got to work.

After a couple of hours, the Doctor turned to see Alex sleeping peacefully. She was lying on her back, with her arms thrown up over her head. Her head rested on her right cheek, her hair a perfect mess around her face. The Doctor walked over to her quietly. She breathed through her mouth deeply. He smiled down at his precious girl. He reached out and gently brushed a piece of hair out of her face. She shifted and mumbled something before stilling. He leaned down and kissed his girl on her cheek. He closed his eyes, thinking of the words he was dying to say to her...

_I love you_.

The Doctor opened his eyes and stood back up. There would be a time for that, with the way she was acting with him now. He opened his mouth, he couldn't hold it, he had to say it, even if she was sleeping. "I love you, Allie." It wasn't as fulfilling as he wished it was, but he let it go and turned around to get back to work.

-x-

Alex opened her eyes and rubbed her face. She sat up and stretched. She got up and walked out the flat, just as the Doctor entered… in nothing but a _towel_. Alex froze a long moment. _Oh dear God, I think I'm going to faint_. She shook her head, but it still didn't help as she looked back at the Doctor's nicely made chest. Craig was on the phone, but she barely noticed. "No, Dom's in Malta, there's nobody around. Hang on a sec." He put the phone onto his shoulder and looked at the Doctor. "We've got a match today, pub league; we're one down if you fancy it?"

"Pub league?" The Doctor took a guess. "A drinking competition?"

"No… football… Play football?" Craig corrected.

"Football. Football! Yes, blokes play football! I'm good at football, I think."

"You saved my life!" He patted the Time Lord on the cheek and the man returned the gesture. Craig spoke into the phone. "I've got somebody. All right, see you down there." He hung up the phone and turned to the blonde. "Hey, Soph."

The Doctor went to the fridge and got out a carton of milk. "Hey, I thought I'd come early and meet your new flatmates." Sophie said.

"Do you play, Sophie?" The Doctor asked kindly as he drank some milk.

"No, Soph just stands on the sidelines, she's my mascot."

"I'm your mascot? Mascot?" Sophie asked.

"Well, not my mascot, it's a football match, I can't take a date."

"I didn't say I was your date."

"Neither did I." The three of them stood in an awkward silence… Well, more like Craig and Sophie did, the Doctor was oblivious to it. Alex rolled her eyes; _better get him before he could make it worse_.

"Doctor," Alex walked up to him. The Doctor looked over at her, and saw she was almost forcing her eyes to stay on his face. "You should get dressed if you want to play."

"Oh right." The Time Lord handed back Craig his toothbrush and headed to the door, Alex behind him.

"Oh, the spare kit's just in the bottom drawer."

"Bit of a mess." The Doctor closed the doors. He paused and opened the door again to lean out. "You unlocked the door. How did you do that? Those are your keys; you must have left them last time you came here."

"Yeah, but I…" Sophie was confused. "How did you know these are my keys?"

"I've been holding them…" Craig muttered, completely flustered.

"I have got another set." She held up the said set.

"You've got two sets of keys to someone else's house?" The Doctor asked, however, he noticed that he felt tingles all up his back. Alex was staring at him…

"Yeah?" Sophie asked.

"I see. You must like it here too." He closed the door and turned around to see, that indeed, Alex was staring at him. He felt chills when she licked her lips and smiled. "What?" He asked.

"You are too good to me." He blinked, still confused.

"What?"

She giggled and walked up to him. She didn't touch his chest. She leaned up to whisper in his ear. "If you don't get dressed right now, Doctor, I will not be responsible for what my hormones might cause me to do." The Doctor felt a shiver run down his spine and he couldn't stop the grin from splitting his face.

"Ooh, I love it when you get like this with me."

She smiled. "I'll make a mental note." The Doctor moved around her and got out the uniform. Alex decided it was best to get dressed in the bathroom. She got just a simple, cute, graphic tee, some jeans, and some black converse. Once she was ready she got back into the closet, to see the Doctor putting on the shirt of his uniform, while talking to Amy. "So I'm going out, if I hang about the house all the time, him upstairs might get suspicious, notice me."

"Football," Alex heard Amy's voice over the earpiece. "Okay, well done, that is normal."

"Yeah, football, all outdoors-y." The Doctor looked down and saw his uniform was inside out. Alex caught his number and saw it was '11'. _Ya know, the irony of that never could pass by me_. The Doctor looked in the mirror and propped up his collar. He turned to Alex and silently asked if he was good. Alex nodded. "Now, football's the one with the sticks, isn't it?" Alex laughed.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex were walking with Craig and Sophie down the path of a park to the place they were to play soccer. "What are you actually called, what's your proper name?"

"Just call me the Doctor." He answered.

"Yeah." Sophie added.

"I can't say to these guys, 'Hey, this is one of my new flatmates, he's called the Doctor'."

"And why not?" Alex asked. The Doctor had given her his tweed jacket, and it was too big for her as usual.

"'Cause it's weird."

They were greeted by a friendly black man in the same uniform. Alex figured it was one of Craig's teammates. "Alright, Craig, Soph. Alright mate." He grinned at Alex. "Hello." Alex resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

The Doctor shook the man's hand. "Hello, I'm Craig's new flatmate." He gave another air kiss. The man leaned away. "I'm called the Doctor."

"All right, Doctor. I'm Sean."

"Hi Sean, I'm Craig's other 'flatmate'," Alex felt a bit weird when she said that, but she ignored it. "I'm Alex."

"Hi, Alex." Sean turned back to the Doctor. "Where are you strongest?"

"Arms." The Doctor answered. Alex put a hand over her mouth to stop from laughing. Alex knew a bit about soccer, and remembered this part of the episode clearly; it was always funny to her.

"No, he means, what position?" Craig explained. "On the field?"

"Not sure. The front? The side? Below?" Alex was biting her tongue as to not laugh at her darling Time Lord.

"Are you any good though?" Sean asked.

The Doctor spun the ball on his fingertips. "Let's find out." The Doctor kicked the ball and headed out to the field.

The match was quite impressive. Soon both everyone and the Doctor himself found out that he was actually _really _good at soccer. As the team played, the Doctor took over the field, intercepting passes to other players and scoring goals. Alex and Sophie began to cheer. Without knowing it, this upset Craig. Soon the majority of the onlookers began to chant, 'Doctor!'

-x-

Once the game was over, Alex ran over to her Time Lord and jumped into his arms. He laughed and spun her around. "Oh! You were brilliant! You were!" They laughed together as they hugged. He chuckled into her ear.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." She nuzzled into his neck, just enjoying his warmth and their hug. The Doctor tightened his arms around his Alex, feeling the same way. He led them back over to the bench that the team and friends had gathered having some beers.

"You are so on the team!" Sean came back with some drinks. Alex was thankful as he passed her a drink, that it was just Diet Dr. Pepper. She wasn't one for beer. "Next week we've got the Crown and Anchor, we'll annihilate them!" _Oh, here we go_… Alex sipped her drink, hiding her grin as the Doctor stood up.

"No violence, not while I'm around, not today, not ever. I'm the Doctor, the Oncoming Storm..."

Alex held back her laughter. "Doctor, he means to beat them in a football match."

"Yeah." Sean agreed.

"Oh…" The Doctor muttered. "Lovely, what sort of time?" Craig opened his can and it spilled over and everyone laughed. Alex smiled, but it was gone as it repeated, and again, and again. It kept happening, involving everyone but the Doctor and Alex. They left the small group to make contact with Amy. "Amy?" She didn't answer. "Amy?"

"_It's happening again_! _Worse_!"

"What does the scanner say?" The Doctor demanded.

"_A lot of nines_." She replied. "_Is it good that they're nines? Tell me it's good that they're nines_!"

"Yes, yes, its… its good!" The Doctor responded. "Zigzag plotter, zigzag plotter Amy!" Amy used it but there was no change. Alex heard Amy get thrown around in the TARDIS as she screamed.

"Doctor…?" Alex's voice quivered. He took her hand.

"Amy?" Alex could hear the fear in the Doctor's hesitant voice. "Are you there? Amy?"

Alex heard everything calm down on the other side. "_Yes, hello_." Amy greeted.

"Ah, thank heavens. I thought the TARDIS had been flung off into the vortex with you inside it, lost forever." Alex's relieved face became blank as she just stared at the Doctor.

"You mean that can actually happen?" Alex asked.

"_You have got to get me out of here_!"

"How are the numbers?" The Doctor asked.

"_All fives_."

"Is that good?" Alex asked.

"Fives?" The Doctor peeked over his shoulder and Alex did the same and saw that everyone was back to normal. "Even better. Still, it means the effect's almost unbelievably powerful and dangerous, but don't worry. Hang on, okay? I've got some rewiring to do." He signed off the earpiece.

-x-

They were back in the room, and the Doctor was still putting together his little contraption. Alex just watched him in a white lace tank top and some black shorts; she still had the Doctor's tweed jacket over her. Alex vaguely heard some footsteps before a knock on the door came. The Doctor looked up and walked over. He opened the door, an orange traffic cone under his arm. "Hello, flatemate." The Doctor greeted.

"Hey, man. Listen, Sophie's coming round tonight and I was wondering if you could give us some space?"

"Oh, don't mind us. You won't even know we're here." There was another loud noise and the Doctor looked up. "That's the idea." The Doctor closed the doors and got back to work on this… contraption, Alex couldn't even figure out what it was. "Yes, perfect!" The Doctor fiddled with it. "What a beauty!" Alex just watched him. She enjoyed watch him move around as he got his machine working. "Ooh…"

"What?" Alex asked.

"Need to fix the electrics." He said.

"I'll help you with that." Alex offered as she lifted up off her 'bed'. It was better than sitting than just watching the Doctor's lovely ass move around. _Although that is a lot of fun_. They moved around the whole apartment, working with Craig's room first. They got to the living room without Alex really taking notice to it. She watched as the Doctor hit the screwdriver and looked at it funny. "What?" He straightened up, and Alex watched him confused, until she remembered that Craig and Sophie were on the couch. _Oh_…

"Hello." Alex lifted her head to look over the couch at them.

"What?" Craig asked.

"Whoops, sorry, don't worry; I wasn't listening, in a world of my own down there." Alex smiled and shook her head; she had no problem believing that.

"I thought you two were going out?" Craig asked angrily.

"Just re-connecting all the electrics, it's a real mess. Where's the on-switch for this?" He held out a normal screwdriver and Alex giggled. _What an idiot_…

"They really are on their way out." Craig told Sophie.

"No, I don't mind, if you don't mind."

"I don't mind, why would I mind?" Craig said, and Alex could hear he was upset in his tone.

"Then stay," It seemed Sophie didn't pick up on it. "Have a drink with us."

"What, do we have to stay now?" The Doctor asked confused. Alex shook her head. _Oh yeah, an oblivious idiot_… Ah, but she wouldn't love him any other way.

"Do you want to stay?" Craig asked.

"We don't mind." The Doctor answered.

"Okay!" Sophie smiled.

"Great!" Craig's tone was more sarcastic.

-x-

The Doctor was sitting in a chair working with the electric wire around his neck. Alex was sitting next to him, able to squeeze into the same chair since she was so small. After a small argument, Alex had snatched the normal screwdriver from him, and after a whack on the head with it for being so idiot with such a simple thing as a _normal screwdriver_, she helped him out by unscrewing anything that needed it. Sophie was drinking a glass of wine and Craig was looking at the ceiling. "'Cause life can seem pointless, Doctor. Work, weekend, work, weekend. And there's six billion people on the planet doing pretty much the same."

"Six billion people? Watching you two at work, I'm starting to wonder where they all come from." Alex nudged her Time Lord with her elbow.

"What?" Sophie asked. "What do you mean by that?'

"If you don't like it, Sophie, what do you really want to do?" Alex asked, steering the conversation onto a different road.

"Don't laugh. I only ever told Craig about it. I want to work looking after animals. Maybe abroad? I saw this orangutan sanctuary on telly." Alex smiled. Her sister was the same, wanted to go off and work with animals. Alex's smile some-what diminished, realizing how much she missed her sister.

"What's stopping you?" The Doctor asked. He nudged her this time when he saw a sad look come onto her eyes. She snapped out of it and smiled at him, but she should have known she couldn't fool him by now. She rested her head on his shoulder.

"She can't, you need loads of qualifications." Craig imputed.

"Yeah, true. Plus it's scary, everyone I know lives round here. Craig got offered a job in London, better money, didn't take it."

"What's wrong with staying here?" Craig spoke up. "I can't see the point of London."

"Well, perhaps that's you, then. Perhaps you'll just have to stay here, secure and a little bit miserable until the day you drop. Better than trying and failing, eh?" Alex looked at him curiously, if it wasn't for the look in his eyes that made her pause, she would have hit him.

"You think I'd fail?" Sophie asked, becoming upset.

"Everybody's got dreams, Sophie, very few are going to achieve them, so why pretend?" The Doctor reached for his glass of wine. _I wouldn't if I were you, Doctor_… As she predicted when he took a sip of wine he made a face and spat it back into the glass. "Perhaps, in the whole universe, a call centre is where you should be?"

"Why are you saying that? That's horrible."

"Is it true?" Alex asked, deciding, like always, to just roll with what the Doctor says.

"Of course it's not true. I'm not staying in a call centre all my life; I can do anything I want!" The Doctor smiled and Alex giggled, now realizing what he had planned. "Oh! Yeah! Right!" Sophie came to the realization as well. She bumped fists with the genius man. She turned to Craig. "Oh, my God! Did you see what he just did?"

Craig, unfortunately, wasn't as excited as Sophie was. "No, what's happening? Are you going to live with monkeys now?"

"It's a big old world, Sophie. Work out what's really keeping you here, eh?"

"I don't know." Sophie answered. "Dunno."

-x-

The Doctor had created a large and ungainly device from all the bits and pieces he had collected. He had set the main part on the bed frame and ducked out of the way as it began to spin wobbly. Alex snuggled into her bed, with the Doctor's jacket laid over her. His suspenders were off his shoulders and were now just hanging from his waist. "Right. Shield's up. Let's scan!"

"_What are you getting_?"

The Doctor turned a converted digital clock to check the readings. "Upstairs. No traces of high technology. Totally normal. No no, no, no, it can't be! It's too normal."

Alex rolled her eyes. "Only you can think 'too normal' is a bad thing."

"_You said I could be lost forever_." Amy spoke up. "_Just go upstairs_."

"Without knowing, get myself killed, then you really are lost. If I could just get a look in there... Hold on." The Doctor grabbed a paddle that had been a part of the machine and stopped it from spinning. "Use the data bank, get me the plans of this building – its history, the layout, everything. Meanwhile, I shall recruit a spy." Alex didn't hear much after that she fell asleep.

-x-

Alex woke up and saw the Doctor's wasn't in the room. She figured he was in the shower and got up and went over to the kitchen. Alex figured she could make breakfast as she sleepily put on her robe. She made some pancakes, toast, eggs, and some ham. She was just making the finishing touches on it when the Doctor came out. He had learned from his last incident that it was probably best to dress while still in the bathroom. It was unfortunate in Alex's eyes. "Ah! Breakfast!" The Doctor sat down and started to eat. "I didn't know you could cook."

Alex rolled her eyes and put a finger to his lips. "No talking while mouth is full of food." Her voice was similar to one someone would use for a child. She smiled and pulled her finger away, and the Doctor obediently chewed. "My parents cooked a lot." The Doctor froze in his chewing and blinked at her. It had been a while since she had mentioned her parents. "My mom liked to cook breakfast things. My dad was more lunch and dinner, ah, especially dinner." Her smile turned sad. "You should have seen how my dad could cook on Christmas or Thanksgiving, best turkey you'd ever get. And on Easter Day," Alex laughed, though it was a bit sad. "He could make the best honey cooked ham."

The Doctor swallowed his food numbly. "Oh, love." He reached over and took her hand. She held it with both of her hands, and rested it on her forehead. A couple of tears fell from her eyes.

"I miss them, Doctor." She croaked. "I miss Grace, and my home, and my pets, and my Nanna, and my parents, and my sister. I missed them so much." The Time Lord got up and hugged his brunette to her and she sobbed quietly. His mind was already working quickly on what he could do to make her happy again. He went through all the possibilities of how – even for a day – he could get her back home….

Alex whipped her eyes and smiled. "Let's take some breakfast to Craig." The Doctor smiled back and nodded. They gathered some breakfast together and put it onto a breakfast tray. They stopped at his door.

"Craig." The Doctor called happily. "Craig?" Since the Doctor's hands were full, Alex knocked for him. "Breakfast. It's normal. Craig?" They looked at each other, and Alex opened the door. "Craig?"

"Oh my God…" Alex muttered. Craig was lying unmoving on his bed. The Doctor and Alex rushed over and the Time Lord put the tray on the end of the bed. They knelt beside him and the Doctor grabbed Craig's arm. "Craig, I told you not to touch it! What's that?" Alex saw a nasty large streak was running up Craig's arm. "An unfamiliar and obviously poisonous substance. 'Oh, I know what would be really clever; I'll stick my hand in it'!" The Doctor put his hands together in a large fist and lifted them above his head. He pounded on Craig's chest and he gasped.

"Come on, Craig, breathe." Alex whispered.

"Thems are healthy footballer's lungs!" The Doctor grabbed the teapot and ran out of the room. Within a few minutes he came back in. He gave Alex's the teapot. "Give it to him." Alex obeyed and made Craig drink through the spout of the pot.

"I've got to go to work." Craig said hoarsely.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere." Alex said firmly, speaking like a mother. "One more." He took another mouthful from the pot.

"It's the planning meeting," He tried to protest. "It's important."

"You're important." The Doctor said, gently, over his brunette's shoulder. "You're going to be fine, Craig." He fell asleep and they slipped out the room.

-x-

The Doctor had told Alex that he had never worked anywhere before, and wanted to go take a look. "I haven't worked anywhere either." Alex confessed as they walked to the workplace.

"Really?" The Doctor was surprised. "Aren't you 19?"

"That would depend." She shrugged.

"On what?"

"Who you're asking." She explained. "Is Alex Harper 19? Or am I 19?" The Doctor blinked, still confused.

"How old are you?"

"16." The Doctor stared at her. "What?"

"You're 16?" He asked.

"Yeah. I got older when I came here." She shrugged again.

"You write stories like this when were 16?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Lots of people do it." She shrugged again. "Anyways, I didn't get anywhere _near _this far on my story. I got to about chapter 4 or 5."

"How come?"

Alex rolled her eyes again. "Because I got – quite literally – sucked into it!"

"Oh… Yeah…" He muttered. She shook her head with a smile as they finally got to Craig's workplace. The Doctor explained what was going on with Craig, and with a bit of help from the physic paper they were lead to Craig's workplace. At first, Alex warned him that she wasn't good at computer things – wasn't smart enough. The Doctor told her that all she had to do was ask him and he'd help her. But, once she got to work, in a spare workspace next to the Doctor. She somehow knew what the customers asked when they asked what was wrong with their computers. She didn't know how, but she was able to answer their questions. She didn't need the Doctor to help her, for somehow she was getting it quite quickly.

They had even gone to the planning meeting. The Doctor explained that they would be Craig's 'representatives'. After that went so very well, they were back in their desks working with clients again. Alex was talking to a very nice, elderly Mrs. Cranberry when Craig rushed in. "Oh, afternoon." Michael greeted.

"I'm so sorry, Michael," Craig was out of breath. "I don't know what happened, I've got no excuse."

The Doctor popped his head up from under the desk right where Michael and Craig were standing. He had on a headset and was taking to a customer. "I think that's not what my screen is telling me, Mr. Lang."

"What's he doing here? What are you doing here?" Craig panicked.

"If that's your attitude, Mr. Lang, please take your custom elsewhere." He blew a raspberry at the man. Alex giggled.

"No, no, no, that's one of my best clients!"

"Craig, how are you feeling? Had some time to kill, I was curious, never worked in an office. Never worked in anywhere."

"You're insane!" Craig gaped.

"Leave off the Doctor; I love the Doctor and Miss. Harper." Alex gave a smile. "They were brilliant in the planning meeting."

"You went to the planning meeting?" Craig asked.

"Yes. We were your representatives. We don't need Mr. Lang any more. Rude Mr. Lang." Alex giggled again.

"_Miss. Harper_?"

"Ah, yes, Mrs. Cranberry. Did you get it yet?"

"_I'm not sure_," She went to continue what was going on.

"Ah, well, we're getting one step closer, and that's good."

'_I'm sorry, I can't be more help_."

"Oh, nonsense Mrs. Cranberry, you are doing wonderful." Alex clicked on her computer, and she finally was able to decipher the problem. She related the news to Mrs. Cranberry and she was able to get her computer up and running within seconds.

"_Thank you, Miss. Harper_." Alex smiled.

"It was no problem, Mrs. Cranberry. Please, take care." She hung the phone up and leaned onto the table, towards Craig and Michael.

"What are you doing here?" Craig asked her.

"Well… I couldn't let the Doctor go on his own; he might have gotten into trouble." The Doctor pouted. "And, to be honestly I was quite curious myself."

Sophie arrived with some two cups and some biscuits. "Here you go, and I found some custard creams."

"Sophie, my hero." The Doctor thanked.

"Here you are, Alex." Alex gratefully took it. "Decaf coffee."

"Ah, you are a saint, Sophie." Alex complimented and took a sip of her delicious coffee.

The blonde turned to Craig. "Hi, Craig. I went on the web, applied for a wildlife charity thing. They said I could always start as a volunteer straight away. Should I do it?"

"Yeah, great, yeah, good, go for it."

"You look awful, Craig." Alex said and shook her head. "I told you to stay in bed," she waggled her finger at him, sinking into motherly mode again. "Now off to bed! Now!" Alex turned back to her computer to see who the next customer was.

The Doctor did the same. "Who's next?" He typed at the keyboard. "Oh, yes."

"Ah, there we are." Both said as they found what they were looking for. Sophie walked away. Michael waved goodbye and Craig headed for the door in frustration.

"Hello, Mr. Joergensen. Can you hold? I have to eat a biscuit."

"Ah! Hello Mr. Land." Alex greeted brightly. She was happy to receive a cheerful greeting in return. "How can I help you?" However, as Mr. Land told her his problem, Alex gently tapped the Doctor's elbow. He looked over and she gestured to Sophie and he turned and they watched her reaction.

-x-

Alex entered the door first and paused when she saw a beautiful lilac birman on the stairs. "Ooh, look at you, you gorgeous kitty." She held out her hand and found the cat to be very friendly. "Ooh, such a pretty kitty you are." She lifted up the cat and rubbed the cat's face. The cat leaned into the affection, loving the attention and purred loudly. "Oooh, listen to that purr!" She laughed and continued to pet the darling cat, sitting down onto the stairs.

The Doctor came in next as saw his girl with the cat he had recruited. He sat down next to the girl. "Have you been upstairs?" The cat meowed. "Yes?" Alex stared at him strangely as the cat gave a deep throaty meow.

"You can speak to cats?" She asked.

"Yes. I can." The cat gave another meow. "I know, isn't she?" He said it proudly.

"What?" Alex asked.

"He said you were beautiful." Alex buried her face into the cat's furry back and blushed. "You can do it. Show me what's up there? What's behind that door? Try to show me." The cat meowed again. "Ohh, that doesn't make sense! Ever see anyone go up there?" Another meow. "Lots of people? Good good."

"What kind of people?" Alex asked. The cat answered.

"People who never come back down." The Doctor and she shared a look. "That's very bad."

Alex turned when she heard the door open and saw Craig standing there. The Doctor looked up. "Oh, hello."

"I can't take this anymore." Craig said. "I want you two to go!" Craig went back into the flat and after a shared look of confusion the Doctor and Alex followed him. Craig handed back the bag of money to the Time Lord. "You can have this back an' all."

"We have we done?" Alex asked, still holding the cat to her chest. He rubbed his face to hers affectionately.

"For a start, talking to a cat." The cat hissed a bit and Alex soothed him with a pet.

The Doctor carelessly threw the bag over his shoulder, letting the money fly out. "Lots of people talk to cats." He defended.

"Everybody loves you, you're better at football than me, and my job, and now Sophie's all 'Oh, monkeys, monkeys!' and then..." He opened their room. "There's that!" The Doctor and Alex rushed over.

"It's art!" The Doctor tried to pass off. "A statement on modern society, 'ooh, ain't modern society awful'?" The Doctor walked in and stopped it spinning.

"Me and you two, it's not gonna work out. You've been here three days, the three weirdest days of my life."

"It's going to get a lot weird if we leave, Craig." Alex said.

"I thought it was good weird, but it's not, its bad weird! I can't do this anymore!"

"We can't leave this place," The Doctor said. "We're like you; We can't see the point of anywhere else. Madrid, hah, what a dump! We have to stay!"

"No, you don't," Craig contradicted. "You two have to leave."

"We can't go!"

"Just get out!"

Craig went to push the Doctor and the Doctor grabbed him by the lapels. "Right! Only way! I'm going to show you something, but ssh, really, ssh! Oh, I am going to regret this. Okay right... First, general background!"The Doctor head butted Craig. Both of them groaned loudly in pain.

When Craig lifted his head, he was gasping with amazement. He must have seen the Doctor's past though the head butt, Alex figured. "You're a…"

"Yes."

"From…" He pointed to the sky.

"Yes."

"You've got a TARDIS!"

"Yes. Ssh! Eleventh!" He motioned to his face. "Right… Okay, specific detail!" He head butted Craig again and both men cried out again.

"You saw my ad in the paper shop window."

"Yes, with this right above it." He showed him the note Amy had written. "Which is odd, because Amy hasn't written it yet. Time travel, it _can _happen."

"That's a scanner! You used non-technological technology of Lammasteen."

The Time Lord clapped a hand over Craig's mouth. Alex just rolled her eyes with a shake of her head. "Shut up!"

"Men…" She muttered to the cat.

The Doctor rubbed his head. "Aaargh! I am never, ever doing that ever ever again..." He turned on his ear piece. "Amy!"

"That's Amy Pond!" Craig put a hand over his mouth.

"Oh, of course, you can understand us now, hurrah." He turned his attention back to Amy. "Got those plans yet?"

"_Still searching for them_!" Amy responded. Alex decided to let the cat go and sat down next to the Doctor.

"I've worked it out with psychic help from a cat."

"_Cat_?" Amy asked.

"Yes, I know he's got a time engine in the flat upstairs." The Doctor explained. "He's using innocent people to try and launch it."

"Whenever he does, they get burnt up, hence the stain..."

Craig picked up again. "From the ceiling."

"Good job, Craig." Alex commented.

"And you, Miss Pond, nearly get thrown off into the Vortex."

"_Lovely_…" She muttered.

Another loud crash came from above stars. "People are dying up there? People are dying. People are dying." _Oh no_… Alex thought.

"Amy…" The Doctor said. They heard Amy get thrown to the floor as the TARDIS acted up again.

Craig shook his head as it calmed down. "They're being killed!"

"That means someone's up there." Alex said and the Doctor and she took off with Craig after them. The three of them ran up the stairs.

"_Doctor! Lexi_!"

"Hang on!" The Doctor called. Something had caught Craig's attention and he stopped. The Doctor and Alex paused at that. "Craig, come on…. Someone's dying up there…" They saw Sophie's keys still in the lock and they ran all the way upstairs.

"It's Sophie. It's Sophie that's dying up there, it's Sophie!" Craig followed them.

"_Doctor! Lexi! Stop_!" They halted at that, arriving at the door to the top of the flat.

"Where's Sophie?" Craig demanded but the Doctor held up a hand.

"Wait, wait, Amy?"

"_Are you upstairs_?" She asked.

"Yeah, we're about to go in." Alex answered.

"_But you can't be upstairs_." _What_? Alex asked.

"Of course we can be upstairs." The Doctor answered.

"Come on." But Alex held up a hand to Craig.

"_No! I've got the plans, you cannot be upstairs, it's a one story building. There is no upstairs_!" The Doctor and Alex looked at each other before the three of them looked down at the stairs. The Doctor turned abruptly and used the sonic screwdriver and they entered the apartment. Beyond the normal looking from door was a very advance spaceship. At its center was a control panel.

"What?" Craig muttered.

They walked in slowly. "What? Oh. Oh, of course! The time engine isn't _in_ the flat, the time engine _is_ the flat! Someone's attempt to build a TARDIS."

"No, there's always been an upstairs."

"Has there?" Alex asked. "Think about it Craig."

"Yes. No. I don't…" Craig thought about it hard.

"Perception filter. It's more than a disguise. It tricks your memory." Sophie screamed and they looked down to see her being pulled towards the controls.

"Sophie!" Craig cried. They ran over to her. "Sophie! Oh, my God, Sophie!" He grabbed her hand to keep it from touching the glowing panel.

"Craig! It's controlling her. It's willing her to touch the activator."

"It's not going to have her!" Craig said.

The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver on the panel. Sophie touched it and she screamed. "Ah! Deadlock seal!"

"Doctor, you've got to do something!" Alex struggled with Craig to make Sophie let go. The device let her go and Craig eased her to the ground. Alex just looked at the panel. _What? Why'd it let her go_?

"What? Why's it let her go?" The Doctor asked. Alex looked at him, _ooh, spooky we had the same thoughts_. The Doctor looked around, and Alex did as well, to see a dried up skeleton. _Ew_… As the Doctor crossed the center of the room, the hologram of an old man appeared.

"You will help me."

"Right! Stop! Crashed ship, let's see. Hello, I'm Captain Troy Handsome of International Rescue." Alex gave him a look at the name. He just grinned at her and waggled his eyebrows. Alex giggled. "Please state the nature of your emergency."

"The ship has crashed. The crew are dead. A pilot is required."

"You're the emergency crash program. A hologram. You've been luring people up here so you can try them out." The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver and the hologram changed to that of a little girl, a younger man, and back to the old man.

"You will help me. You will help me. You will help me." With each change, the hologram repeated these words.

"Craig!" _Ah, seems Sophie's back with us_. "Where am I?"

"Hush!" The Doctor said. "Human brains aren't strong enough, they just burn. You're stupid, aren't you? You just keep trying."

"17 people have been tried. 6,000,400,026 remain." The Hologram answered and Alex shook her head with another roll of her Egyptian blue eyes.

Sophie stood up. "Seriously, what is going on?"

"Oh, for goodness' sake. The top floor of Craig's building is in reality an alien space ship, intent on slaughtering the population of this planet." The Doctor summed up. "Any questions? No? Good."

"Yes, I have questions." Sophie said.

"The correct pilot has now been found." The Hologram announced.

"Yes, I was worried you'd say that…"

"He means you, doesn't he Doctor?" Alex asked worried. Fingers of energy reached out and began to pull the Doctor towards the control panel.

"The correct pilot has been found. The correct pilot has been found."

"_What's happening_?" Amy demanded.

The Doctor tried to resist the energy. "It's pulling me in! I'm the new pilot!"

"Could you do it, Doctor?" Alex asked. "Could you fly the ship home safely?"

"No, I'm way too much for this ship. My hand touches that panel, the planet doesn't blow up, the whole solar system does." The Doctor halted his hand inches above the glowing panel. Alex rushed over and grasped his hand, trying to help him.

"The correct pilot has been found."

"No...Worst choice ever, I promise you. Stop this!" The Hologram ignored him and continued to try and force him to touch the panel.

"_Doctor_!" Amy cried. "_It's getting worse_."

"It doesn't want everyone. Craig, it didn't want you!"

"I spoke to him and he said I couldn't help him!" Craig yelled.

"It didn't want Sophie before but now it does. What's changed?" The Doctor groaned in pain and Alex grunted with effort. "No! I gave her the idea of leaving! It's a machine that needs to leave; it wants people who want to escape! And you don't want to leave, Craig, you're Mr. Sofa Man."

"_Doctor_!"

"Craig, you can shut down the engine. Put your hand on the panel and concentrate on why you want to stay!"

Sophie took a step to him. "Craig, no!"

"Will it work?"

"Yes!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Is that a lie?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Of course it is!"

"It's good enough for me. Geronimo!" Craig slammed his palm onto the panel and screamed as the energy coursed through him. The ship released its hold on the Doctor.

"Craig!" Sophie cried.

"_Doctor_!" Amy was holding on for dear life.

Alex rushed over to Craig. "Come on, Craig. Think! Think! What is it about this place that makes you want to stay? Why don't you want to leave?" Alex shook the man's by his jacket.

"Sophie! And I don't want to leave Sophie! I can't leave Sophie! I love Sophie!"

Alex looked over at Sophie and grinned and held her hands out. "He's all yours." She said.

Sophie walked up to Craig. "I love you, too, Craig, you idiot!" She slapped her hand down onto the panel with Craig's. The ship began to smoke and spark.

"_Doctor_!"

"Honestly, do you mean that?" Craig asked.

"Of course I mean it! Do you mean it?"

"I've always meant it. Seriously though, do you mean it?" Alex hung back with the Doctor and could hear Amy gagging and rolling her eyes through the earpiece. "But what about the monkeys?"

"Oh, not now, not again! Craig, the planet's about to burn! For God's sake, kiss the girl!"

"Kiss her already!" Alex yelled.

"_Kiss the girl_!"

Craig and Sophie kissed and they were able to remove their hands from the panel. "_Doctor_," Amy called. "_You've done it. Aha, you've done it_! _Oh, now the screen's just zeros_! _Now it's minus ones, minus twos, minus threes_…" Craig and Sophie were still kissing. Alex turned to the Doctor and saw that by his face, that wasn't a good thing. "_Big yes_!"

Alex turned and saw the hologram cycling through its different voices and projections. "Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me."

"Big no." The Doctor said.

"Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me."

Craig and Sophie – _finally _– stopped kissing. "Did we switch it off?"

"Emergency shutdown, it's imploding, everybody out, out, out!"

"Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me." Craig and Sophie ran out of the ship followed by the Doctor and Alex.

"_Doctor_!" The four ran down the stairs and outside as the house began to shake. They ran across the street and watched as the perception filter dissipated to reveal the ship. Mere seconds later, the ship disappeared. People strolled by, not realizing what had just happened.

"Look at them. Didn't they see that? The whole top floor just vanished."

"Perception filter." The Doctor said. "There never was a top floor."

-x-

Alex got her things together and the Doctor and she left the room quietly. They saw what Craig and Sophie were doing and quietly left the keys on the sideboard. They then went to leave. "Oi!" Sophie and Craig came over to them.

"What, you're trying to sneak off?" Sophie grinned at them.

"Yes, well, you were sort of… busy." The Doctor explained.

Craig picked up the keys and held them out to the Doctor. "I want you two to keep these. Thank you."

"Thank you, Craig." Alex said as the Doctor took the keys back.

"'Cause we might pop back soon, have another little stay." The Doctor added.

"No, you won't. I've been in your head, remember? But I still want you to keep them."

"Thank you, Craig." The Doctor repeated.

"Thank you, Doctor." Craig said.

"Sophie." He put her hands on her shoulders. "Now then. 6,000,400,026 people in the world. That's the number to beat."

She laughed. "Yeah." The Doctor offered his arm to his arm to his girl and she took it. They both left with a smile.

-x-

The Doctor and her got back to the TARDIS and he set it in motion. "Back in time! You need to go to the paper shop, leave that note for us." The Doctor told Amy.

"Right little matchmaker, aren't you? Can't you find me a fella?" Alex didn't say anything.

The Doctor put on his stethoscope and listened to the console. "Oh, rectifier's playing up again...Hold on." The Doctor tugged on Alex to a different section of the control room. "You write the note and I'll change that will."

"You got a pen?" Amy asked.

"Make sure it's red!" Alex cried to her. Unbeknownst to either brunette time traveler, while Amy searched for a pen, she instead, found her engagement ring from Rory. She opened it and stared at the ring. However, instead of the possibility that it could be hers, another thought entered her head:

_Is the Doctor going to ask Alex to marry him_?


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter Thirty Five**

**Hello fellow readers :) this is your author speaking and I'd just like to say, thank you so much for all your reviews! Now, let me explain why this one took a bit long to get out. It was not that I was stopping the story. I repeat: I AM NOT FINISHED WITH THIS STORY. Trust me, when I'm done with this story, you'll know lol. I just got sidetracked, I unfortunately do that from time to time. **

**Here's what happened, I wrote most of this chapter, and then I got distracted and I ended up writing - and completely - chapter thirty eight, 'Impossible Astronaut', and started chapter thirty nine, 'Day of the Moon' before I got distracted AGAIN and ended up writing a different DW story xD This, ladies and gentlemen is the story of my writing life lol. **

**So, if a chapter seems to be taking a while, this is the reason why. And really, all you have to do is what you've been doing. Give me the whole 'I love you story! Please update soon! I need it!' or something like that, 'cause you guys really are the reason I was able to force myself away from my other DW story and come back and finish this chapter :) be proud of yourselves.**

**So, here is the chapter I know you've been waiting for...**

_Bring. Bring. Bring_.

Alex groaned in her sleep. She snuggled into the warmth that she knew was her Doctor. It had been their anniversary, so, he took her to Bellus Reconcilio. The planet was a gorgeous human resort, filled with all sorts of lovely things. The Doctor had gotten them a room and like all couples, sent their kids off to have what they loved to call 'some alone time'. Of course, when they told them of what they were doing, their oldest daughter had started to giggle hysterically. The only son had made a face, being a guy did _not _want to hear of what his parents were doing.

When the noise did not stop, Alex figured she might as well answer it. She rolled over and blindly reached out for her phone until she got it. She sat up, holding the covers to her bare chest as she nestled the phone into her ear. "'Ello?" She mumbled.

"_Hey Lex_." The woman blinked, totally caught off guard by the voice on the other end.

But, it was a voice that brought an instant smile to her face. "Jack? Is that you?"

"_Hey_," He chuckled. "_What are you doing right now_?"

"It's our anniversary, Jack. The Doctor just took me to some fancy resort on Bellus Reconcilio." She explained.

Jack was chuckling by the end of her sentence. "_Probably making some more children over there_?"

She rolled her eyes with a smile. "That's none of your business, Jack."

"_So, how good is he in bed_?"

"Jack!" She laughed and he joined in. "Anyways, why did you call me? Not that I don't like getting social calls from you, but something tells met this isn't a social call."

"_It's not, I was wondering if you could come down to Torchwood for me. I need your help with something_."

Alex felt the Doctor's hot lips trace across her shoulder, and she shuddered. "O-Okay." She leaned her head back onto his shoulder, giving him access to her neck. He dug into her neck, sucking at the sensitive skin. "Ah," she bit her lip. "Give me a couple of minutes."

Jack chuckled again; he obviously knew what was going on. "_Sure, see ya soon, Lex_." She hung the phone up and the Doctor stopped his pleasurable torture.

"Who was that?"

"Jack." She whispered. "Says he needs my help with something." She blindly put the phone back onto the table, completely oblivious to when it missed its target and fell to the floor.

The Time Lord nodded, but he wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned back onto the bed. "How about we do something together one last time before you go?" His voice was a rumble, and she knew what he was talking about. She giggled and wrapped her arms around him, bringing him on top of her and she kissed him deeply.

"Anything for you, my precious Time Lord." She gasped as the pleasure continued all over again.

-x-

Alex walked down into Torchwood to see what Jack needed. "Hey Jack!" She called when she saw him working hard on one of his impressive computers.

He turned and when he saw the woman he could only see as a sister, he grinned. "Hey Lex!"

She finally got up to him, and they hugged. They hadn't seen each other in a while. "So, the Doctor says 'hi'."

The brunette chuckled. "Okay."

"So, what do you need help with?" Jack turned and showed on the computer what he had been working on. Alex's fast working mind, worked even fast now as Jack explained what was going on…

-x-

Alex and Jack had worked hard all day and they finally got it up and working. "Now, Jack, I'm tellin' ya we don't need this opened. For all we know, it could rip a hole through the entire universe."

"But I can't help but be curious…" Jack mumbled.

"I know." She waggled a finger at him. "But resist it, Jack." They had got the portal working for research, not for test runs. The device itself was huge, it just barely touched the ceiling. It was silver in color, and most of it was a huge, perfectly round band of metal to make a circle. The base of it was a huge clunk of metal in a rectangle form, with some stairs leading to the portal. Jack walked out, to tell his friends who worked in Torchwood what they had achieved. Alex turned to look at the alien device. Jack had been right, something about it made a curiosity swim up into her. But, as she told Jack, she resisted.

Alex turned back around, ready to use the advice she had told her brother, when that curiosity built up in her again. She turned to look at it again and without even realizing it, she walked over to it. She ran her fingers across the band. When the lights turned on, she held her hand back. _Oh shit_. One by one the lights turned on. Alex backed up as the machine turned on. Within seconds, the whole within the circle switched on, and Alex came to look upon the Time Vortex, exactly like the one she saw in Gallifrey.

The brunette took another step back, but a sudden wind picked up. Alex's feet moved on their own, and took a couple of steps towards it, trying to keep their balance. Alex tried to resist, tried to lift her foot to back up, but as it moved backwards, again, her foot got a mind of its own and it took another step forward. "What the hell?" Alex's voice was drowned out by the sound of the screaming wind.

Little by little her feet got her up onto the platform. Alex's eyes moved to the strange writing she had seen early now lit up with energy. Alex realized that it had been a warning, the machine itself was evil. The writing explained not to touch it, for it would activate – _oh gee, thanks like I didn't need that earlier_! – and once it was activated, it would send all that were near it into the 'rotor' – the time vortex – and rarely had they returned.

Alex's hand was now reaching out to the portal, and as much as Alex resisted, the moment her hand touched it. She was sucked in.

-x-

"_Hey_! _Can you hear me_?" Alex groaned as her body slowly began to work. She opened her eyes slowly, and a blurry image of a person came to her. As she blinked, the image became more and more clear. "Hey! Can you hear me? Do you know where you are?"

Alex shook her head a bit. "Ugh…" She moaned as she clutched her head. She never wanted to experience that again…

"Good, you're awake. What's your name?"

"Alex." She answered, easily. "Alex Harper." Since the Doctor technically never had a 'last' name, they both decided it would be fine if she just kept her surname.

"Bob." _Ah, always like a Bob_. Alex thought. "Do you know where you are?"

She looked around, something about it familiar. Suddenly, the answer came to her. She was in Stormcage. "Stormcage." She said.

"Ah, good." Bob helped her up. She brushed herself off. "I'm sorry, but I need identification."

Alex looked at Bob for a moment. "Ah, that's fine, Bob. Just doing your job." Alex patted her pockets, and she found the physic paper. She had decided to take it while she went down to Torchwood. The Doctor and the kids were just going to go off to Parris Plaza; it was a fun, outer-space-y, amusement park on Earth in the future. They wouldn't need it. She pulled it out and held it up, figuring it was best to just let him imagine whatever he wanted. "Here we are."

"Ah," Bob read the paper and nodded to himself. "You're the new guard."

"Ah?" Alex turned around and read it herself quickly. "So I am." She smiled.

"That's good. Dr. Song's quite a handful; we need all the help we can get." Alex's tried not to make any comments.

"So I've heard."

"So, let's get you a uniform and a gun and you'll be ready to go." Alex held out her arm.

"Lead the way."

-x-

Alex now had on the typical guard uniform and had a gun at her side. She had wandered off from Bob, once he was done explaining what she had to do. It was actually quite simple enough, just watch the prisoners, and make sure they don't get into trouble.

Alex walked over to River's prison and leaned against the bars. "You're a bad girl, aren't you River?" Alex teased.

River's head shot up and she looked to see her best friend Alex. "What? Lexa?" She got up and walked over. "What are you doing here?"

"Have you done Devil's Run?" She asked.

River blinked. "Yes."

"Impossible Astronaut? Day of the Moon?" River nodded again. "Ah, I'm farther behind than I thought."

"How far?" River demanded.

Alex grinned. "I'm past when you met us for the first time."

"That far?" River returned the grin.

"Yeah."

"How'd you get here?"

"Jack needed my help with some portal. We got it up and running, but I found out it was evil, and it basically sucked me into it."

"You never get a break do you?" River asked.

Alex gave a mock sigh. "Nope. Never. I mean, I was having a nice anniversary too."

"Oh," River sighed. "How is he doing?"

"My Doctor?" She smiled. "Oh, he's fine. We got one more round in before I left." River laughed and Alex grinned at her.

"And you think I'm a bad girl?"

Alex laughed. "Ah, well, at least you know where you get it from." She winked. "Anyways, the Doctor loves it." She chuckled. They turned when the phone started to ring. "Ah, hold that thought." She walked over to it and leaned against the wall, picking it up. "Hello?"

"_The Doctor. I'm looking for the Doctor_." Alex's grin was back when she heard Winston's voice.

"Hello Winston!" She greeted cheerfully. "Ah! It's me, Alex Harper, you must remember. Don't mind the fact I sound a bit different, it's me. Now, there is no Doctor, _but _I can give you Doctor Song. She'll explain and I ask you to relay all information to her." Alex walked back over to River's cell and handed her the phone. Alex winked and River nodded, understanding.

"Doctor?" She asked into the phone. There was a pause when Winston answered. "You're phoning the time vortex, it doesn't always work. But the TARDIS is smart, she's re-routed the call. Talk quickly. This connection will last less than a minute." Another guard came up to Alex.

"Phone call?" Alex nodded. "They're not suppose to last long." Alex shrugged and the guard turned to River as Alex backed up a slight bit, out of the sight of the guard. "Doctor Song." River nodded and ended the call. Alex saw River's arm move, probably pulling out her hallucinogenic lipstick. After a pause, she turned back to the guard. Her eyes moved for just a second to Alex, and the woman nodded, knowing what she was thinking. "Are you finished with that?" River looked back at the guard.

"You're new here, aren't you?" She asked.

"First day." _Oh, ouch_.

"Then I'm very sorry." River kissed him through the bars; while he was 'distracted' Alex quickly snatched the keys and unlocked the cell. River tossed her a marker and Alex grinned as she drew a stick figure, with swirls as hair with a little speech bubble with 'sorry' in it. River broke the kiss and whispered something in his ear as they got him into the cell. He took out his gun and pointed it at the stick figure. Alex and River grinned at each other.

They both took off and out of Stormcage.

-x-

River and Alex had fixed up a teleportation pod that Stormcage had used and both used it to get to Starship UK. While they flew there, River explained the situation to Alex. "Ah, I remembered what I'm doing."

"What's that?" River was worried about having Alex met her past. That would be bad.

Alex grinned. "Nothing to worry about, River. Here's what's happened…"

-x-

"Doctor…" Alex was a bit hesitant. He had been jumping around the console with this loony grin that was somehow different from what he normally had. "What are you doing?"

"You miss your world, yes love?" Alex blinked.

"Um, yeah." But there was nothing they could do; she was part of a parallel world.

"I can get you back for a couple of days." Alex jumped up and the grin on her face spilt her face.

"What? No way!"

"What? How?" Amy demanded as well.

"I went back to when you first came here, and I found a crack along the time vortex, that can get you there." The Doctor explained. "It's not going to last for long, and it'll shut within a few days, but that's long enough right?"

"Oh yeah!" Alex jumped up and down and ran to the Doctor, hugging him tightly. "Oh my God! I can go home!" The Doctor laughed with her. Amy and Alex hugged tightly. "Wait…" Alex broke the hug and looked suspiciously at the Doctor. "What will you two be doing?"

"Nothing exciting without you." The Doctor said.

"Promise?"

"Promise!"

Alex smiled, that would do. "Okay!" Amy and Alex hugged each other again, both girls bouncing up and down.

"How long has it been since you've gone home?" Amy asked and Alex paused, thinking.

"Oh wow, a long time." She answered. "Feels like forever since then."

"Well, now you can go back." The Doctor pulled a lever. "Now hold on tight!" The Doctor worked hard on getting back to the time crack, without running into his past reincarnation. Amy and Alex laughed as they held on tight. With one finally jerk, the TARDIS stilled. Alex was shaking with excitement. As well as nervousness. It had been a very long time since she was home, she wondered how much had changed. "Out you go, love." The Doctor herded her to the doors.

"Promise me you won't have any sort of excitement or adventures while I'm gone?" Alex asked as the Doctor almost shoved her out the door.

"I promise, love." The Doctor recited. "All I was thinking of doing today is going to Planet One, oldest planet in the universe. There's a cliff of pure diamond with writing on it, and I thought it'd be fun to go out and decipher it." The Doctor shrugged and Alex nodded, that wouldn't be too adventurous, which was perfect. "Now, out you go." The Doctor shoved her out the doors and closed the quickly behind her. Within seconds, Alex heard the familiar sound of the whirling of engines and felt the slight breeze as the TARDIS disappeared.

Alex moved her hands to her hair and looked at it. She laughed when she realized she was back to what she original looked like, flaming red hair with natural lighter red highlights, hazel blue-green eyes, 16 year old body. Alex looked down at herself and shrugged. She had a bit more weight to her than she did as Alex – she wasn't fat, but she wasn't skinny anymore like Alex had been. The red head turned around and ran back to her home. Thankfully, the Doctor had actually landed the TARDIS near where Grace lived.

She ran as fast as her legs could take her, so thankful that, apparently, even though she was in her original body, her running skills had a lot of effect on her. Alex finally got to her friend's house and she ran into it and banged on the front door. Within seconds, Grace wretched the door opened, actually seeing her friend that she hadn't seen in more than 2 and half years. "Oh… My… God!"

"Grace!"

"Lex!" _Thank God she remembered to use that_. Both of the friends hugged each other tightly. "But… How?"

"Oh Grace, I've got a lot to tell." Alex breathed.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Grace ushered her friend in and closed the door. "Start at the very beginning, don't miss a single detail!"

Alex rolled her eyes with a laugh. "It's been so long, but I'll try." She laughed as they got to the couch. "Um… Let's see… I actually thought it was an ordinary day, heh, how wrong was that?" Alex and Grace dove into the conversation.

-x-

"So you got to spend time with Grace?" Alex smiled.

"Yeah, along with my Nanna, oh and Grace's mother, and I got to see my pets, I went to see my parent's grave, that sort of thing." Alex smiled. "Only problem is, the Doctor lied to me! Told me he wasn't going to have any sort of adventures!"

"Come on Lexa, who would think deciphering an ancient stone would turn into an adventure?" River asked.

"True, true." Alex answered. "Ah, which reminds me, we need to go back and write it down for the Doctor, I suggest, 'Hello Sweetie', it's how you always greet him." Alex offered.

River laughed. "Yeah." They got to Starship UK. River had dressed into an all black, stylish, slim leather suit. Alex mirrored her clothes.

"Here we are." Alex said as they landed on the ship. "Now," she turned to her friend. "Let's go steal ourselves a painting!" Alex paused. "Ooh! That sounds just like what Nathan would say in 'Leverage'! Great show, that was… Great show…"

River laughed.

-x-

Two figures ran along the hallway in a dark building. Some paintings were falling from their frames and some frames were already empty. The figures were River Song and Alex Harper. Both had a flashlight in their hands. They were searching for a particular painting and Alex stopped when she saw it. "River." She whispered. River turned and she ripped it from the frame and both headed back the way they came. Halfway up the stairs, the lights came on. A woman at the top held a gun to them. Alex and River held their hands up. Alex blinked, when she realized it was Liz 10.

"This is the Royal Collection and I'm the bloody Queen. What are you doing here?"

"Liz 10." The woman turned and her gun faltered a bit when she realized it was Alex.

"Alex." She smiled.

A gesture that Alex was happy to return, "It's about the Doctor, ma'am."

Liz lowered her gun completely. "The Doctor!"

"He's in trouble." The smile disappeared. "We need to find him."

"Then why are you stealing a painting?" Liz asked.

Alex turned to her friend. "River." She motioned to give it to Liz. River came up and handed the painting over. "We need to find the Doctor, and we need to show him this painting." Liz unrolled the painting and looked at it, and then at Alex and River in astonishment.

-x-

Liz let them go, understanding the urgency. They got back into the pod and set their destination for Demon's Run. This time they needed to look for Dorium, both knew he was the only one that could get them some time travel. This Pod only gave them two trips before it powered down. They got there, and once changing their outfits again to fit in. They met up with Dorium. "Now, word on the belt is, you're looking for time travel."

"Are you selling?" River asked.

Dorium snapped his fingers and an alien came in carrying a box. "A vortex manipulator, fresh off the wrist of a handsome Time Agent." Alex shook her head to herself and sighed, figuring it could only be Jack. She mentally rolled her eyes, _Idiot_. Dorium opened the box, and the sight he got made his eyes roll. "I said _off _the wrist." The alien took the box back and carried it away.

"Not cheap, Dr. Song, Mrs. Harper. Have you brought me a pretty toy?"

River took off one of her jeweled earrings. "This is a Calisto Pulse. It can disarm micro-explosives from up to 20 feet." She explained.

"Why kind of micro-explosives?" Dorium asked as he took a sip. It didn't seem like anything he would be interested in.

Alex smiled eerily calm. "The kind that she just slipped into your wine." The alien looked down at his wine in shock and lifted his eyes to the women with a glare.

-x-

Of course, after that, it had been no problem getting what they wanted. They got to where the painting's date was. "So, you still got that hallucinogenic lipstick, River?"

River raised an eyebrow. "Yes." When she saw her friend grin with manic energy, she had to ask. "What are you thinking, Lexi?"

"What am I thinking?" She turned back and her grin never faltered. "I'm thinking I always wanted to play Cleopatra." When River understood what Alex had meant, she laughed.

"That should be easy." River said.

"I know." Alex answered as she looked back at the Roman camp.

-x-

With yet another costume change, some hallucinogenic lipstick, and some physic paper. River and Alex was greeted into the camp with open arms. Alex leaned back into the chair, enjoying playing her favorite Egyptian Queen. River played as one of her servants. "Oh!" She said to the Roman Soldier who had been their victim of the lipstick. "There's going to be a man coming, um…" Alex threw out a Roman name. "Caesar," Alex held out a photo of her Doctor. "Lead him straight here the moment you see him."

"Yes your majesty." The Roman answered before leaving the tent.

Alex turned to River. "Now, we wait."

-x-

It wasn't long, just a few days before her Doctor arrived. The Doctor had figured that going to see the oldest cliff in the universe with the oldest writing in the universe would have been fun, without any excitement for his love, and yet, here he was, in Britain, in the AD times, being mistaken for Caesar, being lead to 'Cleopatra'. Imagine his surprise when he came to look upon a woman who defiantly _wasn't _Cleopatra.

River was next to the women, pretending to be a servant. "River. Hi!" Amy greeted. "Who's your friend?"

"Ah!" The woman clapped happily. "Good. Thank you." The Roman left and the Time Lord watched the woman, something about her was familiar, but he just couldn't put his finger on it. "Doctor! Amy!" She got up and walked over to him. He opened his mouth, to say something, when the woman grabbed his face and leaned him down, kissing him deeply. The Doctor tensed up and squirmed around as Amy's mouth just dropped opened. River laughed in the background.

_Wait… I know… This…_ The feeling of the lips on his weren't just familiar; it was the feeling he had been longing for. Before he could focus on them more, to figure it out she broke the kiss and sighed. "Ah," she whipped her bottom lip, the Doctor watching her through half-massed eyes. "I missed those lips." She said as she turned and sat back down onto the chair.

"You do realize that that was a too early Doctor?" River asked.

She laughed. "An Eleventh Doctor is an Eleventh Doctor to me, River!" The woman clapped her hands and the other servants left. She finally took off the wing to show a beautiful array of luscious red hair with natural red highlights that curled around her shoulders, and landed on her breasts. Her hazel blue-green eyes were alight with pure emotions. "Oh," she snapped her fingers. "I forgot! This is before he knows me by this," she circled her face, "form. Shoot!"

"What are you talking about?" Amy asked, finally.

The woman turned to Amy and laughed. River answered. "Amy, this is Lexa." She lifted her hand to wave.

The Doctor snapped out of it. "What?" He looked at his love. "What?" He came up to her and got into her face. Instead of leaning back, she just smiled at him. "You graffitied the oldest cliff-face in the universe."

Alex rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't answer you phone." She retorted.

He looked at Alex again. "How can you be Allie?"

Alex leaned in just a bit more, until their noses were almost touching. "Look at me, Doctor, look. Come on, what do you see?" The Doctor looked into her eyes, and saw a vast amount of knowledge he knew she didn't have there before. However, as he looked deeper, he saw all the familiar emotions he always found when he looked into Alex's eyes. He knew it was impossible to mimic those emotions. They were just too complex.

"Love," He murmured and she smiled.

"Hello." Alex leaned back and she held out the scrolled canvas.

"What's this?" The Doctor asked.

"It's a painting." River said.

"Our friend Vincent painted it." Alex explained. The Doctor snatched it and began to unroll it. River and Alex stood.

"One of his final works. He had visions, didn't he? I thought you ought to know about this one." River said.

"Doctor?" Amy asked, once the painting was unrolled. "Doctor, what is this?"

The painting was that of the TARDIS exploding.

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Amy, and River were riding horseback across a field. River and Alex had changed into something more 'modern'. Alex had changed into an Alice blue; spaghetti strapped tank top with some lance on the top and bottom. She had a grey biker jacket over it, some dark wash jeans, and some black converse. She had an array of blue jewelry on her neck and wrists. The Time Lord kept peeking glances at her as she rode right next to him, her red hair whipped around her by the wind.

-x-

_The Doctor, Alex, Amy, and River were examining the painting. "Why's it exploding?" Amy wondered._

"_We assumed it was some kind of warning." Alex answered. The Doctor sat down, his thoughts heavy. Alex walked up behind him and started to massage his shoulders, knowing how tense he could get. The Doctor's eyes closed, enjoying the sensation and leaned back into her hands. Alex smiled and kissed his head gently. Like this, with his eyes closed, he could imagine her like she should look black hair, Brandies blue streaks, Egyptian blue eyes. The way she looked now… It just wasn't right._

"_Something's going to happen to the TARDIS?" Amy asked._

"_It might not be that literal." River said. "Anyways this is where he wanted you. Date and map reference on the door sign, see?"_

_The Doctor finally opened his eyes. "Does it have a title?"_

"_Yes." Alex answered, the Doctor noticed that even her voice was different, not very much, but enough for him to notice. "The Pandorica Opens."_

-x-

"Come on! Ya!" The Doctor cried, as they zoomed across the field.

"Whohoo!" Alex laughed. "Come on!" The Doctor peeked another look at her. Although her looks were different, she still was the same in personality, which was a relief.

-x-

"_The Pandorica?" Amy blinked, curious. "What is it?"_

"_A box. A cage. A prison." River listed. "It was built to contain the most feared thing in all the universe." _And what is the most feared creature in all the universe…? The Doctor! _Alex thought._

_The Doctor started to pace. "And it's a fairytale, a legend. It can't be real."_

"_If it is real," Alex imputed. "It's here and it's going to open. And, however that's going to happen, it's got something to do with our TARDIS exploding."_

_The Doctor paused in his pacing and turned to her. "'Our' TARDIS?"_

_Alex looked at him strangely. "Yeah. _Our _TARDIS."_

_The Doctor shook his head and pulled out some local maps. "Hidden, obviously. Buried for centuries. You won't find it on a map." River said._

"_No. But if you buried the most dangerous thing in the universe, you'd want to remember where you put it."_

-x-

The Doctor, River, and Alex were then quick to find out that it was somewhere hidden in Salisbury Plains in Stonehenge. When they got there, they quickly got off and did a check of the surrounds. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on some of the stone lying on the ground. River took out a scanner and typed in some information. Alex walked around, going the old fashion way, checking and feeling the stones. "How come it's not new?" Amy asked.

"Because it's already old. Been here thousands of years. No one knows exactly how long." River looked skyward.

"Okay, this Pandorica thing. Last time we saw you, you warned us about it, after we climbed out of the Byzantium."

"Spoilers!" River put a finger to her lips.

"No, but you told the Doctor you'd see him again when the Pandorica opens."

Alex came over. "It's a bit complicated, Amy. But, River works backwards with the Doctor and me, so what's in our past – and your past since you travel with us – is in her future, so she doesn't know."

"What about her past?"

"Her past is the Doctor's future."

"What about you?"

Alex grinned. "I'm from the future too, a whiles away. I know all about River."

"Wait, if you're from the future, why don't you look any older?" Amy asked.

Alex grinned slyly and put a finger to her lips. "Spoilers." She answered and walked away. Amy shook her head with a smile.

"Doctor, Lexa, I'm picking up fry particles everywhere. Energy weapons discharged on this site." River announced.

The Doctor stood on a large stone. "If the Pandorica is here, it contains the mightiest warrior in history. Now, half the galaxy would want a piece of that. Maybe even fight over it." The Doctor jumped down from the stone and put his ear to it. "We need to get down there."

-x-

It was now night, it had taken the whole day for them to get all the technology ready to get them underneath. River placed a device on the corners of the large stone. There were large lights stationed around the area. River walked over to the Doctor. "Right then. Ready."

Alex pressed a button on River's scanner and the rock slid to the side to reveal stone steps underneath. The Doctor stepped forward as River took a flashlight from her pocket and switched it on. "The underhenge." The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and used it as a light as they entered.

The Doctor stepped out of a narrow passage and used the screwdriver to light up a torch. Alex went to the opposite side and grabbed another torch and brought it over to light it. Alex then pressed her torch to River's to light hers up. The Doctor walked up to the only door there and lifted up a large board that was acting as a lock across a huge set of doors. With a nod and a smile from River and Alex, they pushed open the doors and found themselves in a cavernous room. In the center stood a large box with an intricate circular pattern on each side.

"It's the Pandorica." The Doctor said.

"More than a fairytale, eh, Doctor?" Alex teased. The Doctor looked at her again. When he looked back at the Pandorica, Alex sighed to herself and pouted. Yes, she knew she changed, but hello? Still the same girl he knew and love, _duh_. _Why does he have to be so difficult_? Alex suddenly realized. They were in the same position they were when the Doctor regenerated. Only difference was…

The positions were now switched.

Now, Alex was in the position the Doctor was in and the Doctor was in the position Alex had been in _Well, at least now he knows how I felt. _The Doctor walked forward and stepped on something. He looked down to see the arm of a Cyberman. He continued towards the Pandorica and placed a hand on it. "There was a goblin, or a trickster, or a warrior," The Doctor said, reciting the story. "A nameless, terrible thing soaked in the blood of a billion galaxies. The most feared being in all the cosmos. And nothing could stop it, or hold it, or reason with it. One day it would just drop out of the sky and tear down your world."

"How did it end up in there?"

"Come on, Amy." Alex said. "You have to know how fairytales are. A good wizard tricked it."

The Doctor walked around to the other side of the Pandorica as River handed Amy the torch as she took out her scanner. "I hate good wizards in fairy tales. They always turn out to be one of them."

Alex laughed softly. "Hey, wizards are always male. Witches are the female versions."

"Either way, it always ends up being one of you." River answered and Alex chuckled again.

"Can't deny it."

Amy looked around. "So it's kind of like Pandora's Box, then? Almost the same name."

The Doctor came back around to the front of the Pandorica. "Sorry, what?" He asked.

"The story. Pandora's Box, with all the worst things in the world in it." The Doctor put his torch in a holder then used the sonic screwdriver on the Pandorica.

"Ah yes," Alex smiled. She always loved Greek and Roman myths. "Pandora's box. Once upon a time, a very long time ago, Zeus had ordered Aphrodite's husband, Hephaestus to make him a daughter. The first woman to be made out of clay. So, Hephaestus made a beautiful woman and named her Pandora. Once Zeus had his new daughter, he sent her down to Earth to marry Epimetheus, a gentle but lonely man. However, Zeus was not being kind. He was getting even. Epimetheus and Prometheus were brothers.

"Zeus was mad at Prometheus for giving people the power of fire without asking Zeus first. So, doing so in revenge, Zeus gave his daughter a little box with a heavy lock on it. He made her promise that she would never open it. He then gave the key to her husband, and told him to never open it. However, Zeus figured that Epimetheus' curiosity would get the better of him, and either he or Prometheus would open the box. The thing was, was that what Zeus did not take into account was that Pandora was also curious. She wanted to see what was inside the box, but Epimetheus told her no. He told her, 'You know your father'. Epimetheus sighed, referring to Zeus. 'He's a tricky one.'

"One day, while Epimetheus slept, Pandora took the key and opened the box. And out flew every dieses and sickness known to man, hate and envy, and all the bad things that the people had never even experienced before. Pandora slammed the lid shut, but it was too late, for all the wretched things were already out of the box. They flew far away from her, and out into the world.

"Epimetheus awoke to Pandora's crying. 'I opened the box and all these ugly things flew out,' she cried. 'I tried to catch them, but they all got out.' Pandora opened the box to show him how empty it was. However," Alex smiled. "The box had not been as empty as she thought. One tiny little bug flew out quickly before Pandora could slam the lid shut again.

"'Hello Pandora,' the bug greeted, hovering just out of reach. 'My name is Hope.' With a nod of thanks, for being set free. Hope flew off into the world. A world that was filled now with Envy, Crime, Hate, and Disease… And, Hope."

When Alex finally returned to reality she saw that all three of them were staring at her. "What?" She asked. "I always liked Greek and Roman myths." She defended.

Amy smiled and nodded her head. "That was my favorite book when I was a kid." The Doctor turned and walked over to Amy, a concerned look on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Your favorite school topic, your favorite story. Never ignore a coincidence."

"Unless you're busy," Alex added.

"In which case, always ignore a coincidence." The Doctor said and he walked back to the Pandorica.

"So can you open it?" Alex set her torch into a slot in the wall and walked over to the Pandorica. She slid her fingers across the cool surface.

"Easily." The Doctor answered. "Anyone can break _into _a prison, but I'd rather know what I'm going to find first."

River was looking at her scanner. She had it rested against the Pandorica. "It's already opening. There are layers and layers of security protocols in there, and they're being disabled, one by one. Like its being unlocked from the inside."

"How long do we have?" Alex asked.

"Hours at the most." She answered.

"What kind of security?" The Doctor asked.

"Everything. Deadlocks, time-stops, matter-lines."

"What could need all that?" The Doctor asked.

"What could get past all of that?" Alex corrected.

"Think of the fear that went into making this box." The Doctor said. "What could inspire that level of fear?" He pressed his face to the Pandorica and tapped his fingers against it. "Hello, you. Have we met?"

"So why would it start to open now?" River questioned.

"No idea." He answered.

"Hmm, and how could Vincent have known about it? He won't even be born for centuries."

Alex turned around. "That's a good question, Amy Pond." Alex grabbed the Doctor and took out his sonic screwdriver. "Going to need this." She said. She walked up and used them on the stone pillars. "The stones…" Alex muttered. The Doctor looked at the stones, and looked back at Alex with realization. How did she catch that before even he could? "These stones… They're great big transmitters, warning everyone, everything, everywhere, in every time zone one thing: The Pandorica is opening!"

"Lexa… Everyone, everywhere?" River asked.

"Even poor Vincent," The Doctor imputed. "Heard it in his dreams. What's in there, what could justify all this?"

"Doctor, everyone?" Alex looked up again and looked at River and River looked at her. _Oh shit_.

"Anything that powerful, I'd know about it. Why don't I know?"

"Doctor," Alex called. He looked at her. "Everyone could hear it. So… Who else is coming?"

"Oh." The Doctor said and Alex nodded, finally he got it.

"Oh?" Poor Amy didn't get it though. "Oh, what?"

River pressed her scanner against a pillar. "Okay, if it basically a transmitter, we should be able to fold back the signal."

Alex tossed the screwdriver back to her Doctor. "Doing it." He said as he soniced the pillars.

"Doing what?" Amy asked, getting annoyed at being in the dark.

"Stonehenge is transmitting, it's been transmitting for a while...so who heard?" River explained.

"Okay, River it should be feeding back." Alex said. "What are you getting? What's out there?"

"Give me a moment." River said.

"River, quickly, anything?" The Doctor demanded.

Alex watched as River's face became stunned. "Around this planet, there are at least 10,000 starships."

Alex's hearts stopped dead. "What?"

"At least?" Amy added.

"10,000, 100,000, 1 million, I don't know. There's too many readings."

"What kind of starships?" The Doctor asked.

A Dalek transmission came through. "_Maintaining orbit_."

"_I obey. Shield cover compromised on ion sectors_."

"Daleks." Amy said. "Those are Daleks."

"_Scans detect no temporal activity_."

"_Reverse thrust for compensatory stabilization_."

"Daleks, Doctor." River said.

"Doctor, there are Daleks coming." Alex added.

"_Launch preliminary armaments protocol_."

"Yes, okay, okay, okay okay." The Doctor thought hard. "Minimum, 12,000 battleships, armed to the teeth. But we've got surprise on our side! They'll never expect four people to attack 12,000 Dalek battleships, 'cause we'd be killed instantly. So it would be a fairly short surprise. Forget surprise."

"Doctor, cyber-ships." Alex whirled around. _What_?

"No, Dalek ships." The Doctor corrected curtly. "Listen to them, those are Dalek ships."

"Doctor, she means Dalek ships _and _Cyber-ships." Alex explained.

"Well, we need to start a fight," The Doctor said. "Turn them on each other. It's the Daleks… They are _so _cross…"

"Sontaran." River announced. "Four battle-fleets."

"Sontarans!" The Doctor thought. "Talk about cross, who stole all their handbags?"

River read from her scanner. "Terileptil. Slitheen. Chelonian. Nestene. Drahvin. Sycorax. Haemo-goth. Zygon. Atraxi. Draconian." Alex felt light headed, never in all her years had she gotten so many enemies in so little time. With each name River listed, the Doctor backed up. All his enemies. All his enemies were here… "They're all here. For the Pandorica."

The Time Lord turned around to said box. "What are you?" The ground began to shake and the Doctor ran up the stairs, Alex, River, and Amy closely behind him.

Alex couldn't believe her eyes once they got up to the surface. Lights from a number of ships flying above them lit up the whole area. "What do we do?" Amy asked.

"Doctor, listen to me! Everything that ever hated you is coming here tonight. You can't win this. You can't even fight it. Doctor, this once, just this one time, please, you have to run." River begged.

"Run where?" He asked.

Alex turned to her Time Lord. "Fight how?" She retorted.

The Doctor took out binoculars and looked back the way they had come. "The greatest military machine in the history of the universe."

"What is?" Amy asked. Alex walked over to the Doctor's side, and realized what he was looking at. "The Daleks?"

"No." She grinned. "The Romans!"

-x-

The Doctor had ordered River to go back and get some Roman soldiers. Meanwhile, Amy, the Doctor, and Alex were back underground. The Time Lord was still poking around at the Pandorica. Alex hung back, she remember this episode clearly, despite having seen it a long, long, time ago. She decided to just watch her Time Lord move around. Amy lit more torched to give them some light. "So, what's this got to do with the TARDIS?" Amy asked.

"Nothing, as far as I know." Her Doctor answered.

"But Vincent's painting…" Amy said. "The TARDIS exploding, is that going to happen?" _Yes_.

"One problem at a time. There's force field technology inside this box. If I can enhance the signal, I could extend it all over Stonehenge. Could buy us half an hour."

"And what good is a half an hour?" Alex questioned.

"There are fruit flies live on Hoppledom 6 that live for 20 minutes and they don't even mate for life." Alex looked at him strangely.

"Was there a point to that?"

"There was going to be one." He answered. "I'll get back to you."

Amy watched Alex as she watched the Doctor. She pulled out the ring box. Who better to ask if the Doctor was going to marry Alex than a future Alex. "Lexi."

"Hmm?" She didn't look at Amy.

"Is the Doctor going to propose to you?" Alex looked over confused as the Doctor stopped what he was doing and did the same.

"What?" She asked.

"I found this in his pocket." Amy lifted said box.

"Oh, that's not his." She said and looked back to the Pandorica. She had forgotten that this was still when Amy's memories of Rory were erased. _At least this is also where she remembers him again_.

"So," Amy blinked. "He asks you to marry him, but not with this ring?" Alex shook her head.

"Spoilers, Amy." She lifted herself up. "I'm going to go see if River's back yet." Alex jogged back up to the surface.

Amy turned to the Doctor. "Doctor?"

"It's, uh… a memory." The Time Lord answered. "A friend of mine, someone I lost." He reached for the box but Amy pulled away. "Do you mind?"

"It's weird," she looked down at the ring. "I feel… I don't know. Something."

"People fall out of the world sometimes, but they always leave traces. Little things we can't quite account for. Faces in photographs, luggage, half eaten meals... rings... Nothing is ever forgotten, not completely. And if something can be remembered, it can come back."

Amy snapped the box shut and gave it back to him. "So, was she nice, your friend?" The Doctor put the ring back into his pocket and headed back to the Pandorica to work on it. "What about Lexi?" He stopped and turned around. "Will you ever ask her to marry you?"

"I don't know." He said.

"I mean, with the way you look at her right now… I don't know… It's just not the usual way you look at her." Amy pointed out. Something had been off.

"She looks different." The Doctor said. He turned around to look at the Pandorica. Neither knew that Alex had come back down, having not seen River, and was now hearing their conversation. "She looks… Not like she's suppose to. It's strange to think, looking at her with what she looks like now, and seeing my Allie through her. She has the same personality, but not the same… looks. It's all wrong. I want her back the way she was."

"Now you know how I felt." Alex said, announcing her presence. Amy and the Doctor looked around, but she had her eyes on the Time Lord. "Amy, could you give us a moment?" Amy nodded and walked up to the surface. "Now you know how I felt." She repeated, once Amy was gone.

"What?"

Alex walked up to the Doctor, right up to him. She cupped his face gently. He leaned into it and closed his eyes. Same touch, different looks. "Remember, a year ago? When you first regenerated? Do you remember the way I acted, the way I felt?"

"Yes." He whispered.

"This is exactly how I felt, Doctor." She said softly, sweetly. "I wanted you back the way I remembered, it just didn't feel right. I wanted _my _Doctor back. I had to keep reminding myself that you were my Doctor. But, every time I had looked at you, I felt… You just didn't look like you were supposed to in my eyes." She rubbed his cheek. "I had it worse, Doctor." He opened his eyes, in confusion. "Just like you said, in personality, I haven't changed. When you regenerated, I had to deal with more than just new looks, but a whole new personality as well." She sighed sadly. "It was hard." She stroked his cheek again and he closed his eyes. "But I got use to it… More than that," She smiled. "I grew to love it." He opened his eyes and looked into her eyes. "Just like you'll get use to it." She smiled. "The more you see it, and the more you remind yourself I _am _Alex, the more you'll get use to it."

"Love…" He leaned down, not able to resist. Alex welcomed it and they leaned in together and their lips met with a shock. The Doctor's hands slipped around her waist as Alex cupped the Doctor's jaw, one of her hands reaching up into his hair. The Doctor groaned, having missed the taste of her lips. Alex hummed pleasurably into the kiss. Their tongues came out, just like the Doctor remembered they once had, and they tangled together. He ended the kiss. He wanted to kiss the present Alex – as much as it was pleasurable kissing the Alex of a different time. "How long?" He begged.

Alex smiled and gave a chaste kiss to her Doctor. "Not long." She answered. "Just a little bit longer."

The Doctor sighed and put his forehead to hers for a moment. Finally, he was able to rip himself from her and he walked back to the Pandorica. "I'm going to get Amy." The Doctor nodded to himself. Once Alex left, he let out the breath that he had been holding in. His hearts raced with uncontrollable speeds. Well, in a way, at least he got to kiss her like he wanted to...

-x-

Alex had stayed topside until the Roman soldiers came. Leading them was none other than Rory Williams. "Rory!" Alex laughed as she jumped down from a rock and ran over to hug him. "Oh! Look at you!"

Rory blinked, looking at the side of the strange woman's head. "Um… Yeah."

Alex backed up and rolled her eyes. "Oh for heaven sakes," she muttered. She pointed to herself. "It's me, Rory! It's 'Lex'!" Rory's eyes widened.

"Lex?"

"Yeah." She grinned. "I know, I know, I look different. I'm from the future and, well…" Alex figured it was best to skip past it, he'd find out when the time came. "Eh… You don't want to know. Complicated. You'll find out when you get there. Now," She remembered what was going on as the Roman soldiers came. "We need to get down there, there's a Cyberman attacking Amy." Rory nodded and he rushed down to where Alex pointed. Alex pointed to where Amy would be and Rory rushed off. Alex dropped to her knees and checked her Time Lord. "Oh, good. He's okay." She gently ran her hand through his hair and smiled softly to herself. "You shouldn't worry, Doctor." She said quietly. "It'll be soon. Don't worry. I mean… How could I not fall for you?"

Another soldier came down just as the Doctor groaned. "Ma'am?" He asked.

"Inform Rory that he's waking up." She said as she continued to stroke his hair.

"Ma'am." She knew that he had saluted and walked off into the other room.

The Doctor slowly came to, only to see a pair of beautiful hazel eyes. "Love…" He mumbled.

She smiled. "You're okay, Doctor." He suddenly shot up and Alex just barely had enough time to lean back.

"Amy?" The Doctor got up quickly. Alex scrambled after him. "Where's Amy?" He ran into the room.

"She's fine, Doctor." Alex heard Rory answer as Alex entered. "Just unconscious."

The Doctor rushed over to her. "Okay…" He checked her with his screwdriver. "Yes, she's sedated, that's all. Half an hour, she'll be fine. Okay, Romans, good, I was just wishing for Romans, good old River. How many?"

"50 men up top, volunteers. What about that thing?" He pointed to the Cyberman.

"50? Not exactly a legion." The Doctor said, not answering Rory's question.

Rory nodded to the other soldier, who left. "Your friend was very persuasive, but it's a tough sell."

"Yes, I know that, Rory, I'm not exactly one to miss the obvious." _I disagree, my dear Doctor, you are_. Alex thought while trying to hold back her laughter. "But we need everything we can get." The Doctor pulled out two large guns from a chest. "Okay, Cyber-weapons. This is basically a sentry box. So, headless wonder here was a sentry. Probably got himself duffed up by the locals. Never underestimate a Celt."

"Doctor…" Rory spoke up.

"Hush, Rory. Why leave a Cyberman on guard? Unless it's a Cyber thing in the box. But why would they lock up one of their own? Okay, no, not a Cyber thing, but what, what? No, I'm missing something obvious, Rory!" The Time Lord came to stand face-to-face with Rory. "Something big, something right slap in front of me, I can feel it!"

"Yeah, I think you probably are."

"I'll get it in a minute." The Doctor passed it off. He strode out of the room leaving Rory just standing there. Alex laughed quietly behind her hand. She lifted up three fingers to Rory. He blinked. She counted down to one, and right on cue there was a loud clatter from the other room as the Doctor probably dropped the weapons down when it finally came to him. He re-entered the room, ignoring a snickering Alex, he walked up to Rory and stared at him. He poked Rory in the chest and Rory swayed. "Hello again."

"Hello."

There was a small awkward silence. "How've you been?"

"Good. Yeah, good." Rory answered. "I mean, Roman."

Another small awkward silence. "Rory, I'm not trying to be rude, but you died."

"Yeah, I know, I was there." Rory commented.

"You died and then you were erased from time. You didn't just die, you were never born at all, you never existed."

"Erased? What does that mean?" Rory questioned.

"How could you be here?" The Doctor asked.

"I don't know. It's kind of fuzzy."

"Fuzzy?" Alex asked.

"Well, I died and turned into a Roman. It's very distracting!" Rory ran a hand across Amy's cheek. "Did she miss me?" The Doctor and Alex didn't answer. There was a loud whooshing and rumbling and the Doctor, Alex, and Rory ran out of the smaller room into the main cavern. The symbols on the Pandorica were glowing a green. The Doctor used his sonic screwdriver on it. The other Roman soldiers who were down there watched, "What is it? What's happening?"

"The final phase." Alex muttered. "It's opening." The Doctor set a hand on the turning gear. After a few moments of looking at it in wonder and curiousity, the Doctor got onto his back, next to the Pandorica to use the sonic on it. Alex pulled out a communicator when it vibrated, and saw it was River. "Doctor! It's River!" The Doctor lifted his hand and she tossed it to him.

"River!" She said something to him and the Time Lord answered. "Yes! Now hurry up and get the TARDIS here. I need equipment!" Alex could clearly picture River rolling her eyes as she obeyed. The Doctor got back up and looked at the Pandorica. "What are you? They're all here, all of them, all for you. What could you possibly be?"

"Doctor!" Alex cried. "They're back." The Doctor rushed over to her and both went topside.

The Doctor turned back around to Alex. "Give the communicator." Alex pulled it out and tossed it to him. He turned it on. "Hello, Stonehenge! Who takes the Pandorica, takes the universe. But bad news, everyone…" The Doctor jumped on a flat stone. "'Cause guess who? Ha!" The Doctor was using the communicator as a megaphone. "Listen, you lot, you're all whizzing about, it's really very distracting. Could you all just stay still for a minute? Because I am talking!" Alex watched with a grin as the ships stilled. "The question of the hour is, who's got the Pandorica? Answer... I do. Next question, who's coming to take it from me? Come on! Look at me, no plan, no back-up, no weapons worth a damn. Oh, and something else, I don't have, anything... to... lose! So if you're sitting up there in your silly little spaceship, with all your silly little guns, and you've got any plans on taking the Pandorica tonight, just remember who's standing in your way. Remember every black day I ever stopped you. And then, _and then_, do the smart thing. Let somebody else try first."

The Time Lord held his arms out, daring someone to try. The ships took off. Alex laughed lightly. The Doctor threw Rory the communicator and jumped down. "I was always impressed when you did that." Alex said as she walked over and gently took the comm. from Rory.

The Doctor grinned at her. He had to admit, she was right. The more he got told himself it was Alex and the more he saw it, the more he got use to it. "That'll keep 'em squabbling for half an hour! Romans!" The three went back down into the underhenge.

"They're still out there." Rory pointed out. "What do we do now?"

"If I can stop whatever's in this box getting out, then they'll go home." The Doctor explained.

"Right." Rory nodded.

"Would it really be that easy, Doctor?" Alex asked, despite knowing what was going to happen.

"We can only hope, love." The Doctor looked behind Rory to see Amy had woken up. "Rory, I'm sorry, you're going to have to be very brave now." Amy walked towards them rubbing her head. She walked right past Rory to the Doctor.

"Oh, my head." She moaned.

"Aaaahhh." The Doctor opened his mouth and stuck his tongue out a bit, wanting her to do the same.

"Aaaahhh." She mimicked and he did a cursory examination.

"Just your basic knock-out drops." The Doctor announced. "Get some fresh air, you'll be fine."

"Is it safe up there?" Amy asked.

Alex laughed. "Not even close, Amy." She patted her friend's shoulder. "_But_, it's fresh, so up you get."

"Fine." Amy turned and nearly bumped into Rory. Rory's face was upset when she ignored him, but now he figured she'd look up and all would be fine. _Too bad it won't_… Alex thought. "Oh, you're the guy, yeah, the one who did the… sword-y thing."

"Yeah." Rory's face fell into sadness and confusion. Why didn't she recognize him?

"Well, thanks for the swording." Amy said. "Nice swording." She tapped his shoulder and walked off.

"No problem." Rory blinked and turned around. "My men are up there. They'll look after you."

"Good. Love a Roman!" She went up the stairs.

Rory watched her leave. "She doesn't remember me." He turned to the Doctor and Alex. "How can she not remember me?"

"Because you never existed." The Doctor explained.

"What?" Rory asked, now even more confused than before.

"There are cracks, Rory." Alex explained, trying to simplify it for him. "Cracks in time, cracks in the skin of the world. There is – or was, in my case – in the future, on one specific day. And everywhere around it, in every other time frame, is cracking because of it."

"So how does that work? What kind of explosion? What exploded?" Rory asked.

"It doesn't matter." She answered. "All that you need to understand, Rory, is that there are cracks everywhere. Get to close to one, like you did, and you fall right out of the universe."

"So I fell through a crack and now I was never born?" Rory asked. The Doctor was watching Alex with a very curious expression. She talked as if she understood what she was talking, and he knew that she did, but he didn't understand. She couldn't know, so… How did she know?

"Basically." The Doctor now answered.

"How did I end up here?"

Alex and the Doctor shared a look. "We don't know," the Time Lord admitted. "You shouldn't have. What happened?" The Doctor walked up right to Rory. "From your point of view, what physically happened?"

"I was in the cave, with you and Amy. I was dying and then I was just here, a Roman soldier. A proper Roman. Head full of Roman... stuff, a whole other life. Just here like I'd woken up from a dream. Started to think it was a dream. You and Amy and Leadworth. Then today, in the camp, the men were talking about the visitors, the girl with the red hair. I thought you'd come back for me. But she can't even remember me." Rory looked back at the stairs where his fiancée was.

"Oh, for God's sake, Rory, shut up." Alex said. The Doctor grinned at her for a moment.

"What?" He asked, turning back around to the brunettes.

The Doctor reached into his pocket, and pulled out the ring. He tossed it to Rory. "Go get her."

"But I don't understand. Why am I here?" Rory asked.

"Because you are." The Doctor answered. Alex honestly felt this wasn't important. He was here. That was important. "The universe is big. It's vast and complicated and ridiculous, and sometimes, very rarely, impossible things just happen and we call them miracles, and that's the theory. 900 years, never seen one yet. But this would do me. Now get upstairs, she's Amy and she's surrounded by Romans. I'm not sure history can take it." Alex chuckled. Rory nodded and the Doctor slapped him on the back as he headed upstairs.

The Time Lord turned and looked at his Alex with his 'thinking' face. She smiled, knowing what was going on in her Time Lord's mind. "Yes, yes, yes, I know. Oh, look, I know about things, who would have guessed?" She laughed. She then 'zipped' her lips. "Spoilers."

"Love," She giggled.

"Nope." She popped her 'p'. "Not gonna say, you'll find out, Doctor."

He walked up to her and put his lips onto her shoulders, slowly sliding them up her neck. Alex felt chills run down her neck, she was always happy that no matter how many times he did it, it always felt like the first time. Alex turned just in time as the Doctor's lips trailed up her cheek, and their lips met. She turned to face him as his hands came to rest on her hips. His lips seemed to devour hers, and she enjoyed every second of it.

Alex broke the kiss, and she could see he wasn't done, she giggled and took his hand and dragged him behind the Pandorica, so that the Roman soldiers couldn't see them, she then brought their lips together with another shock. Their tongues soon came out, and Alex shuttered as they tangled together, before sliding and touching. It was a dance, a dance that only was shared with them.

After a few minutes, they broke the kiss, and the Doctor breathed deeply. They looked at each other for a moment, and was about to dive into a kiss again when the communicator went off. The Doctor sighed, and Alex caught the tiny bit of a growl there. She giggled and gave his lips a quick kiss. He pulled it out and turned it on, pressed it to his ear. "The TARDIS, where is it? Hurry up!" Alex knew that he was being partial mean to River, only because she interrupted him from kissing Alex.

Alex could hear her friend answer from the other line. "_Don't raise your voice, don't look alarmed, just listen_." The brunettes shared a look, but they schooled their expressions and made sure to be behind the Pandorica. "_They're not real, they can't be. They're all right here in the story book, those actual Romans, the ones I sent you, the ones your with right now. They're all in a book in Amy's house, a children's picture book_."

"What are you even doing there?" The Doctor asked. She should have gotten the TARDIS and come back there.

"_It doesn't matter. The TARDIS went wrong_." River replied. "_Doctor, how is this possible_?"

"Something's using her memories." The Doctor said. "Amy's memories."

"But why?" Alex whispered. "Or how?"

"You said something had been there." The Doctor responded, now talking to River.

"_Yes, there are burn marks on the grass outside, landing patterns_."

"If they've been inside her house, they could have used her physic residue. Structures can hold memories, that's why houses have ghosts. They could've taken a snapshot of Amy's memories. But why?"

"_Doctor, who are those Romans_?"

"They could be clones, or duplicates, or projections." Alex listed.

"_But they were helping us, my lipstick even worked_."

"They might think they're real. The perfect disguise. They actually believe their own cover story, right until they're activated."

"_Doctor, that Centurion_…" Alex knew that she had found the picture of Amy and Rory, Rory dressed as a Roman soldier. "_It's a trap, it has to be. They used Amy to construct a scenario you'd believe, to get close to you_."

"Why? Who'd do that? What for? It doesn't make sense."

"Yet, Doctor." Alex added. "It doesn't make sense, yet, until they are activated and the ones that are doing this show themselves."

Alex suddenly heard sparks on River's end. "River? River?" The Doctor called out, hearing it as well. "River, what's happening?"

"_I don't know, it's the engines. Doctor, there's something wrong with the TARDIS, like something else is controlling it_."

"You're flying it wrong." The Doctor said curtly.

Alex rolled her eyes. "She is not. I taught her." The Doctor turned around and looked at her surprised. "And let me tell you something, Doctor, when you're willing to listen to the TARDIS, and have a bit of human instinct, trust me, you can fly the TARDIS better than a _certain _brunette Time Lord." The Doctor's look turned sour on that last note.

"Where are you?" The Doctor asked. "What's the date reading?"

"_It's the 26__th__ June, 2010_."

The Doctor's face fell as did Alex's. Both knew that date well. "You need to get out of there now! Any other time zone, just go."

"_I can't break free_."

"Well, then, shut down the TARDIS. Shut down everything!"

"_I can't_! _Someone else is flying it. An external force. I've lost control_."

"But how? Why?" Nothing was making sense to the Time Lord. There was a high-pitched whine. The Doctor and Alex covered their ears. The Romans dropped forward, until they were bent at the waist. The Doctor and Alex didn't see it as their backs were facing them. "Listen to me, just land her anywhere. Emergency landing, now. There are cracks in time, I've seen them everywhere, and they're getting wider." The Romans straightened up. "The TARDIS exploding is what causes them, but we can stop the cracks from ever happening if you just land her!"

"_It's not safe_."

The Pandorica began to open, two sides sliding away from the closest corner to the cavern entrance. The lights shines on the Doctor's and Alex's face as the Time Lord lowered the communicator. "Finally." Alex muttered.

"Well, now. Ready to come out, are we?" The Romans turned and lifted their right hands in front of them.

"_Doctor, I've landed_."

Alex snatched the communicator. "Okay, River, move, get out, remember if no one is in the TARDIS, then the engines shut down. Seriously, just get out right now."

"_I'm going_."

"Run!" Alex tossed the communicator on the ground and walked over to her Doctor as he used the sonic screwdriver on the Pandorica.

"_Lexa, Lexa, I can't open the doors_!" As they turned to pick up the communicator again, they saw the Roman soldiers advancing on them.

"Amy!" The Doctor yelled. "Run," he whispered to his Alex and she turned and ran into the room before the Romans could snatch her. She leaned her head just slightly around to see what was going on. Apparently, they didn't know who she was, and deemed her unimportant – thank God – and grabbed the Doctor. Two soldiers held him and dragged him away from the Pandorica. "Plastic Romans. Duplicates, driven by the Nestene Consciousness, eh? Deep cover, but what for? What are you doing? What's in there, eh? What's coming out?"

The two Nestene duplicates were facing the Pandorica. The Doctor was between them, facing the opposite direction. "The Pandorica is ready." One soldier announced.

"What, you mean it's open?" The Doctor asked.

Alex felt her heart stop when she saw a Dalek. "You have been scanned. Assessed. Understood. Doctor." The Doctor slowly looked over his shoulder as best he could and saw a white Dalek. A red and yellow Dalek soon materialized beside the first.

They now turned him around, so he was facing the Daleks. "Scanned? Scanned by what, a box?"

"Your limits and capacities have been extrapolated." A Cyberman said. Alex knew what was coming. All of his enemies were going to appear, accuse him of being the cause of the cracks, and put him in the Pandorica, because of it.

The Doctor looked around for the source and Cybermen appeared followed by Judoon and Sontarans. "The Pandorica is ready." A Sontaran said.

"Ready for what?" _You, Doctor_.

"Ready for you." A Dalek answered. Alex turned, and saw the inside of the Pandorica. Amidst the advanced technology was a chair with restraints. The Doctor tried to pull away from the Nestene soldiers holding him. However, it was in vain as they started to drag him forward. Silurians, a Hoix and Roboforms appeared as the Doctor was walked to the Pandorica. The Doctor's enemies watched as he was forced along the gauntlet towards the Pandorica.

The Doctor was placed in the chair within the Pandorica and clamps were placed around his wrists and ankles and a large yoke came down around his shoulders. His enemies stood at the opening to gloat over his end. "You lot," The Doctor said breathlessly, looking at _all _his enemies. He couldn't believe his eyes. "Working together, an alliance… How is that possible?"

"The cracks in the skin of the universe." A Dalek answered.

"All reality is threatened." A Sontaran continued.

"All universes will be deleted." A Cyberman added.

"What? And you've come to me for help?" _Oh, if only, Doctor_. Alex thought.

"No. We will save the universe from you!" A Sontaran pointed his gun at the Time Lord with emphasis.

"From me?" What had he done?

"All projections correlate. All evidence concurs. The Doctor will destroy the universe." The Cyberman responded.

"No, no, no you've got it wrong." The Time Lord answered.

"The Pandorica was constructed to ensure the safety of the alliance." The Cyberman continued, ignoring the Doctor.

"A scenario was devised from the memories of your companion." A Dalek said.

"A trap the Doctor could not resist." A Sontaran added.

"The cracks in time are the work of the Doctor. It is confirmed." The Dalek finished.

"No, no, no." The Doctor spoke up again. "Not me, the TARDIS. And I'm not in the TARDIS, am I?"

"Only the Doctor can pilot the TARDIS." _Wrong_, Alex narrowed her eyes. She and River could drive it as well.

"Please, listen to me!" The Doctor begged.

"You will be prevented." A Dalek said.

"Total event collapse! Every sun will supernova at every moment in history. The whole universe will never have existed! Please, listen to me!" They wouldn't.

"Seal the Pandorica." The Cyberman said, pressing his fist to his chest before holding it out.

"No! Please, listen to me! The TARDIS is exploding right now and I'm the only one who can stop it! Listen to me!" The Pandorica slammed shut. Alex backed up into the room, closing her eyes in despair. This was going to be very difficult. But, she had to have faith, if everything happened like the TV show – and it always did – then in the end, it would all work out.

Alex could feel the stars up in the sky, all becoming supernovas, exploding before as the universe went dark.


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter Thirty Six**

**I'm back~**

**Hello readers! Lookie here, I am back and I finally got a chapter for 'A Love Through Time' up! Whoo! Okay so, I feel it's kinda choppy, but I suppose that's just because I haven't wrote this for a while, so it's a little weird coming back. I mean, you have no idea how many slip ups I had not putting this in first person like 'A Athrú Grá' x) **

**Speaking of which, I will do my best to get a chapter up of that, but to be honest, I do love that story, don't get my wrong, but I **_**love **_**this one so much better. I just love Alex :D**

**Also, I want to thank you all for being so supportive and patient with me. Thank you.**

**So, here is the chapter you've all been waiting for for so long :)**

Alex slipped out onto the surface again. Her mind was racing, _okay; need to get the Doctor out of the Pandorica_… That was the first and most important thing to do on her list.

And to do that, she needed Rory and Amy. The red head hugged her arms to keep herself warm as she jogged over to where she knew Rory and Amy were. She got there just as the Doctor popped up, having used River's vortex manipulator. _Oh my God… It's started_… On his head… was the _fez_. "Rory! Listen, she's not dead. Well, she is dead, but it's not the end of the world. Well, it is the end of the world. Actually, it's the end of the universe." Something seemed to occur to the Doctor, as Alex was shaking her head, looking up at the sky, thinking if there was a God or anything, he must really hate her right now… "Oh, no. Hang on!" He tapped something into River's manipulator and disappeared.

"Doctor?" Rory asked, still obvious lost by the Doctor's weak explanation. "Doctor!"

"Wait for it, Rory." The blonde jumped and looked to see Alex. "Just wait for it." She lifted up her fingers, and counted down to three, and the moment she reached one, the Doctor reappeared, this time without the mop.

"Ah, love, you're here!" He grinned. _Ah, is he good with me now looking like this? Wonder what I did_… Alex had a few thoughts about that, and they all lead to perverse thoughts. "Now, you need to get me out of the Pandorica." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the sonic screwdriver. He tossed it to Alex, and she caught it with ease. _Oh, the sonic screwdriver_… She looked back at him, but ran her fingers across the smooth, familiar surface.

"You're not in the Pandorica." Rory pointed out.

"Yes, I am. Well, I'm not now, but I was back then. Well, back now from your point of view, which is back then from my point of view. Time travel, you can't keep it straight in your head. It's easy to open from the outside... just point and press. Now go." He disappeared, and a second went by before he reappeared again. "Oh, and when you're done, leave my screwdriver in her top pocket." Alex gave a two finger salute, to show she understood. "Good luck!" He disappeared.

Rory looked over at Alex for a better explanation. "That was a future Doctor, he was coming back to tell us what to do. Kinda dangerous, 'cause ya know, it can get very messy when you start messing with your own past, but I suppose he had to. Well, come on, Rory, we better get the Doctor out of the Pandorica."

"But what did he mean? Done what?"

Alex laughed. "Come on, Rory and you'll find out!"

-x-

Alex had walked up confidently to the Pandorica and opened it with the sonic screwdriver. Alex waved cheerfully when the Doctor's face came into view, looking amazed. "How did you do that?"

_How do you think_? Alex lifted up the screwdriver as answer. "You gave it to me." She added, still grinning.

The Doctor pulled out his own screwdriver, "no, I didn't."

"Yes you did." Alex said, her tone suggesting the Doctor should understand. "You did give it to me, Doctor."

"No I didn't."

Alex's grin widened. "_Yes _you did."

The Doctor looked at her, and she was still grinning. He then looked down at the screwdriver that was in her hand. He looked back up at Alex, _ah; there we go; now he's understood_. The Doctor lifted up his own screwdriver, and when they came close they sparked. "Temporal energy. Same screwdriver, at different points in its own time stream. Which means it was me who gave it to you. Me from the future. I've got a future, that's nice."

"What am I suppose to be?" Alex asked. She was part of his future. "If you didn't have a future, I think I'd disappear."

"Wouldn't want that." The Doctor said.

"I hope not." She said flirtatious, and the Doctor looked away, and she grinned at his shiver. "That wouldn't be very nice if you did."

"Like that." The Time Lord pointed to the petrified remains of his enemies.

"Yeah. What are they?"

"History has collapsed." The Doctor explained. "Whole races have been deleted from existence. These are just like after-images. Echoes, fossils in time. The footprints of the never-were."

"Er, what does that mean?"

_Oh come on, Rory, you're smart; you should have been able to keep up with that. _"Time is collapsing everywhere." Alex explained, trying to simplify it so Rory could understand. "The universe is disappearing, erasing itself, like it never happened."

"So, how can we be here?" Rory asked. _Oh, good, he's making some good questions_. "What's keeping us safe?"

_And blunt response from the Doctor, happens… now_: "Nothing. Eye of the storm, that's all. We're just the last lights to go out." He suddenly looked up, and Alex knew that he finally realized they were missing someone vital. "Amy. Where's Amy?"

-x-

Rory and Alex took the Time Lord to Amy's body. Rory had covered up her body with a blanket. The Doctor squatted down and lifted up the blanket to see her face. "I killed her." The blonde said sadly. Alex rubbed his arm comfortingly. It hadn't been his fault, he hadn't been control of his body, and Alex knew Amy wouldn't blame him.

"Oh, Rory!" The Doctor said.

"Doctor, what am I?" Rory asked. _You're plastic_… Alex answered mentally.

"You're a Nestene duplicate." The Doctor explained, and just like before, he was blunt. "A lump of plastic with delusions of humanity." Alex looked at his back offended. Okay, now he was going over the line…

"But I'm Rory now." He insisted. "Whatever was happening, it stopped. I'm Rory!"

"That's software talking." The Doctor responded, and Alex tried not to hit his back or something. _Okay, he's _really _going over the line now_.

"Can you help her?" Rory asked hopefully. "Is there anything you can do?"

"Yeah, probably, if I had the time." Alex gasped _what? He's turning down to help his friend? What the hell?_

"Doctor!"

"The time?"

"All of creation has just been wiped from the sky. Do you know how many lives now never happened? All the people who never lived? Your girlfriend isn't more important than the whole universe." Alex just looked at him, her mouth open, and her eyebrows up. She couldn't believe him! _What the hell is he thinking_?

Rory whipped the Doctor around and punched him, Alex jumped at the suddenness of it. The Time Lord was knocked into the ground. "She is to me!" _Aw, _Alex was sidetracked. _This is why I love Rory – or at least, one of the many reasons_.

The Doctor stood up, laughing. _Wait, he planned that_? What the hell? He wanted to get hit? Alex shook her head with a smile. _He's such a dork sometimes_. "Welcome back, Rory Williams! Sorry, had to be sure. Hell of a gun-arm you're packing there. Right, we need to get her downstairs. And take that look off your plastic face. You're getting married in the morning!"

-x-

Rory picked Amy's body up and they went back to the Pandorica. They then set her up, so she was now the one in the Pandorica. "So you've got a plan, then?" Rory asked.

"Bit of a plan, yeah. Memories are more powerful than you think, and Amy Pond is not an ordinary girl. Grew up with a time crack in her wall. The universe pouring through her dreams every night. The Nestenes took a memory print of her and got more than they bargained for. Like you. Not just your face, but your heart and your soul." _Because the Doctor's good at picking his friends_. He placed his hands to either side of her face and closed his eyes, _leaving her a physic message_. Alex slipped the screwdriver into her pocket. "I'm leaving her a message for when she wakes up, so she knows what's happening."

The two time travelers backed up, and the Doctor used his screwdriver to close the doors. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you doing?" Rory asked alarmed.

"Saving her." The Doctor answered. "This is the ultimate prison. You can't even escape by dying. It forces you to stay alive."

"But she's already dead." Rory pointed out.

"Mostly dead." Alex corrected. "Big different between mostly dead and all dead." She knew that from 'Princess Bride'.

"The Pandorica can stasis-lock her that way. All it needs is a scan of her living DNA and it'll restore her." The Doctor finished.

"Where's it going to get that?"

The Doctor and Alex both looked at his watch. "In about 2,000 years." They said in unison.

-x-

The Doctor took River's vortex manipulator out of her bag. "She's going to be in that box for 2,000 years?" _Oh yeah, _Alex remembered. _Here comes one of the biggest reason why I love Rory_.

"Yeah, but we're taking a shortcut." The Doctor explained, as he fixed the manipulator onto his wrist. "River's vortex manipulator. Rubbish way to time travel, but the universe is tiny now. We'll be fine."

"Oh yeah?" Alex gave him a look. "Remember what happened when Jack tried to use it to get to the present time from Satellite Five?"

"We'll be fine." The Doctor insisted. "Like I said, the universe is tiny now. Jack was using it when the universe was its normal size." _Good point_.

"So the future's still there, then?" Rory asked. "Our world?"

"Sorta." Alex shrugged. "It's like our future, ya know, there's similarities, but there are going to be differences too. Like, ya know, the same, but slightly different."

"Let's go and have a look." The Doctor held out his arm. "You put your hand there. Don't worry, should be safe." Alex walked past his arm, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing herself to him. He shifted a bit, and Alex couldn't stop her mental grin. She pressed her hips to his on purpose, just to see him squirm.

"That's not what I'm worried about."

"She'll be fine." The Doctor insisted. "Nothing can get into this box."

"You got in there."

"Well, Rory, there's only one of him." Alex nuzzled into his neck. "I should know." _Well, there was that one time for River's birthday… _Alex grinned to herself that had been an _epic _birthday.

"This box needs a guard. I killed the last one." Rory said.

"No, Rory, no." The Doctor said, knowing where he was going. _Ah, too late, Doctor. He's already made up his mind_. "Don't even think about it."

"She'll be all alone." Rory pointed out. His tone was determined; the Doctor was not going to persuade him.

"She won't feel it." The Doctor said.

"You bet she won't!"

"2,000 years, Rory. You won't even sleep, you'd be conscious every second. It would drive you mad."

"Will she be safer if I stay? Look me in the eye and tell me she wouldn't be safer."

The Doctor sighed, "Rory."

"Doctor," he looked down at his girl. She gently traced his collar. "He wants to protect Amy. Can you hold that against him? What if it was me in there?" The Doctor closed his eyes, and Alex knew that he would understand that. The woman then looked back at Rory. "Yes, Rory, she'd be safer."

"Then how could I leave her?" Rory looked back at the box, looking through it to his girlfriend.

"Why do you have to be so… _human_?" The Doctor was the only one who could use the word 'human' as an adjective. Alex nuzzled back into the Doctor's neck.

"Because right now, I'm not." Rory walked to the other side of the Pandorica and the Doctor began to press buttons on the manipulator.

The Doctor had some advice to give to Rory before he went. "Listen to me. This is the last bit of advice you're going to get in a very long time. You're living plastic, but not immortal. I have no idea how long you'll last. And you're not indestructible. Stay away from heat and radio signals when they come along." Rory put his helmet on. "You can't heal, or repair yourself. Any damage is permanent. So, for God's sake, however bored you get, stay out of…" The Doctor and Alex disappeared. She rolled her eyes, not at all surprised that he hadn't gotten to finish his sentence. It seemed to be a thing now, where the Doctor was always being cut off by something.

-x-

"… trouble." The Doctor finished. Alex smacked his chest.

"We're already in the present, idiot." She said. "There was no point in finishing that sentence."

"Oh!" The Doctor said, Alex blinked and whirled around and saw a Dalek. _Ah_. The Doctor and Alex turned to see Amy and Amelia. _Oh, this is gonna get complicated_… The Doctor had the same thoughts. "Two of you? Complicated."

"Exterminate!" the Dalek cried. "Weapons systems restoring."

The Doctor took Amy's hand and Alex took Amelia's hand. "Come along, Ponds." He ran for it, with all three girls running with him.

"Exterminate!"

The Doctor stopped at an alcove display representing North Africa. He stumbled into one of the mannequins and took the fez from its head. "What are we doing?" Amy asked. _What are you going to do with that thing, is a better question_… Alex rolled her eyes.

"Running into a dead end," the Doctor stated obviously. "Where I'll have a brilliant plan that basically involves not being in one." _Yes, but in order to have this brilliant plan that _doesn't _involve being in a dead end, you need _another _brilliant plan to get _out _of this dead end._ The Doctor, Alex, Amy, and Amelia all hid behind the Pandorica.

Alex turned when she heard footsteps at the other end of the hallway. "What's going on?" _Oh damn, it's a watchman_. He was going to get himself killed.

"Get out of here. Go! Just run!" But Amy didn't leave. The Dalek turned to the watchman.

"Drop the device." The Dalek demanded.

"It's not a weapon." The Doctor called, hoping to help the man. "Scan it. It's not a weapon, and you don't have the power to waste!"

There was a second of silence, and Alex's heart was squeezing tightly in her chest. _Please don't kill him, please don't kill him_… "Scans indicate intruder unarmed." Alex let out a breath of relief.

"Do you think?" _What_? Alex leaned around, and saw the watchman drop his flashlight. Alex couldn't see what he was doing, but she heard the sound of some sort of gun and then the Dalek's voice filled with panic.

"Vision impaired! Vision…" The watchman moved out of the shadows and it was revealed that it was – _Rory_! He watched as the Dalek drained of energy. The Doctor moved around his girl and walked back to the Dalek, sonic ready. Amy, Amelia, and Alex were behind him.

"Amy?" Rory called to her.

"Rory!" The ginger ran to him, and they hugged. _Aw, how sweet_.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I couldn't help it. It just happened."

"Oh, shut up." She kissed him. _Ooooohhhhhhhh_! Amy and Rory have got game!

The Doctor came up between them. "Yeah, shut up, 'cause we've got to go. Come on!"

They broke apart and completely ignored the Time Lord. "I waited. 2,000 years, I waited for you."

"No, still shut up." Amy kissed him again.

"And break! And breathe!" The Doctor looked at the back of Rory's head and then at the back of Amy's head. "Well, somebody didn't get out too much for 2,000 years."

"Oh come on, Doctor." Alex said flirtatiously as she walked up to him. "We did that a lot when you were ten. Oh! Wanna try it out again?" She turned him, so they were facing each other, and she started tracing his collar again, letting her fingers barely touch the skin of his neck. _Ah, I do love that look_. It was the look she got often when she was being flirtatiously enough to stop his thought process.

He tried to get out that they needed to focus on the more important stuff, but Alex just cupped the back of his neck, and dragged him down to her lips. The Doctor's hands stopped in mid-air around her hips. Alex wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, and one went into his deep black hair. Finally, the Doctor moved and he grabbed her hips and they were both sucking on each other faces. Alex knew it was because the Doctor had been waiting for this and that the present her hadn't kissed him yet. _Aw, don't worry Doctor, it won't be long_.

A moan escaped Alex's lips as the Doctor's tongue met hers, and started dancing. _Oh God, this is hot_. She hadn't taken into account the desperation that was in the Doctor's kiss. _He's really been waiting, hasn't he_? They broke the kiss for breath, but the moment they opened their eyes and looked at each other, they launched back into another kiss.

They finally broke and were gasping for breath. He pressed his face to hers, and Alex closed her eyes, letting the blissful feeling run through her. God_, I love it when I kiss the Doctor_. It never got old. It was always invigorating. "How long?" He breathed, she opened her eyes and blinked, confused. The Doctor realized this. "How long will it be?"

Alex traced the Doctor's lips and smiled softly. "Not long." She whispered. "Not long at all, Doctor." She wanted to say, 'you can wait' but he had waited for so long already, will he wait for her any longer?

"I'll wait forever, love." He said, kissing her finger. Alex smiled, and tried to hold back her tears. She loved him; it was just taking her present self a while to figure that out. She was so thankful she had found the Doctor; he wasn't like any other guy she knew.

"Thank you." She whispered and pecked his lips.

Before it could turn into another heated kiss, Amelia tugged on the Doctor's sleeve. "I'm thirsty. Can I get a drink?"

The Time Lord and his girl leaned away and looked back at the little scot. Alex laughed. "Oh, it's all mouths today, isn't it?" The Doctor put the fez on her head, but she took it off and shoved it to his stomach.

Alex looked up, and saw the Dalek silhouetted by the light from the Pandorica. "… Doctor." She tugged on his arm. He looked over at her, "the light." She said, and the Doctor followed her eyes, and saw the same sight.

"The light!" The Doctor repeated, realizing it. "The light from the Pandorica, it must have hit the Dalek." He saw the Dalek start to twitch again. "Out, out, out!" Alex whirled around and pushed Amy and Rory to the door, breaking their kiss. The Doctor grabbed Amelia's hand and with Alex's hand as well, they rushed out of the room. Rory closed the door and the Doctor soniced the lock. "So, 2,000 years. How did you do?"

"Kept out of trouble." Rory answered.

"Oh?" Alex asked. The Doctor realized he still had the fez and put it onto his head to keep his hands free. "How?" Somehow, Alex was skeptically.

"Unsuccessfully." Alex nodded her head, _yeah, thought so_.

The Doctor picked up the mop, and rushed to the door, probably planning to use it to block the doors. However, Rory spoke up. "The mop!" The Doctor looked at him. "That's how you looked all those years ago when you gave me the sonic."

"Oh yeah!" Alex added.

"Ah! Well, no time to lose." The Doctor activated the manipulator and disappeared, going back 2,000 years. He reappeared again a couple of seconds later. "Oops, sorry." He used the mop to block the door.

Alex could hear Amelia behind her. "How can he do that? Is he magic?" _Yeah, _Alex smiled. _Time magic_. The Doctor disappeared again. He reappeared. "Right, let's go." He walked past them and headed up the stairs, but stopped when he realized something important. "Wait! I don't have the sonic; I just gave it to Allie 2,000 years ago." He tapped the manipulator to go back 2,000 years again. He popped back in less than a second. "Right then." He reached into Amy's pocket and pulled out the screwdriver. "Off we go!"

Alex didn't move, she knew he was missing something. "Doctor," she called. He turned to her. The red head motioned to little Amelia.

The Doctor understood and walked down, knelling in front Amelia. "How did you know to come here?" Amelia reached into her pocket and pulled out the pamphlet and the sticky note. "Ah, my handwriting. Okay!" The Doctor rushed to a stand and grabbed a pamphlet and the sticky note. He then activated the manipulator. The Doctor reappeared within a minute, and handed Amelia a drink. "There you go, drink up!"

"What is that? How are you doing that?"

"Vortex manipulator." Alex answered. "You basically hop from wherever you are, to wherever you want to go. Rubbish way to travel, if you ask me."

"You said 'rubbish'." The Doctor pointed out.

"I know, I'm still proud American, mind you. I just figured it was best to give up, 'cause I am going to slip up since I _am _surrounded by British people."

"Where are we going?" Amy asked.

"The roof." They turned and started to walk up the stairs. At the top of the landing another Doctor appeared, with his jacket smoking.

"Oh my God!" Alex yelled.

He fell down the stairs and rolled to a stop. Alex caught him before he fell any farther. She cupped his face. _What the hell_? The present Doctor rushed over and used the sonic on him. "Doctor, it's you. How can it be you?"

"Doctor, is that you?" Amy asked hesitantly.

"Yeah, it's me. Me from the future." The future Doctor opened his eyes suddenly, and sat up, and grabbed the present Doctor's shoulder. He whispered something to his other self's ear and then fell unconscious again. Alex grabbed him and eased him down. She saw him peek on last look at her before his eyes closed. _What was that_? Her throat closed up, and she took some deep breaths, trying not to panic.

"Are you… I mean, is he… Is he dead?" Amy finally asked.

"What?" The remaining Doctor stood up. "Dead? Yes, yes. Of course he's dead." Alex gently cupped the Doctor's face. _But… How can he be dead? He can't be_. The other Doctor reached down and lifted her up onto her feet. He had his face pressed into her hair. The Doctor climbed over the body with Alex in his arms as she still just watched the floor emotionless and started up the stairs. "Right, I've got 12 minutes, that's good."

"12 minutes to live? How is that good?" _It's not. It's not at all_. Alex thought. It wasn't good in anyway.

"You can do loads in 12 minutes... suck a mint, buy a sledge, have a fast bath. Come on, the roof!"

"We can't just leave you here, dead!" Rory said. Alex turned, and tried to get back to the other Doctor, but the living Time Lord squeezed his hands on her shoulders and kept her to him. Her throat had closed up and no words would come to her. She just kept staring at his dead body; he'd be dead in 12 minutes. _But he can't… There's so much that he and I still need to do together… _so _much more_.

"Oh, good!" The Doctor said. "Are you in charge now? So, tell me, what are we going to do about Amelia?" Alex looked past Rory and Amy and found that Amelia was gone; the cup that had her drink was lying on the floor. _Time's collapsing_…

"Where did she go?" Amy had a right to be alarmed. They ran down the stairs.

"Amelia?" Rory called out.

The Doctor and Alex stayed where they were on the landing. "There is no Amelia, from now on, there never was. History is collapsing."

"How can I be here, if she's not?" Amy asked.

"You're an anomaly. We all are. We're all hanging on at the eye of the storm, but the eye is closing, and if we don't do something, reality will never have happened. Today, just dying is a result. Now, come on!" The Doctor headed off, with Alex still in his arms.

"What did you say?" Alex asked. The Doctor looked at her. "What did your future self tell you?"

"I've got 12 minutes to live."

"Don't lie to me, Doctor." Alex said, having no patience right now. Her love was going to die, and that was something that spread her patience thin. "Your sonic screwdriver told you that. What did your future self tell you?" The Doctor looked back at Amy and Rory, and Alex smacked his chest, he looked back at her. "_What did he tell you_?" She snarled in a whisper. She wanted to know.

No, she _had _to know.

The Doctor sighed and leaned into her ear and whispered the words to her. He leaned away just as Amy and Rory caught up with them. Alex took a deep breath, and looked at him, and he looked at her. They both understood each other, and Alex nodded.

_This is awful_. She wanted to stop him, but she knew she couldn't… and that made it so awful.

-x-

The Doctor climbed out of the stairwell and onto the roof. Alex, Amy, and Rory followed. "What, is it morning already? How did that happen?" Alex rolled her eyes, _The Doctor already explained it, is no one – other than me – listening to him_?

"History is shrinking." The Doctor repeated. "Is anybody listening to me?"

"I am." Alex lifted her hand.

"There's no need for you to listen, you already know." The Doctor retorted.

"Ah, well, that is true." Alex shrugged.

"Universe is collapsing. We don't have much time left." The Doctor used the sonic screwdriver and unhooked a satellite dish.

"What are you doing?" Rory asked.

"He's looking for the TARDIS." Alex said, as if she was stating the obvious.

"But the TARDIS exploded."

"Fine, correction: he's looking for an _exploding _TARDIS."

"I don't understand." Amy said. "So, the TARDIS blew up and took the universe with it. Why would it do that? How?"

The Doctor stood up on a raised section of the roof, and Alex followed him and stood next to her Time Lord. "Good question for another day. But for now… total event collapse means that every star in the universe never happened. Not one of them ever shone. So, if all the stars that ever were are gone, then what is that?" He pointed to a large ball of fire in the sky. "Like Allie said, I'm looking for an exploding TARDIS."

"But that's the sun." Rory stated. _God, was I this slow before_?

"Is it? Here's the noise that sun is making right now." He held up the dish and amplified the sound of the TARDIS with his screwdriver. _It's not the sun; it's the TARDIS exploding_… Alex felt bad for the TARDIS, poor thing was exploding. _Wait a minute_… Alex looked up at the ball of fire and her eyes widened, _oh my God; River was still in the TARDIS_! "That's my TARDIS burning up. That's what's been keeping the Earth warm."

"Doctor, there's something else." Rory said. "There's a voice." Alex's heart dropped into her stomach.

"Doctor, its River." Alex said and the Doctor looked at her shocked. "Remember, she was driving the TARDIS when you got locked into the Pandorica. That means she was in there when it started to explode." He looked back at the ball of fire, now with shock.

"But I can't hear anything." Amy said.

"Trust the plastic." Rory answered.

The Doctor looked at Alex again, and then amplified the satellite. Alex knew that he was hoping she was wrong, and this was one of the cases Alex did too. But when the Doctor changed the settings, River's voice came in clear. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." _Oh my God_…

"Doctor, it is. It's River." Alex said. "She's still on the TARDIS."

"It must be a recording or something." Rory offered as explanation.

"No, it's not a recording. Of course, the emergency protocols... The TARDIS has sealed off the control room and put her into a time loop to save her. She is right at the heart of the explosion."

"Well what are you waiting for?" Alex asked. "Go get her!" She grabbed the Doctor's manipulator and pressed some keys, and he disappeared. Alex nodded to herself, satisfied. The red head jumped off the raised platform and after a couple of minutes, the Doctor returned with River. "River!" The women hugged. "Oh, I'm so glad you're okay."

"Lexa," they broke the hug but smiled at each other. "Amy! And the plastic Centurion?"

"It's okay, he's on our side." The Doctor commented.

"Really? I dated a Nestene duplicate once... swappable head, it did keep things fresh. Right then, I have questions. But number one is this... What in the name of sanity have you got on your head?" Alex laughed, she remembered this part too. This was the part where they shot and killed the fez.

"It's a fez. I wear a fez now. Fezzes are cool." With a look from River and a grin from Alex, Amy snatched the fez from the Doctor's head and threw it up into the air. River took out her gun and shot it, blasting it to bits. "Oh!"

"Exterminate!" The Dalek appeared, levitating up the side of the building.

"Run, run, move, move. Go! Come on!" The Doctor herded them all to the stairwell as the Doctor lifted the satellite and used it like a shield. They all climbed back through the stairwell. Once they were all in the Doctor used the sonic screwdriver to seal the hatch. _Oh yeah, like that's gonna stop it_. Alex thought with a roll of her eyes. River must have had the same thoughts, because she had her gun aimed at it, just in case.

"Doctor, come on!" River insisted. They couldn't wait there with a deadly Dalek right outside.

"Shh." The Doctor hissed. "It's moving away, finding another way in." The Doctor climbed down the ladder finally. "It needs to restore its power before it can attack again. Now, that means we've got exactly," the Doctor checked his watch, "four and a half minutes before it reaches lethal capacity." The Doctor continued down the stairs.

"How do you know?" Rory asked.

Alex rolled her eyes; she was keep track of the time as well. "Because that's when it's gonna kill him." She answered, and her tone was a bit strained. She still didn't like to think of what he was planning.

"Kill him?" River asked in alarm. She finally took her eyes off the hatch to look at both of them. "What do you mean, kill him?"

"Oh, shut up, never mind." the Doctor said. Alex figured he thought there were more important things. _Oh yeah, sure there's _so _much more important things than your death, Doctor_. Alex gave him a look that his him squarely in the shoulders. "How can a Dalek even exist? It was erased from time and then it came back. How?"

"You said the light from the Pandorica…" Rory pointed out. _Well, it's not technically a 'light' but sure, let's go with that… It'll make it simpler for you to follow_.

"It's not a light; it's a restoration field, but never mind. Call it a light. That light brought Amy back, but how could it bring back a Dalek when the Daleks have never existed?"

"Okay, tell us." Amy said, on the same track that Alex was. _He already knows the answer_. Although, Alex did too.

"When the TARDIS blew up, it caused a total event collapse." The Doctor explained, and Alex sort of tuned him out, since she already knew this. "A time explosion. It blasted every atom in every moment of the universe. Except…"

"Except inside the Pandorica." The red headed girl finished.

"The perfect prison." The Doctor picked up. "Inside it, perfectly preserved, a few billion atoms of the universe as it was. In theory, you could extrapolate the whole universe from a single one of them, like cloning a body from a single cell. And we've got the bumper family pack."

"No, too fast, I'm not getting it." Rory said. Alex rolled her eyes, but paused. _Okay, I shouldn't be like this, I mean, I did use to be human and I remember _clearly _what it was like when the Doctor got on one of these rants_.

"Okay, the Pandorica, the box that held Amy basically has a…" Alex's face scrunched up, trying to think of a simple word to explain it. "A memory of the entire universe, so we can use that to do it." She then nodded and looked to the Doctor, who nodded his agreement as well.

"Do what?" Amy asked.

"Relight the fire." The Doctor answered. "Reboot the universe. Come on!" He continued on and Alex was quick to follow him.

River was right behind the two time travelers. "Doctor, you're being completely ridiculous. The Pandorica partially restored one Dalek. If it can't even reboot a single life form properly, how will it reboot the whole of reality?" _Has she no faith in the Doctor_? Alex grinned with a roll of her eyes. River gave her a look when she saw that.

"What if we give it a moment of infinite power? Transmit the light from the Pandorica to every particle of space and time simultaneously?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, that would be lovely, dear, but we can't, because it's completely impossible."

"Ah, no don't you dare start that, River." Alex jumped into the conversation and poked River in the shoulder. "Because excuse me but you should know that it's not _completely _impossible, 'cause there's no. such. Thing." She poked her shoulder with every word. "It's just…" Alex waved her hand. "_Almost _impossible. _Big. Difference_."

"One spark is all we need." The Doctor finished.

"For what?" River asked.

The Doctor lowered his voice to a whisper. "Big Bang Two! Now listen…" The Doctor stopped in front of River and Alex to explain something when a death ray shot out and hit him dead on. Alex gave a short loud scream before she could stop herself as the Doctor fell to the floor.

"Doctor!" She cried, roughly landing to the floor beside him. Alex looked up and saw a Dalek trundled down the hall.

"Exterminate!" It cried. "Exterminate!" River knelt down to the Doctor's side, next to Alex as Rory took Amy out of the way.

"Get back." Rory ordered. "River, Lex, get back now!"

"Exterminate!" The Dalek repeated. Rory fired at the Dalek with his plastic hand – _that's still a little disturbing to see his hand fold down like that to show the gun… _- and the Dalek was drained of energy.

"Doctor," Alex gently cupped his face. "Doctor, can you hear me? Doctor, it me, it's Allie. Can you hear me? Please, say something. Love, say something, what do you need?" The Doctor struggled, but he activated the manipulator.

"Where did he go?" River asked alarmed. "Damnit, he could be anywhere."

Alex felt her heart drop into her stomach. _So, it's time_. "He went downstairs, River." She said softly. "Twelve minutes ago…"

"Show me!" River grabbed Alex's shoulders and shook her gently.

Alex had to keep up the Doctor's lie long enough. "River, he's dead."

"Systems restoring! You will be exterminated!" The Dalek said. His energy was slowly restoring.

"We've got to move. That thing's coming back to life." Rory said. He still had his gun out and ready.

"You go to the Doctor. I'll be right with you." River said. Alex got up; she knew that River would show no mercy to the Dalek. Just because she was associated with the Time Lord didn't mean she shared the same views.

"Come on," Alex walked towards Rory and Amy and walked them back down to where they had last seen the Doctor. They got there, and Amy and Rory were completely shocked. Rory's jacket was left near the steps, but that was the only sign that the Doctor had been there. Alex didn't say anything and she closed her eyes, doing her best to hold back her tears.

"How could he have moved?" Rory asked, looking around. "He was dead!" He ran down the stairs. "Doctor? Doctor!"

"But he was dead!" Amy insisted. _Well, actually he wasn't_…

River joined them. "Who told you that?"

"He did." Amy said.

Alex opened her eyes and started to walk down the stairs calmly, River right behind her. "Rule one." Alex sighed. "The Doctor lies."

"Where's the Dalek?" Amy asked the blonde. _Gone_.

Yeah, River could be so badass…

"It died." River said calmly. _Oh yeah, totally badass_.

-x-

They all ran towards the Pandorica. Ahead of them, Alex saw the Doctor sitting in the Pandorica. _Oh God, it's time._ Alex felt like she couldn't breathe, she felt a heavy weight in her chest. She wished with all her heart that it could be someone else, but she knew it couldn't be. "Doctor!" Amy yelled.

"Doctor!" Alex echoed. Alex and River quickly rushed over to him to see if he was okay. Rory and Amy stopped out near the door.

"Why did he tell us he was dead?" Alex heard Rory ask. _Because he needed to work in peace_. It was simple.

"We were the distraction." Amy said, getting the idea. "Long as the Dalek was chasing us, he could work down here."

"Doctor, can you hear me? What were you doing?" River asked. Alex reached out and cupped the Doctor's cheek again.

Alex took a peek around the Pandorica and saw that the sun was getting brighter. Reality was collapsing; it was getting worse and worse the longer they waited. "What's happening?" Rory asked.

"Reality's dyeing." Alex explained. _How many times are they going to ask that? Don't they get it? We've explained it enough as it was… _"It's getting worse, it's starting to speed up, look around, Rory, use your eyes." The displays were now empty, history was erasing, so none of them ever happened.

"Where did everything go?"

Alex let River explain this one. "History is being erased. Time is running out." _We need to know what the Doctor was doing_.

"Doctor, what were you doing down here?" Alex asked gently. "Doctor, come on, you have to tell us! Doctor?"

She could feel her Time Lord slowly move his head, as he came to. "Big… Bang… Two…"

"The Big Bang. That's the beginning of the universe, right?" Rory asked. _Oh, good Rory you know that_.

"What, and Big Bang Two is the bang that brings it back?" Amy asked. "Is that what you mean?"

The Doctor gave a small nod. "Oh!" _Ah there we go, now she gets what he's doing_. Alex had gotten it the moment he had said 'Big Bang Two'.

"The TARDIS is burning, that's what the 'sun' is right now. It's exploding, but it's not just doing that, it's doing that at _every _single point in time and space, in all of history. If you threw the Pandorica right into it, right into the heart…"

"Then what?" Amy asked.

"Then let there be light." River answered. "The light from the Pandorica would explode everywhere at once, just like he said."

"That would work?" Amy asked. _Of course it would_. She should know since she remembered the episode. _And 'cause _duh_, this can't be the end, there's a whole bunch more for us to do_. "That would bring everything back?"

"A restoration field, powered by an exploding TARDIS, happening at every moment in history. Oh, that's brilliant. It might even work!" Alex pulled out the sonic screwdriver and she ran it along the wires, and saw with a heavy heart that he had already set the wires up.

_But even if I remember the episode, just being here changed so much, I can't guarantee that everything will work out like it does in the show. All I can do is hope_.

"He's wired the manipulator to the rest of the box." Alex said quietly.

"Why?"

"I'm not sure you want to ask that, Amy." Alex answered honestly. "He did that so he could take the Pandorica with him when he teleported to the heart of the TARDIS."

A heavy silence was her answer.

-x-

Alex was pacing back and forth. She was taunt as a wire. She was gnawing at her finger. She couldn't help it. She was very, very nervous. Like she said before, she couldn't guarantee that this would work out just like the show. She could only do the best she could to keep it like the show, but she never knew.

She couldn't pay attention to Amy and Rory as they talked. "Lexi," Alex turned and she saw Amy. She blinked, and saw that she had tears in her eyes, and figured that the ginger had talked to the Doctor. "He wants to talk to you."

Alex nodded numbly and she walked quietly over to the Doctor. He was awake, and she hugged herself as she took a few steps forward. "Allie, love…" He said gently.

"Doctor," she said just as quiet. She could feel herself on the verge of crying, and tried to hold back the tears.

"Oh, love, I'm sorry." He whispered. "I'm so sorry for the way I treated you."

She wiped away at the wetness that clung to her eyes. She reached out and she grabbed the Doctor's hand, he squeezed. "There's nothing to be sorry for." She said.

He lifted his hand and nuzzled against her hand. "I love you, love."

"I know." She choked. He looked up and knew that wasn't what he wanted. "I love you too." She whispered and some tears fell from her eyes. "I love you so much."

"I love you more." He answered. "Oh, love, don't cry. You know what's going to happen."

"I do." She said. "But it's impossible to guarantee it, Doctor. Just being here changed so much. For all I know, you could… you could…" She felt her throat close up and she couldn't say it. She just couldn't.

"Hush, hush…" He whipped away her tears. "I love you, Allie. More than I ever had for anyone else. I will never forget you; you will never leave my memories, oh my dear Allie. You are my light, you are my world and I will _never _regret meeting you." Alex leaned down and their lips touched in a passionate but gentle kiss.

The ground shook as they finally pulled apart. "Doctor! It's speeding up!" River called to them. Alex slipped the sonic screwdriver into his pocket. "There's going to be a very big bang."

"Big Bang Two." Alex said.

"Remember you parents, Allie." She felt her stomach drop for a second. It had been a long while since she thought of her parents. She rarely did for it hurt too much, but it was also because she loved the Doctor and her children that she never really needed to.

"W-What?" She choked.

"Remember your parents, Allie, and they'll be there." She saw where he was going but she didn't like it. "You're very special, Allie. You were able to come here when you never should have been able too, and you're a…"

"Don't say it." Alex whispered. He shouldn't have known if the first place.

"You can do it, Allie. You can bring your parents back."

"I don't want my parents back." Alex answered. "I've accepted their deaths, Doctor. I want _you_." He smiled faintly. She backed away and Amy was next to her.

"_You _won't be there, Doctor." Amy said. Now both of the girls were in tears.

"You'll have your families back." The Doctor said. "You won't need your imaginary friends anymore." He laughed weakly. "Amy Pond and Allie Harper… crying over me, eh? Guess what?"

Both girls looked at each other's glossy eyes and turned back to the Time Lord. "What?" They both asked.

"Gotcha."

The doors closed. Both girls slowly backed up, never taking their eyes off the Pandorica. It started to glow and they still didn't take their eyes off it. _Goodbye, Doctor_. Alex thought, thinking of the worst fate for the Doctor.

"Back! Get back!" River pushed the girls out of the way just as the Pandorica launched into the sky. They all gathered together and huddled on the floor, near the wall. River pulled out her communicator when she received a message. "It's from the Doctor." River said, looking skyward towards the Time Lord that was risking everything.

"What does it say?" Amy questioned. Alex already knew.

"'Geronimo'."

-x-

The Doctor woke up on the floor and sat up. "Oh!" The Doctor looked around. "Okay. I escaped, then. Brilliant! Love it when I do that. Legs, yes." He started to feel around, making sure that he had everything accounted for. "Bowtie, yes." He put a hand onto his head, and realized he didn't have the fez anymore. "I can buy a fez."

The Doctor got up when he heard his, Amy's, and Alex's voice. "The beach. The beach is the best. Automatic sand."

"Automatic sand?" Amy asked as he heard Alex giggle. "What does that mean?"

"It's automated, totally." The past Doctor answered.

Alex laughed and rolled her eyes. "Well, duh!" The Doctor walked over to get a better view and saw that they were dressed for the beach. Alex had been wearing some cute little shorts that hadn't helped his thought process at _all_.

"Oh."

"Cleans up the lolly sticks…"

"The what?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow. She leaned down to talk to the Doctor. She had lifted a leg, and the Doctor couldn't stop himself from watching the way her leg looked in the light of the TARDIS. The Doctor then blinked, he had to focus. _Focus_.

"No, hand on!" The Doctor said. "That's last week when we went to Space Florida. I'm rewinding. My… My time stream… unraveling, erasing. Closing." He looked around and saw that the monitor behind him had a crack, and it was closing. He felt his heart sink as he turned and looked back at Alex again, almost longing. He never got to see how _their _love story happened. "Hello, universe, goodbye, Doctor. Amy?" Past Amy turned around and looked around confused. "Amy?" He looked over to Alex hopefully. "Allie?" She looked up, lifting her sunglasses onto her head. "Allie, love?"

-x-

The Doctor's timeline rewound further until he 'arrived' outside the flat he and Alex had shared with Craig. Amy and Alex crossed the streets. It had been when Alex had shown where Amy needed to put the note. "Ah, three weeks ago, when she put the card in the window and Allie helped. Amy!" She looked up. "Allie!" The girl turned too, now both of them were looking over at him. "I need to tell them something. They can hear me! But if they can hear me…" The Doctor turned around to see the crack in the road. Time rewound again.

-x-

The Doctor looked around and saw that he was now in Alex's bedroom. He looked over and saw that she had some cucumber over her eyes. It had been when Amy had gotten Alex to do a mud mask. He walked over to her and gently ran his fingers across her shoulder. It twitched and Alex groaned and giggled. "Doctor, leave me alone, okay? Tell Amy that I've gotten the mask on and I'm doing what she asked."

He smiled. "I need you to trust me, Allie." He could see that she was raising an eyebrow.

"I do trust you."

He sat down onto the bed and gently took her hands. "No you don't." He said gently. She trusted his past regeneration, but not him.

She was quiet for a moment, and the Doctor knew that meant he was right. She finally sighed. "I _do_. I know that you think that I only trust the tenth Doctor, but that's not true, okay, hun." He felt himself smile when he heard her said that pet name. "But I trust you, as the eleventh Doctor. _I promise_." He felt better and he leaned in and gently kissed her hand.

_I love you, Allie_.

_Goodbye my love_.

-x-

Alex Harper just stared at the TARDIS in front of her. She raised an eyebrow.

Well, she had a _great _time hanging and spending time with Grace. She made sure to take as much time with this universe as she could, since she wouldn't be able to come back. Of course, she now had a huge duffle bag over her shoulder with all sorts of stuff from her room and everything that she hadn't been able to bring the first time around.

Alex now wore an _adorable _shirt that Grace had gotten her. It was a 'Doctor Hoo' t-shirt. It was all eleven carnations of the Doctor, but they were in owl form. It was the cutest thing ever!

_I love shirts like this_!

On the eleventh owl, it had a little bowtie on its neck! It was just the cutest thing!

The Doctor opened the door and they both started at each other. Alex suddenly narrowed her eyes dangerously. "You had an adventure without me, didn't you?"

The Doctor looked her dead in the eyes. "No." It was technically the truth, since sure, he did have an adventure, but he did it with her… sort of.

Alex narrowed her eyes even more. "Are you being technically truthful?"

The Doctor sighed. That had been the only reason why he was able to lie to his Alex. "Yes." He said slowly. "I can't tell you though."

She sighed deeply. "I figure you had an adventure with my future self?" The Doctor nodded. "Fine." She sighed again and looked away. "I'm still hurt that you had an adventure without me."

The Doctor winced but he was distracted when he saw her shirt. "What are you wearing?"

Alex blinked and then looked down. "Oh! This is the 'Doctor-Hoo' shirt! It's awesome! It's got all of your incarnations." She grabbed his hand and pulled him over to her. "Look at this, see the last owl on the left, it's you, Doctor! You're so _adorable_! Look! It even has a bowtie!"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow and leaned down to look at it, he realized it did, and then he looked at all of them and saw that they were indeed all of his regenerations. "Do you have more shirts like this?"

"Yes." Alex answered right away. "Like I said, sweetie, I _love _this show." She grinned brightly.

The Doctor smiled, loving her eccentric ways. He changed the subject. "We're going to be late for Amy's wedding."

Alex's eyes widened. "Oh my God! Why didn't you say so?" She grabbed the Doctor's hand and she dragged him back into the TARDIS. "Ah!" She lifted her hands up. "Ah I missed you, TARDIS!" The ship hummed, as if to welcome her back. She then turned and launched herself into a hug; the Doctor laughed and held her up. "I missed you too, Doctor."

"I missed you too." He murmured. They hugged tightly before they broke apart and the Doctor quickly worked on the console.

-x-

Alex in the meantime had gotten dressed in a beautiful, long luscious red formal dress. The straps crisscrossed behind her back over her shoulder blades, but left the rest of her back open. She put her hair up into a fancy bun. Alex wore some black high heels, and she walked back into the console room. She saw the Doctor wore a formal tux with the typical white bowtie and a loose scarf around his neck.

"Doctor," she opened her arms and twirled around. "What do you think?"

He looked up and his eyes flashed something for a second before the Doctor walked over to her. He wrapped an arm around her waist. "It's gorgeous." He said huskily. Alex smiled, feeling chills run down her spine. She kissed his cheek.

"Thanks, Doctor. You look great too." He grinned at her.

-x-

Alex opened the door the moment it landed and she grinned when she saw Amy. "Amy!" The girls reached out and they hugged, giggling together. _Ah, I love Amy_. Alex thought. _We're such great friends_.

The Doctor came to the door next. "Er, yeah." The Doctor said, answering Amy's question. "Completely astonished. Never expected that. How lucky I happened to be wearing this old thing." He stepped out onto the floor, and closed the doors of the TARDIS. "Hello, everyone. We're Amy's imaginary friends, but we came anyway." The Doctor walked over and shook Amy's father's hand. Alex came over and hugged the Doctor, leaning against him. He grinned and kissed her head.

"You absolutely, defiantly, may kiss the bride." _Oh no she didn't_. Just because Alex liked Amy and thought of her as a friend didn't mean she would let her kiss her Time Lord.

The Doctor was quick though, or else Alex would have responded. He planted a finger on Amy's puckered lips. "Amelia! From now on, I shall be leaving the… kissing duties to the brand new Mr. Pond." _Well yeah, until we get together_. Alex grinned to herself. Then he'd be participating in the kissing, but only with her.

"No," Rory spoke up. "I'm not Mr. Pond. That's not how it works." _Oh it is when you're married to Amelia Pond_.

"Yeah it is." The Doctor insisted.

Rory realized that he was right. "Yeah it is."

"Right then, everyone. I'll move my box. You're going to need the space." He entered the TARDIS. "I only came for the dancing." Alex laughed.

-x-

It was safe to say that the Doctor was _horrible _at dancing. Alex laughed and twirled around as he made a dance of his own on the Queen's 'Crazy Little Thing Called Love'. Amy laughed. "You're terrible! That is embarrassing!" The Doctor wrapped his arms around Alex's waist and twirled her in the arm. She laughed with glee.

-x-

Alex took off her heels because they were starting to really hurt and she looked up. Amy and Rory were dancing slowly to 'You Give Me Something'. Alex turned and saw the Doctor was still there, leaning against the door. _Ah good, he's not gone yet. _She got up and walked over to him. She took his hand and dragged him to the dance floor. "What are you doing, Allie?"

"I got you to dance with me as the tenth Doctor; I am determined to get you to dance with as Eleven." She put his hands around her waist and then rested her hands onto his shoulders.

"Allie,"

"No!" She said. "You're not getting out of this, Mister." The Doctor sighed but smiled and he rocked her back and forth. Alex wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head against his shoulder, listening to the sound of his heartbeats. It had been a while since they had gotten this intimate. Alex took a deep breath, letting his scent fill her lungs. She felt light.

It was like she was on a cloud.

_Ah, _Alex giggled. _Love is so weird like that_.

"What's so funny?" He murmured into her hair.

"Nothing." She said her voice light and soft. She didn't want to ruin this moment. "I'm just… I really love this…" She said it very softly, hesitantly.

The Doctor smiled. He remembered what the future Alex had told him. "I love this too, Allie."

_Maybe I can tell him one day_? She was feeling more and more connected to him the more she spent time with him. She was getting so lovey-dovey around him, and she knew that meant that she was falling in love with him. It had been the same feeling as when she fell in love with the tenth Doctor.

_Yeah, one day I'll tell him_.

One day soon.

-x-

The Doctor had finally gotten away from the wedding and went back to the Pond's backyard where his TARDIS was. He wasn't at all surprised when he saw the future Alex leaning against her doors. She had on a cute little black dress on and for a moment his mouth went dry.

She laughed at his expression. "Oh down boy. You'll get your chance soon." She winked at him and he grinned, enjoying that thought.

"Did you dance Doctor?" River asked coming up from behind the Time Lord. "Well, you always dance at weddings, don't you?" Alex grinned and gave River a look. It was an inside joke for only River and her.

_Well, the Doctor will get it eventually. _But it wasn't time yet.

"You tell me." He responded.

"Spoilers." Alex chuckled.

The Doctor handed River back her journal. "The writing's all back, but I didn't peek."

"Thank you." River said. _It's important that Doctor didn't look in there. It's his future; he knows that's bad if he looked in there_. She was proud of him for resisting the temptation.

The Doctor gave River back her manipulator and Alex walked up over to them. He looked over at his Alex. "Are you married, Allie?"

She looked over to him and raised an eyebrow. She did her absolute best to hide any sort of facial expression that would give her away. "Are you asking?" She asked completely calm as River put on her manipulator.

"Yes." He answered.

She smiled, knowing how to get to him. "Yes." She retorted gently.

"No, hang on." The Doctor said. "Did you think I was asking you to marry me, o-o-or asking if you were married?"

Alex's smiled widened. "Yes." She repeated.

"No, but was that 'yes', or 'yes'?"

"Yes." River chuckled, _yet another inside joke between us_.

The Doctor gave Alex a look and then looked back at River. "River… who are you?" _I figured that was coming up, she understands everything that's coming through my mouth. He doesn't_.

"You're going to find out very soon now. And I'm sorry, but that's when everything changes." She activated the manipulator and disappeared.

The Doctor just looked at the air for a moment. "Nah." He then turned to the future Alex.

"I'd better get going too." Alex said.

He smiled. "Goodbye Allie."

She laughed. "Never Doctor. See you soon is better." She reached up and kissed the Doctor on the lips. The Doctor grasped her hips and slipped his tongue into her mouth. She moaned and grasped his hair, but she pulled away with all the effort within her. _I'm going to be coming around the corner soon, and it's best that I don't know that future me is here_.

"I'm coming." Alex said. She pecked the Doctor's lips again and with her own manipulator, she disappeared. The Doctor sighed happily and chuckled.

"Doctor?" He looked up and saw the present Alex peek around the corner. She looked at him confused and with some suspicion. "You ran off earlier!" She put her hands onto her hips.

"Sorry love," He smiled. "I needed to give River back her things."

Alex's face cleared and she skipped over to the Time Lord. "Let's go into the TARDIS," she wanted to do some adventures now that she was back. Being back in her universe was fun and all, but she was bored a lot of the time. She was use to the crazy life of the TARDIS.

-x-

The Doctor danced up to the console as Alex skipped over to it. As he started to handle the controls, with Alex happily helping out, Amy walked in. "Oi! Where are you two off to? We haven't even had a snog in the shrubbery yet." Alex chuckled. _Seriously Amy? You are so weird sometimes… Weirder than me_.

Rory followed her into the ship and closed the doors. "Amy!"

"Shut up!" Amy ordered. "It's my wedding."

"_Our _wedding." Rory corrected.

"Sorry, you two…" The Doctor said, bringing their attention to him. "Shouldn't have slipped away. Bit busy, you know?"

"You just saved the whole of space and time. Take the evening off, maybe a bit of tomorrow."

The Doctor refused to even think on that. "Space and time isn't safe yet. The TARDIS exploded for a reason. Something drew the TARDIS to this particular date, and blew it up." The phone began to ring. Alex looked over at it with a raised eyebrow. It was really weird; she wasn't use to the TARDIS phone ringing. The tenth Doctor's phone never rang so it was something different. "Why? And why now? The silence, whatever it is, is still out there, and I have to…"

"Um… Doctor?" Alex raised a hand.

"What?" He turned to his girl.

Alex gave him a flat look and raised an eyebrow. "The phone's ringing."

He turned and looked over at it. He looked surprised that it was ringing. _Really, Doctor? You were that much in your own little world? _Alex shrugged. _That's what he has me for I suppose_. "Excuse me a moment." He said and picked up the phone. "Hello. Oh! Hello. I'm sorry; this is a very bad line. No, but that's not possible. She was sealed into the Seventh Obelisk. I was at the prayer meeting. Well, no, I get that it's important. An Egyptian goddess loose on the Orient Express…in space! Give us a mo." I grinned. _Ah yeah! This is what I'm talking about_! It was never a boring day on the TARDIS with the Doctor. Every day was excitement. "Sorry, something's come up. This will have to be goodbye."

Amy didn't even bat an eyelash. "Yeah, I think this is goodbye. Do you think this is goodbye?" She turned to look at her newly husband.

"Definitely goodbye." He said. Amy headed off to the door and yelled out her goodbyes to Earth. She then closed the door and walked back towards the rest of them.

The Doctor was smiling. _Yes! Amy and Rory are now with us! Whoo! _It was now fun time again. _Ah, it just didn't feel the same being away from this_. The Doctor spoke into the phone. "Don't worry about a thing, Your Majesty. We're on our way." Amy, Rory, and Alex held onto the console as the Doctor set the TARDIS in motion. Alex and the Doctor's hands were enclosed tightly around each other.

_Yeah, this is defiantly where I belong_. She thought as she squeezed the Doctor's hand.


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter Thirty Seven**

******Hello readers! :) This is your lovely author speaking. So, here's another chapter of A Love Through Time. Sorry it took long, but hey, it took less time than the chapter before this x) **

**Any mistakes that I have made is mine. And I don't own Doctor Who - I _so _wish I could, but hey, we can't have everything x) **

**So, I hope that you enjoy it.  
**

Alex walked around the console. They had let Amy and Rory off, onto some fine cruise ship in space for their honeymoon. That gave the Doctor and her a chance to hang out again, just like old times. They had gone off for a very long swim – long story – and also went to the Space Caribbean.

_And… _

_He even took her to see Martin Luther King Jr. on the steps of the Lincoln memorial_!

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, he _finally _took her where she had always wanted to go!

Now, to say that there was sexual tension between them was an understatement.

The two of them were flirting like there was no tomorrow.

Alex hummed to Owl City, 'Cave In' that the TARDIS had been so graciously playing for her. The TARDIS seemed to enjoy it as she hummed in tune with the song. "Don't'cha love Owl City, TARDIS?" After first, it had been a little weird talking to something that couldn't talk back, but she got over it, especially since the TARDIS did sort of response by humming.

As an example, the TARDIS hummed, and Alex got the feeling she was agreeing. "You and her." Alex turned and saw the Doctor grinning at her as he walked up to her.

"Me and her?" Alex repeated and smiled back at the Doctor. He got up close to her, and they both looked at each other all lovey-dovey.

The Doctor just grinned, and changed the subject. "Cute outfit." Alex looked down at herself, she was wearing some black jeans, a festive green silk tank-top with a festive red sweater over it. She had some colorful Christmas-y bells for earrings and a necklace to go along with it.

"Well it _is _Christmas," she leaned towards him, as they both grinned silly at each other. "So I figured I'd get into the spirit."

"You look beautiful." He murmured as he nuzzled her nose. She giggled. "Now, let's go somewhere romantic."

"Oh," she sighed and sat down onto the chair, placing her elbows onto her knees and watching him. "Where to, Doctor?"

He grinned at his girl, his beautiful girl. "That would ruin the surprise, Allie."

"Oh please, Doctor." She jumped up and tugged on his arm. He waved a finger and her and they got really close, so close their noses were touching. Very slowly, the Doctor's head moved ever so slightly to the left and Alex forgot how to breathe. _Oh my God, here it comes_.

But then…

It just had to be ruined.

The TARDIS console started to ring out an alarm and both turned to it. As the Doctor walked over to investigate it, Alex sighed heavily and grumbled to herself. _Damn! I had been _so close_! That's not fair_!

"What is it, Doctor?" Alex sighed.

"It's Amy and Rory." He answered. Alex walked over to him. "They're sending a distress signal."

"Oh well, what are you waiting for?" Alex pushed him, trying to get him to work. "We need to go help them."

"But it's their honeymoon!" He protested.

"Yes, and Doctor, I am sure they wouldn't send us a distress signal unless it was important." The Doctor opened his mouth to protest. "Now move it, Time Lord!" The Doctor shut his mouth and started to get to work.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex were watching the console, and they saw that the ship that Rory and Amy were on was crashing, and they couldn't fly, not with this weird fog. Alex watched the ship, as the Doctor sent out a message. "What message did you send?" Alex somehow had a feeling she already knew.

"Come along, Pond." Alex giggled as the Doctor grinned at her. The Doctor finally landed the ship on a rooftop. "This is where the signal is coming from, this is causing the fog!" He was already out of the TARDIS doors when Alex got her bearings. She rushed out but stopped just as the Doctor jumping into… _a chimney_.

_Oh hell no, what does he take me for? I'm not going down a chimney and ruin this precious outfit that I worked _hard _to pick out_. Alex rolled her eyes and then walked back into the TARDIS. She walked up to the console and looked around. Again, that feeling of completely silliness came to her again, but she tried to ignore it. "Okay, so um… TARDIS, here's the thing, the Doctor's jump down a chimney… And well, look," Alex gestured to her outfit. "I don't want to get this ruined, so… could you please fly us down outside the room that the Doctor is in, please?"

For a long moment, there was no answer and Alex became disappoint. She actually thought she had gotten on the TARDIS' good side. _Apparently not_, she thought glumly. But just as she was about to turn around, the lever to start the ship moved.

All on its own.

Alex was about to grab something but some buttons were pressed and the TARDIS stabilized. She laughed and jumped. "Thank you, TARDIS! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much!" She couldn't stop herself and hugged the console and giggled when she felt the hum against her cheek. She liked to believe that the TARDIS was giggling along with her.

The valiant ship finally landed and with one finally 'thank you' Alex exited the doors. She made sure to close the doors and rush off to the room she knew the Doctor would be in. She heard him before she even entered. "Ah! Yes, blimey. Sorry! Christmas Eve on a rooftop, saw a chimney, my whole brain went, 'What the hell'!"

"There you are," Alex scolded. She walked into the room and walked right up to him. "What is wrong with you?"

He looked at her bewildered. "How did you get here?"

Alex blinked and then pointed behind her, to where their ship was. "The TARDIS." She said it slowly, as if it should have been obvious. _And it should, I mean, come on, how else would I get here_?

The Doctor's eyes widened a bit and he looked back at the doors confused and then to her. "How?"

"… I asked." Alex answered. "I asked, she flew us down here, and I thanked her. I mean, come on Doctor, she's a _woman_. All we women want is to have a little respect. Also, I was polite to her. I didn't _demand _for her to fly me down there or something, I was very polite and made sure to say please and thank you." The Doctor opened his mouth. "I mean, come on Doctor, I make sure I _listen _to the TARDIS, instead of just thinking I know everything about her." The Doctor closed his mouth and gave her a look. Alex smiled at him, and kissed his nose. _Ah, I love him_.

The Doctor fought off a smile and turned back to the kids. "Don't worry; fat fella will be doing the rounds later. I'm just scoping out the general… chimney-ness. Yes." He leaned against the fireplace, but Alex heard a sizzling sound and the Doctor snatched his hand away. _Oh my God, look at him_… She rolled her eyes at the state of him, he was _filthy_. Alex made a mental note to make sure he didn't touch her until he was clean again. _I _refuse _to get this outfit dirty_! "Nice size, good traction… big tick!"

"Fat fella?" The man asked, the father it looked like of the family.

"Father Christmas," Alex offered, smiling. Her tone showed it should be obvious. _I mean, who else is coming at Christmas_! "Ya know, Santa Claus."

"Or," the Time Lord spoke up, "as I've always know him, Jeff." Alex snorted in laughter. _Jeff? Why Jeff?_

"There's no such thing as Father Christmas." The little boy said. _Oh well, excuse me, Mr. I'm-younger-than-you-but-smarter-than-you_. There was such a thing as Father Christmas!

"Oh, yeah?" The Doctor pulled out a black and white photo. "Me, Allie, and Father Christmas, Frank Sinatra's hunting l952. See him at the back with the blonde… Albert Einstein. The four of us together…" Alex giggled, _Oh God, that has been a great time_! "Hrrroom! Watch out! Okay? Keep the faith, stay off the naughty list." Alex smiled. _Aw, he's so good with kids_! It made sense since he was really just a great big child on the inside. "Ooh! Now, what's this?" The Doctor completely changed the subject and Alex blinked, trying to keep up with him.

"And I love this, a big flashy lighty thing – that's what brought us here." The Doctor walked over to the large control panel covered with knobs, buttons and flashing lights. "Big flashy lighty things have got me written all over them." Alex chuckled, _when in doubt, press everything. _"Not actually, but give me time and a crayon." Alex laughed as she walked over and put her arms around her Time Lord as he sat down in a swivel chair. She rested her chin on his shoulder, and enjoyed his minty scent.

_I don't know if it's cologne or maybe some alien thing, but I _love _it_!

"Now," the Doctor swiveled around, and plopped Alex right into his lap, looking directly at the elderly – and if Alex looked, she saw he looked bitter – man that was across the room from him. Just his air told her that he was the man in charge. Alex leaned back and pressed her face into his neck. "this big flashy lighty thing," _seriously, Doctor, you're just going to keep calling it that? How scientific_… Alex thought sarcastically, "is connected to the spire in your dome, yeah, and it controls the sky." The Doctor stood Alex up, and she whine a bit, she had comfortable! _He's comfy no matter what regeneration he's in. _"Well, technically, it controls the clouds, which technically aren't clouds at all." Alex's eyebrows furrowed. _If they're not clouds, what are they_? "Well, they're clouds of tiny particles of ice. Ice clouds, love that."

Alex giggled. _I seem to be giggling a lot more, lately, haven't I_? Oh, that's what happens when you're in love. You get all giggly and happy – and she should know 'cause she felt the same way with the tenth Doctor. Alex finally moved around the chamber thing that was in the room, and looked into the window to see a beautiful young woman. "Who's she?" Alex asked.

"Nobody important." _Oh I doubt that_. Everyone Alex had met had some importance.

"Nobody important?" The Doctor walked over next to his Alex. He wrapped his arms around his girl, but she was quick to smack his hands away.

She gave him a look. "You are _not _touching me when you're so filthy!" She snapped. "I worked very hard on this outfit and you are _not _getting it dirty!"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow but continued. "Blimey, that's amazing. Do you know, in 900 years of time and space, I've never met anyone who wasn't important before." _The Doctor somehow seems to see the good in everyone_. She thought. It was one of the many reasons why she loved him.

_And yes, I get it, 'Oooh! Alex finally loves the eleventh Doctor!' Well get off my back! Yes, I love the Doctor, leave me alone_!

The Doctor went back to the controls, and got ready to work his magic on them. "Now, this console is the key to saving that ship, or I'll eat my hat…" _But you don't have a hat, Doctor_. Alex thought. He was thinking the same thing. "If I had a hat. I'll eat someone's hat. Not someone who's using their hat – I don't want to shock a nun, or something. Sorry, rambling, 'cause… 'cause this isn't working!"

The whole time the Doctor had been rambling, the controls would let out a sound. The child part of Alex's mind – that had appeared from the Doctor's influence – heard it and to her, it sounded like it was as if the computer was saying 'nu-uh', as if it was denying the Doctor's tries to work the control. Alex then looked down at her arms, and they widened when she realized they were dirty. She squealed softly and made quick work of that, relaxing when the black dust came off quiet quickly.

_Of course, now my hands are all dirty_. Ugh, why did she hug the Doctor again? _Ah, 'cause I love him_. She then realized that her back was probably dirty, her eye twitched but she reached behind her and started dusting herself off.

"The controls are isomorphic – one to one – they respond only to me." The elderly man said, as he walked up to the Doctor. Alex was in the back, her head was over her shoulder as she continually moved around in a circle to make sure she got rid of all the dirt.

"Oh, you fibber… Isomorphic! There's no such thing." The Doctor shot back. _Well, I wouldn't be so quick to say Doctor, with the luck you're having with that control panel_. Alex thought with a roll of her eyes. The man reached across and flipped a switch, turning off the machine. He then turned it back on. The Doctor tried the same switch, but that same 'nu-uh' noise returned. "Allie," the Doctor called. _Oh, so you're thinking if it doesn't work for you, it might work for me_.

Alex knew it was probably useless, but to please her Time Lord, she walked over to the control panel. She tried that same switch, and it didn't do anything. The Doctor flipped the switch and when it didn't do anything, like a tantrum a little child gives, he kept flicking it back and forth for a moment.

When still nothing happened, he used his sonic screwdriver on it and then ran it down the man. He checked the readings. "These controls are isomorphic!" Alex rolled her eyes. _He _just _said they were! Why couldn't you just believe him_? Anyways, he was acting like he just figured this out in like a clever way and that he hadn't been told that no more than a minute ago.

"The skies of this entire world are mind." The elderly man said. Alex raised an eyebrow. "My family tamed them, and now I own them." _Why though_? Alex thought. _Why would you want to 'own' the sky? Big whoop, you own the sky, then what_?

"Tamed the sky?" The Doctor smiled, almost chuckling at that. He was probably skeptical of it. "What does that mean?"

"It means I'm Kazran Sardick." He said as he turned and walked away. "How can you possibly not know who I am?"

"Well, just easily bored, I suppose." The Doctor said breezily and Alex giggled. They were never around long enough to find out about someone like him. They were always whizzing about space and time that they never did bother to find out who some old, cranky man was. Alex smiled when she caught sight of the father of the family still in the room, looking away to hid his smile. "So, I need your help, then." The Doctor started to walk over to the man.

But the man was quick in his reply. "Make an appointment." He said boredly. Alex blinked, surprised._ Does he not know what's going on in his little 'not' cloud belt out there_?

The Doctor didn't even seem to flinch. "There are 4,003 people in a spaceship trapped in your cloud belt. Without your help, they're going to die."

"Yes." He was half-smiling and Alex could feel her stomach drop. _Did he somehow find this funny_?

"You don't have to let that happen." The Doctor said.

"I know, but I'm going to." Alex looked at this man in horror. "Bye-bye. Bored now… Chuck!" One of Kazran's guards came and started to take the Doctor away.

Alex dodged a guard and walked up to Kazran as he sat down. "What the hell is wrong with you?" She snapped. "That's 4,003 people that are going to die! And you're just going to let them? You heartless bastard!"

"Are you insulting me?" He asked, boredly.

Alex's hands were clenched into fists and shaking violently. "You horrid bastard!" The air started to crackle with the power that was behind her words. She was so angry at this man. Even he seemed to be at least intrigued about the sparking air she was causing. "'Cause you want to know something? My two best friends are up there and I am not going to let them die, and you are in a bad position! You horrible, worthless, selfish, _bastard_! You find it funny that over 4,000 people are going to die? How the _hell _is that funny?"

She was about to punch the man when the Doctor caught her wrist and held her back. She snarled at the man, but he put her behind him, to keep her from doing any damage. "Ooh, look at you, looking all tough now." Alex snarled at him, but wasn't sure if he was talking to the Doctor or her.

"There are 4,003 people I won't allow to die tonight. Do you know where that puts you?"

"Where?" Kazran challenged.

"4,004." The Doctor was calm, completely calm. With him, there was never any yelling, or cursing, he was always calm. But still, even with Alex so furious, she could still feel chills run down her spine.

Kazran was not as impressed by the Doctor. "Was that a sort of threat-y thing?"

"Whatever happens tonight, remember… you brought it on yourself." The Doctor was still calm; there wasn't a hint of anger in his voice, only that superior calm tone. Alex was sometimes jealous that he was able to control his emotions – even his anger – like that when she couldn't.

"Yeah, yeah, right…" Kazran's tone was bored. "Get these two out of here. And next time, try and find me some funny poor people." A guard came up to the Doctor and Alex, and the Time Lord guided his girl away from the man. She was still grumbling under her breath at the _horrid _nature of that man. The little boy picked up a lump of coal, and threw it at Kazran, hitting him right on the back of the head.

Alex's eyes widened as he stormed over to the boy. The boy just stood there, frozen with fear. "No, stop, don't!"

"Don't you dare! You leave him!"

Alex rushed over and covered the boy, using herself as a shield, but kept her eyes locked onto Kazran. The elderly man seemed to pause, and he and Alex had a staring contest. Finally, Kazran lowered his hand, and Alex went into a more relaxed state, but she watched him. _Why didn't he hit the boy? He was obviously angry, so why didn't he follow through_? But something about the emotions that were playing in his eyes, it was trying to tell her something, she knew it. "Get him out of here! Get that foul-smelling family out of here! Out!"

They family was taken from the room. Alex watched as Kazran walk away and then to her Time Lord. He nodded and took her hand as they stood there. Kazran finally turned around and saw that they were still there. "What? What do you want?"

"A simple life." The Doctor answered quietly.

"But you didn't hit the boy." Alex said gently, almost whispering her words.

"Well, I will next time!" He yelled out, past them, to the doors where the family had left.

"No, you see, you won't." The Doctor said, and he was sure of himself. _But why? Why won't he hit the boy_? Something seemed to be glaringly obvious to her that she just couldn't put her finger on. "Now why? What am I missing?" The Doctor's tone was hushed, and Alex figured he was talking more to himself than them. The Doctor walked calmly past Kazran, focused on something.

Alex followed him, keeping her hand tightly in his. She felt secure with his hand around hers, like nothing could ever happen to her. "Get out! Get out of this house!" Kazran said harshly.

The two time travelers ignored him. Finally, the Doctor stopped. "The chairs! Of course, the chairs!" He turned around to face Kazran and his brilliant girl. "Stupid me, the chairs!"

"The chairs?" Kazran said faintly.

"Allie, look closely, look very closely what do you see behind me?" The Doctor moved until he was right in front of her, and she looked around him, past him.

"A portrait." She said softly.

"Yes, there's a portrait on the wall behind me." He turned to Kazran. "Looks like you, but it's too old, so it's your father. Now, Allie, what else do you notice behind me?"

This time, Alex looked at the chairs, and her eyes widened slightly. She then looked back at the Doctor, proud that she had figured it out. The Doctor smiled softly down at her as well, since he knew that she knew. "The chairs!" She repeated.

"Exactly, all the chairs are angled away from it. Daddy's been dead for twenty years. But you still can't get comfortable where he can see you. There's a Christmas tree in the painting, but none in this house, on Christmas Eve. You're scared of him and you're scared of being like him. And good for you, you're not like him, not really. Do you know why?"

There was a slight pause, and Alex took it to catch up with the Doctor's fast paced explanation. "Why?" Kazran asked softly.

Then it came to her. It came to her why he didn't hit the boy no matter how angry he was. She turned around to him and looked at him compassionately. "Because you didn't hit the boy." She said softly. _He didn't want to be like his father, who always hit him when he was a young boy, so he didn't hit the boy just now, 'cause if he had that would have made him like his father_.

She felt the Doctor's hands on her shoulders. "Merry Christmas, Mr. Sardick."

"I despise Christmas!" Kazran snapped.

"Hah…" The Doctor breathed. He walked away, with his girl in his arms. "You shouldn't. It's very you."

"It's what?" He turned to face the two time travelers again. "What do you mean?" From Alex's point of view, she felt it was very much like he was Scrooge in a Christmas Carol or maybe a little like the Grinch, or something like that.

"Halfway out of the dark." He said as he looked one last time at Kazran before they both walked out.

-x-

The Doctor got outside and used the communicator to talk with Amy. Alex dusted him off as best she could so she could hug him without ruining her outfit, although she figured it was useless since she knew she was already slightly dirty. "_Have you got a plan yet_?" Amy asked. _No, I doubt he does_. He usually gets through these things without a plan, or he just rolls with it and comes up with a plan as he goes.

"Yes, I do." The Doctor said.

"_Are you lying_?" _Yep, he's totally lying_. Alex thought. There was no doubt.

"Yes, I am." The Doctor said, confirming her thoughts. He finally wrapped an arm around her waist, and held her close to stop her fussing over him.

"_Don't treat me like an idiot_." Amy said annoyed.

The Doctor then explained the situation to her. "Okay, the good news. I've tracked the machine that unlocks the cloud belt. I could use it to clear you a flight corridor and you could land easily." _Problem being that we can't control it and the man who can probably hates us now_. Alex sighed.

"_Oh, hey, hey that's great news_."

The Doctor ruined her hope. "But I can't control the machine."

"_Less great_." Amy muttered.

"But we met a man who can." The Doctor continued.

"_Ah, well, there you go_!" It sounded more like a question to Alex, but she didn't comment.

"And he hates us." Alex giggled and kissed his cheek. He gained a goofy grin and nuzzled into her hair. She wrapped an arm around his neck. She heard him sigh almost dreamily into her hair, and her shoulder flex when she resisted the urge to scrunched it up as the air ghosted down her sensitive neck. _How many times do I have to tell that man that I have a sensitive neck and he needs to stop doing that_?

"_Were you two being extra clever and charming_?" Amy's voice was sarcastic.

"Yeah, how did you know?" The Doctor asked, now speaking into her hair. Alex rolled her eyes and smiled when she could hear that he was impressed.

"_Lucky guess_." Amy grumbled.

"Sir, Ma'am… Sir, Ma'am." Alex turned and saw that it had been the father of that family that was inside of Kazran's home. She tugged on the Doctor's sleeve.

He lifted his head and spoke into the phone again. "Hang on." He walked over to the father with Alex still in his arms.

"I've never seen anybody stand up to Mr. Sardick like that." He shook both of their hands. "Bless you, sir; bless you, ma'am, and Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you too." Alex said cheerfully.

"Lovely. A bit busy." The Doctor held up his phone as evidence.

The man continued. "You'd better get inside, sir, ma'am. The fog's thick tonight and there's a fish warning." _Oh how lovely… wait a minute_… Alex's eyebrows furrowed. _Fish_? How the heck could fish be in _fog_?

"Oh, right, yeah." The Doctor stop in mid-motion to talk into the phone and shook his head before looking back at the man, completely surprised. "Sorry, fish?"

"Yeah. You know what they're like when they get a bit hungry." Alex didn't like the sound of that, _and no we don't, 'cause we're not from around here_…

"Yeah, fish, I know fish." The Doctor then waved his hand, and Alex knew he was mimicking a fish. "Fish?" He asked, still confused. Alex was distracted by the adorable face the Doctor had when he was confused. _Aw, he makes cute faces no matter what emotion he's feeling_. Except maybe anger, that would be more epic and scary than 'cute'.

"It's all Mr. Sardick's fault, I reckon." The man explained, gesturing to the dome. "He always lets a few fish through the cloud layer when he's in a bad mood." He put his goggles on and shook both brunettes' hands again. _Um, no, I'm sorry, I'm still confused_. "Thank you. Bless you once again, sir, ma'am." The man turned and walked away.

Both the Doctor and Alex turned to each other. Finally, they asked in unison to each other, "Fish?"

"_Doctor, the Captain says we've got less than an hour…_" Neither one of the brunettes were listening. Alex was trying to wrap her head around this unsuccessfully, _I just don't get it. Fish swim in water and stuff! Not in… _clouds_, I mean, that doesn't make sense at all! I mean, they can't even swim in cloud, 'cause swimming only really applies to water or something and there's nothing here, just fog_. Alex finally groaned and rubbed her temple, getting a pound headache from trying so hard. "_What should we be doing_?"

"Fish…!" Alex looked at him and followed his eyes until she saw a group of small fish swimming – _or flying or whatever the heck they're doing _– around the light like moths.

"Oh my God," Alex blinked. "Fish!"

"_Sorry, what_?" Amy asked.

"Fish that can swim in fog." The Doctor muttered. "I love new planets." _I second that_.

"_Doctor! Doctor, Lexi, please don't get distracted_!"

"Now, why would people be frightened of you tiny little fellas?" Alex reached out a hand and giggled as they started to nibble on her fingertips. "Look at you, sweet little fishy-wishies. Mind you," the Doctor seemed to realize something as the fish swam away. "fish in the fog, so the cloud cover… Ooh. Careful up there."

Amy's tone became sarcastic again. "Oh, great, thanks, Doctor, because there was a real danger we were all going to nod off!" Her tone turned more panicked. "We've got less than an hour!"

Both of the brunettes looked over at the clock as it showed the time. "I know." The speakers came to life and Alex turned when it started to play, 'Ding Dong Merrily on High'. She then turned back to her Time Lord.

"_Doctor? How are you getting us off here_?" Amy snapped at him.

Alex took the phone from him. "Give him a minute, Amy. You know he'll think of something, he just needs time to think and talk." _'Cause somehow it's like he talks and talks and talks until he comes up with an idea_. Although, if they were to truly wait until the Doctor stopped talking, then nothing would ever get done and the ship would have already crashed.

He smacked himself in the forehead and Alex gave him a look – _darnit, I told him not to do that! It kills brain cells_! He then started to pace. "Can't use the TARDIS, 'cause it can't lock on. So that ship needs to land, but it can't land unless a very bad man suddenly decides to turn nice, just in time for Christmas day!" _Okay, now it's really starting to sound like 'A Christmas Carol'_.

"_Lexi, I can't hear you. What is that? Is that singing?_"

"Oh, it's just a Christmas Carol." Alex said into the phone.

"_A what_?"

"A Christmas Carol." Alex repeated, holding the phone closer to her mouth.

"_A what_?"

Alex rolled her eyes. "_A. Christmas. Carol_."

Suddenly the Doctor stopped and whirled around. "Allie, love, you're brilliant!" She looked up him, surprised.

"Whoa, what?" She blinked. "What'd I do?" Usually she knew when she was being brilliant, but this time, she had absolutely no idea.

But the Doctor didn't answer and looked up at the dome, a cunning smile on his handsome face. "Kazran Sardick!"

"_Lexi! Doctor! Lexi! Doctor_!"

"Merry Christmas, Kazran Sardick."

-x-

Finally, the Doctor explained his plan to both girls and they agreed. "So, that's why I was brilliant?" She confirmed.

"You're always brilliant, love." He said and nuzzled her nose again. She giggled. So, they got a recorder and found a video of young Kazran. They got it into the room without any fuss, since the Doctor told her that the servants all won the lottery. She rolled her eyes but chuckled and they set it down as Kazran was sleeping.

Then Alex pressed the 'play' button and the show began.

"_Hello. My name is Kazran Sardick. I'm 12 ½ and this is my bedroom_." Kazran mumbled something in his sleep and Alex watched young Kazran on screen. _He seems so much happier and carefree than he is now_. "_This is my top secret special project. For only my eyes. Merry Christmas_." He sounded so happy and excited about it that it brought a small smile to Alex's lip. But it disappeared when she heard a harsh voice.

"_Kazran! Kazran_!" The shout woke up Kazran with a start and he watched the screen in alarm as his father burst through the room. "_Kazran, what are you doing? What are you doing?_" Kazran stood up and backed away in fear as his father's face peered into the camera. "_I've warned you before about this, you stupid, ignorant, ridiculous child_!" Alex felt her heart drop into her stomach. No father should say that to his child…

"_I was just making a film about the fish_." Young Kazran said.

"_The fish are dangerous_!" His father yelled at him.

"_I just want to see them_."

"_Don't be stupid, you're far too young_!" _Oh come on; just let the boy see the fish._ Alex thought.

"_Everyone at school's seen the fish_." Kazran argued.

"_That's enough_!" His father yelled. "_You'll be singing to them next, like gypsies_." Alex's eyebrows furrowed. _Singing? Why would he be singing?_

"_The singing works_!" Young Kazran protested. "_I've seen it. The fish like the singing_." _Oh that's nice_. Too bad, daddy Sardick didn't think so. Older Kazran backed up closer to the wall. _Even after all that time, he's still terrified of his father_. That was horrible, no child should be afraid of their father. _It's just sick_.

"_What does it matter what fish like_?" Daddy Sardick sneered.

"_People say we don't have to be afraid of the fish. They're not really interested in us_."

That was apparently the final straw for Daddy Sardick. "_You don't listen to people! You listen to me!_" He backhanded young Kazran. Alex gasped quietly and put a hand to her cheek subconsciously. She felt the Doctor's breath suddenly in her hair as she watched the video and he took her hand and squeezed.

"_Ow! I'm sorry, father_."

"_This is my house_!"

The Doctor guided Alex out into the open, from behind Kazran. In the video now, young Kazran has his head down on the desk and crying into his arms. _Oh how sad_…

The Doctor reached out and put a hand on Kazran's shoulder. "It's okay. It's okay." Kazran practically jumped out of skin and whirled around to face them.

"What have you done? What is this?" Kazran demanded.

"Found it on an old drive." The Doctor explained. "Sorry about the picture quality had to recover the data using quantum enfolding and a paper clip." _And it had been epic_. Just watching him do that was just absolutely amazing. The Doctor sat down in the chair and picked up the newspaper. Alex took it away from him and plopped down onto his lap before letting him read again. He smiled and buried his face into her strawberry scented hair. "Oh, I wouldn't bother calling your servants," the Doctor said when Kazran tried to pull the rope that alerted the servants. "They quit. Apparently, they won the lottery at exactly the same time, which is a bit lucky when you think about it." Alex giggled.

"There isn't a lottery." Kazran grumbled.

"Yeah, so like he said, _lucky_." Alex grinned cheerfully.

The video was still playing behind them. "_There's a fog warning tonight. You keep these windows closed, understand? Closed_!"

"Who are you?" Kazran asked to the people in front of him.

"Tonight, I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past." _My part is coming later_… Alex thought.

"_Mrs. Mantovani will be looking after you tonight_." Daddy Sardick said, still over the video. "_You stay here 'till she comes. Do you understand? Do you understand_?" His voice rose to make sure his son understood.

Alex watched it, and she could help but ask, "did you ever get a chance to see the fish?"

"What does it matter to you?" Kazran snapped.

"Look how it mattered to you." The Doctor answered.

"I cried all night, and I learned life's most invaluable lesson." Kazran said. Alex titled her head. _What would that be_?

"Which is?" The Doctor asked.

"Nobody comes." He said bitterly. "Get out! Get out of my house!"

Both of them back up to the door. _Time to put our plan into action_. "Okay. Okay. But we'll be back. Way back, way way back." He opened the door where the video was playing, and Alex smiled at the TARDIS behind him. Alex closed the doors and they rushed to the TARDIS. The Doctor started up the console.

The Doctor was rushing around, when suddenly he was in front of Alex. His arms trapped her there to the console. Their eyes locked, "Doctor…" She breathed.

He narrowed his eyes slightly, but smiled at her. "Allie…" He whispered. They reached up, and Alex felt her lips just barely brushing against the Doctor's. She got the slightly taste of minty on his lips, and wanted so badly to just kiss him, burry herself in him. He was so magnificent, so impressive, so _massive_, that she just wanted to get lost in him.

She felt the Doctor push a lever and moved away from her. She closed her eyes and resisted the urge to stomp her foot. _Damn_…

Was he going to keep doing this?

Was he going to keep getting close to kissing her without actually doing it?

_Ugh, I hate him sometimes_.

"No you don't." He said suddenly. Alex opened her eyes and looked over at him confused. _How did he know I was thinking that_? He smiled. "You had it on your face." Alex sighed and rolled her eyes with a smile. She wasn't surprised; he was always able to read her all the time.

Alex and the Doctor walked out of the TARDIS, arm-in-arm and both stood before the door. Young Kazran lifted up his head and turned, to have them in view of the camera. "See? Back!" The Doctor said as he opened the windows.

"Who are you?" Kazran asked confused, and a little bit scared. Alex didn't blame him, because hey, they appeared out of nowhere right outside his window. Who wouldn't be even a little bit scared?

"Hi. I'm the Doctor, this is Allie Harper, we're your new babysitters." The Doctor introduced. Alex smiled warmly at the boy and patted his head motherly.

"Where's Mrs. Mantrovani?" Young Kazran asked.

"Oh, you'll never guess! Clever old Mrs. Manters, she only went and won the lottery!" The Doctor jumped onto the bed and started to bounce.

Alex was giggling as she reached over to him. "Doctor, get down from there. That's not your bed, you shouldn't be doing that." But he just grinned at her, and it increased her giggles.

"There isn't any lottery." Young Kazran pointed out.

"I know. What a woman!" Thankfully, the Doctor did do as Alex said and jumped off the bed. She giggled at him, and pushed him a bit. She was trying to reprimand him, but it wasn't working with her fit of giggles. He just chuckled at her and tapped her on the nose.

"If you're both my babysitters, why are you climbing in the window?" Young Kazran asked. _Oh, that's a good question_. Well, to Alex it was. She figured to the Doctor, it would be obvious…

"'Cause if I was climbing out, I'd be going in the wrong direction. Pay attention." Alex mentally chuckled. She figured he would say something like that.

"Mrs. Mantovani's always been my babysitter." Young Kazran pointed out. _Well then, why don't we give the wonderful woman a break then, shall we_?

"Times change." The Doctor then got onto the right side of young Kazran's side, and peered into the camera, looking at the older Kazran just beyond it. "Wouldn't you say? You see… Christmas Past." Alex came over and bent down on the boy's other side.

"Who are you talking to?" Kazran asked. _'Cause I'm getting get sick of calling him 'Young Kazran', even if it is just in my mind_.

"You." Alex answered with a cheery smile. "He's talking to you."

"Now," the Time Lord continued, still talking to the older Kazran, "your past is going to change. That means your memories will too. Scary, but you'll get the hang of it."

"I don't understand." Kazran announced. He didn't even have to say it though; Alex saw that his face was contorted with confusion.

"I'll bet you don't! I wish I could see your face." The Doctor pointed at Kazran's face before pointing at the camera, grinning. Alex chuckled.

The Doctor stood up and looked around. "Right, then. Your bedroom. Great! Let's see, you're twelve years old, so we'll stay away from under the bed." The Doctor looked underneath said furniture before continuing his look around. "Cupboard! Big cupboard, I love cupboard." He ran over to it and looked in. "Do you know," the Time Lord's voice softened, as if talking more to himself than the two others, "there's a thing called a face spider. It's just like a tiny baby's head with spider legs," the more the Doctor spoke, the more creped out Alex's face. If there was one thing she _hated_, it was… _spiders_. "and it's specifically evolved to scuttle up the backs of bedroom cupboards…" He paused and then closed the doors. "Which, yeah, I probably shouldn't have mentioned."

"You think?" Alex squeaked at him. The Doctor winced and looked at her worried. Ugh, now she was _never _going to go near a cupboard without at least the Doctor with her. _'Cause hey, he's my spider killer_. Sort of… out of the many, many things that he was, that would be one of them. Alex then took a deep breath and looked over at Kazran with a smile now on her face. He smiled back at her hesitantly. "Right, so what do you want to do, sweetie?"

"Eat chips and talk about girls?" The Doctor offered. He was happy that Alex didn't want hit him, since he knew of her fear of any creepy-crawlies. "I've never actually done that, but I bet it's easy. Girls! Yeah?"

Alex giggled. "You've seriously never done that before? _Seriously_? But you had to have been a boy at least sometime in your life."

The Doctor shrugged and fixed his bowtie. "Never found the time." Alex rolled her eyes; she figured it was probably just his way of saying that he found making a new screwdriver more enthralling than girls. _So does that make me special 'cause I actually got his attention_? Alex would have liked to think so.

"Are you two really babysitters?" Kazran asked.

"I think you'll find I'm universally recognized as a mature and responsible adult." Alex turned and snorted, trying to disguise her laughter. Alas, she felt the Doctor's look hit her right between the shoulders. _'A universally recognized mature and responsible adult_' Alex chocked on her laughter again.

"It's just a lot of wavy lines." Kazran confessed softly. Alex finally let out a breath of laughter.

The Doctor looked at it, and saw the same thing. "Yeah, it shorted out. Finally, a lie too big."

"Well, of course." Alex finally spoke up once she was certain she wouldn't lose the battle to her laughter. "I mean, _come on, _out of all the things I could _possibly _call you, _mature and responsible _together could not possible be them." The Doctor huffed a bit and she just gave him a smile that told him she was just being honest.

"Okay, no, not really babysitters, but it's Christmas Eve. You don't want a real one, you want us." The Doctor said, leaning down to Kazran's face.

"Why? What's so special about you?"

"Have you ever seen Marry Poppins?" Alex raised an eyebrow. She had seen the movie and couldn't see the connection.

"No." Kazran answered.

Alex rolled her eyebrows; _there he goes again on a connection that is just absolute rubbish_. "Good," she told him. "I recommend it, since it's a good movie, but trust me, that would have been a horrible comparison." The Doctor could never compare to anyone in Alex's eyes, especially not Marry Poppins, sure they were both amazing, but in _completely _different ways.

"Fish in the fog, fish in the clouds. How do people ever get bored? How did boredom ever get invented?" The Doctor asked as he stood at the open window.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Well not everyone has an amazing, brilliant, unique, bigger on the inside time machine like you, love." It had been one of the many words that she was picking up from the Doctor. The Time Lord turned to her just as she got to the window, and he helped her up. He then wrapped an arm around her tiny waist and held her to him.

"My dad's invented a machine to control the cloud belt. Tame the sky, he says. The fish'll be able to come down, but only when we let them. We can charge whatever like." _Why, oh _why_ does it always come down to money in the hearts of people_? Alex sighed quietly. There were times where she could be so disappointed in her race. The Doctor peeked a look at her before he gently kissed her head, knowing what was going through her head.

She turned and wrapped an around underneath his, leaning her head against his shoulder. He smiled into her hair; she was a perfect fit to him. The Doctor followed her as well, turning so both of them faced Kazran with their arms still around each other. "Yeah. We've seen your dad's machine."

"What?" Kazran questioned. "You can't have." _Ah but we did, and you showed us it_. Alex turned when she thought she had heard sometime, but when she saw nothing but the clouds, she shrugged it off and turned back around.

"Tame the sky…" The Doctor said. "Human beings, you always mange to find the boring alternative, don't you?" Alex chuckled. "You want to see one? A fish. We can do that. We can see a fish."

"Aren't you going to tell me it's dangerous?" Kazran sighed. It seemed like many people have told him that. Alex snorted, if anyone _wasn't _going to tell him that, it would be the Doctor.

"Dangerous?" Just like Alex predicted, the Doctor scoffed at the word. "Come on, we're boys!" He paused, realizing that Alex wasn't. She raised an eyebrow. "And one brilliant girl," Alex chuckled, _nice save, Doctor_. "And you know what boys say in the face of danger." He jumped back down into the room.

"What?" Kazran asked. Alex walked up to his side with a raised eyebrow, silently wondering the same thing.

"Mummy!" Alex laughed freely at that, knowing the truth behind it. She knew that most boys wouldn't have been able to admit that so easily either.

-x-

Alex, the Doctor, and Kazran hid away in the cupboard as the Doctor left his screwdriver out there. It was tied to a string that was hanging from a pulley that was hanging from the ceiling. It beeped intermittently. The string came through the door of the cupboard that the three where hiding in.

"Are there any face spiders in here?" Kazran asked. _Oh God I hope not_. If there were, and she saw one, she would scream like a _little girl_. _And I am _so _not afraid to admit that either_.

"Nah, not this time of night." the Doctor answered. Alex relaxed, relieved by this. She shifted slightly from her position to get more comfortable. Now, if any ask what position this would be… It should be obvious… She was in the Doctor's lap, of course. _Where else would I be_? He just had to be like that sometimes. "They'll all be sleeping in your mattress." Alex felt her eyebrow twitch. _God, right now I am hating him so much_. The Doctor leaned down to whisper in her ear. "No you don't."

Alex rolled her eyes but turned to Kazran. She was curious about something. "So why're you interested in the fish if everyone's saying they're dangerous?" She asked.

"'Cause they're scary." Kazran said softly. _Oh_, Alex blinked and nodded. _Good answer_.

The Doctor had the same thoughts. "Good answer." He said.

"What kind of tie is that?" Alex looked over and fixed the bowtie. He smiled at her and she returned it. _Ya know, I'm starting to like the bowtie_. Not that she would ever tell him that, she would never hear the end of it. _It just seems to suit him, if it were anyone else, than I would have laughed at them, but he seemed to pull it off somehow_.

"A cool one." The Doctor answered vaguely.

"Why is it cool?" Kazran asked.

"Why are you _really _interested in the fish?" Alex shot back gently. Both brunettes knew he had been lying.

"My school." Kazran finally confessed after a short pause. "During the last fog belt, the nets broke and there was an attack. Loads of them, a whole shoal. No one was hurt, but it was the most fish ever seen below the mountains."

"Were you scared?" The Doctor asked gently.

"I wasn't there." Kazran answered. "I was off sick."

"Ooh, lucky you." But Kazran dropped his head and Alex realized what it was.

"Not so lucky." Alex said. _His whole school's probably got a story, and yet he doesn't_… Alex smiled sadly; she knew how hard that could be at times.

"It's all anyone talks about now, the day the fish came. Everyone's got a story." _So I was right_. Everyone except him.

"But you don't." The Doctor said as he understood too. "I see." The Doctor looked over at the camera that they had brought with them.

"Why are you recording this?" Kazran asked. Alex noticed a small movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked over and smiled when she saw what it was, but it seemed young Kazran hadn't seen it yet.

"Do you pay attention at school, Kazran?" The Doctor asked.

Kazran didn't understand. "Sorry, what?"

"'Cause you aren't paying attention right now, sweetie." The string that was around the Doctor's finger was tugging gently.

"Ssh!" The Doctor said. Alex backed up which gave the Time Lord room to stand up and start opening the door.

"Doctor, are you sure?" Kazran asked hesitantly.

"Trust me." He said. Alex smiled, she would always trust him. As he looked at her, her smile got slightly wider, showing her emotions. He smiled, and a passionately look comes across his face. It took her breath away to have such a beautiful look come across his face. She looked away, and could feel her face burning, but she couldn't focus on that. She felt winded, like she had lost her air. She took deep breaths. She missed the slight smirk that came across the Doctor's face.

"Okay." Kazran said.

"Oi!" It drew both of their attention back to him. "Eyes on the tie. Look at me. I wear it and I don't care. Trust me?"

"Yes." Kazran said, but it was much more confidently now.

"That's why it's cool." The Doctor said. He slowly exited the cupboard and both Kazran and Alex press their faces up to the door, listening as best they could. "Hello, fishy. Let's see." Alex could hear him walk closer to his screwdriver. "Interesting. Crystalline fog, eh? Maybe carrying a tiny electrical charge. Is that how you fly, little fishy?" Alex couldn't stop the smile coming to her lips at his almost baby voice he was using on the fish.

"What is it?" Kazran asked excited. Both he and Alex shared a grin. "What kind? Can I see?"

"Just stay there a moment." The Doctor ordered gently through the door.

"Is it pretty?" Alex asked. She always had a sort of soft spot for fish. She loved them.

She could hear him chuckling. "He's very pretty, Allie. You'd love him." Alex smiled. She loved the sound of that.

"Is it big?" Kazran asked.

"Nah, just a little one." The Doctor responded. _Well that's good_. Alex paused, her smile disappearing as a thoughtful look replaced it. _Wait a minute… I'm getting a_… She was actually getting a bad feeling again. Her eyes widened. _Holy crap! It's been _forever_ since I got a bad feeling_! She thought that had left with Ten, _well apparently not_… "So, little fella, what do you eat?"

Alex leaned closer in, pressing her ear hard against the wood. She heard something swimming, before she heard a distinct snap, and no more of the sonic screwdriver. _Uh oh, _"Doctor," she called to him. "What was that?"

"Erm…" The Doctor said. Alex raised an eyebrow, she didn't like the sound of that either.

"Can I come out?" Kazran asked. _By the sound of that loud snap, I don't think that would be a good idea_. She was surprised that Kazran hadn't heard it.

"No, no. Maybe just… wait there a moment." The Doctor's voice was hesitant and quiet, and Alex could even hear a little bit of fear in his voice. _But what could make that snapping noise that could frighten the Doctor_? Alex closed her eyes, trying desperately to remember the episode. Her eyes snapped opened when she remembered. _Oh shit! It's a shark! A shark's on the other side, right in front of him_!

"What color is it?" Kazran asked. Alex grabbed his shoulders, and dragged him back, knowing the Doctor was going to take a wild dash to the cupboard.

"Big. Big color." The doors thrust open and the Doctor jumped in. He shut them just as the shark head butted them, causing him to jerk forward a bit before pressing his back against the wood.

"What's happening?" Kazran asked alarmed.

"Well, concentrating on the pluses, you've definitely got a story of your own now. Also, I got a good look at the fish, and I understand the fog, which'll help me land a spaceship in the future, and save a lot of lives."

"And I imagine you'll get some _very _interesting readings from your screwdriver if you're able to retrieve it from the stomach of the shark that ate it that's now in his bedroom." Alex said in one breath. She was learning quickly from the Doctor how he was able to do it.

Of course, Kazran focused in on one part. "There's a shark in my bedroom?" He asked completely shocked.

"Oh, fine, focus on that part!" The Doctor said exasperated. Without warning, the banging stopped. Alex felt the silence ringing in her ears at an almost defining sound.

"Has it gone? What's it doing?" Alex and the Doctor shared a look.

"What do you call it if you don't have any feet, and you're taking a run up?" The Doctor jerked forward, and Alex jumped back with Kazran. The Time Lord covered them both just as the shark burst through the doors, smashing the camera.

They landed on the floor in the far corner, just out of reach of the monstrous beast. _And to think my sister actually wanted to _swim _with these things_… Alex would never understand her sometimes. Alex noticed that with the shark's mouth open, she saw a green light deep in its throat. _Oh please do not tell me that's the screwdriver_.

"It's going to eat us, it's going to eat us, it's going to eat us… Is it going to eat us?" Kazran asked.

"Maybe we're gonna eat it," _either option does not seem enjoyable to me_. She really didn't like the sound of eating a shark. "but I don't like the odds. It's stuck, though. Let's see. Tiny brain. If I had my screwdriver, I could probably stun it."

"Well, where's your screwdriver?" Kazran asked exasperated. _One guess, sweetie_. Alex thought with a flat face.

"Well, concentrating on the plusses… within reach." The Doctor answered. "There's a real chance, the way it's wedged in the door way, of keeping its mouth open."

"Seriously?" Alex snapped. _Dear God, please tell me he's not thinking what I think he's thinking…_

"Agree with me." The Doctor told her. "Both of you. 'Cause I've only got two goes, and then it's your turns."

"Two goes?" _Oh God, he is thinking what I think he was thinking_… Alex moaned in exasperation.

"Two arms." The Doctor said as he rolled up his sleeve. "Right, then! Okay. Geronimo! Open wide!" Alex closed her eyes as the Doctor got up and went towards the shark. She felt Kazran grasp her arm.

_Please, oh please do not let that shark bite off his arm. Please, just this once I am actually begging that he is right_.

-x-

The Doctor had been right thankfully, and he was able to stun her. They got her back out onto the patio outside Kazran's bedroom. Alex and Kazran sat on either side of her. Alex ran her hand gently over her head. She breathed deeply, but Alex knew they were in trouble. She remembered her sister – who had been an animal lover – that sharks needed to keep moving forward to live. If they stopped for too long, they would drown.

She didn't want to admit it, even to herself, but she could see that even this shark was having the same problems. Not to mention the cloud belt was probably like her sea. Put a fish out of the water, and it suffocates. "What's the big fishy done to you?" The Doctor muttered to his beloved screwdriver. He had only been able to retrieve half of it. The other half was still inside the shark. "Swallowed half of you, that's what. Half a screwdriver, what use is that? Bad, big fishy."

"Doctor?" Kazran asked softly. "I think she's dying."

The Doctor turned to the fish and ran his half of the screwdriver across her. "Half my screwdriver's still inside her, but yeah, I think so."

"They can't survive long outside the cloud belt, can they?" Alex asked quietly as she continued to gently run her hand along the fish's head.

The Doctor gently took her other hand. She looked at him briefly and could see the soft sad look that was in his eyes. "No." He answered. "They could only make quick raiding trips on a foggy night."

"Can't we get it back up there?" Kazran asked. He sniffled. Alex felt herself shed a tear as she saw the shark looking at her. She ran her hand gently down her snout. She breathed out. "We were just going to stun it. I didn't want to kill it."

"She was trying to eat you." The Doctor said softly. He knew that wouldn't affect Alex.

"She was hungry, Doctor. You can't blame her for that." She said softly, saying exactly what the Doctor expected her to say. "It's just in her instincts." Kazran nodded as he sniffled again.

"I'm sorry, Kazran, I'm sorry, Allie. I can't save her." The Doctor confessed. "I could take her back up there, but she'd never survive the trip. We need a fully functioning life-support."

"You mean like an icebox?" Kazran asked, hopefully. "Okay."

-x-

They rushed down stairs and as they passed through the main room, the Doctor got distracted by the Christmas tree. "Ooh, a tree!" Alex stalled and rushed back to him. He opened his mouth to speak, but she grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the tree. She dragged him down to the stairs, following Kazran.

They got to the basement. The Doctor peered into the small window in the door and saw a huge room lined with containers, similar to the one that the young woman. "What is that?" Alex asked. "Where are we?"

"The surplus population." Kazran answered. Alex raised an eyebrow, that didn't answer much. "That's what my dad calls it." _Ah, that makes more sense_. They all tried to turn the wheel together to open the door, but it wouldn't budge. "Oh, it's not turning! Oh, why won't it turn?"

The Doctor tried to use the partial sonic on the security keypad. It didn't do much. The Doctor punched in some numbers, but was carefully to do so. "Ah, what's the number?"

"I don't know." Kazran answered. Alex tried the door again, but shook her head at her Time Lord when it didn't budge.

"This place is full of alarms; it's not just the door. I need the number! I need the number!" The Doctor said again as he tried the door himself. It still didn't budge.

"I'm not allowed to know to know until I'm older."

Alex put a hand on the Time Lord's shoulder. He looked over at her. "He'll know when he's older." The Doctor snapped his fingers and grinned at her. He kissed her forehead with meaning as he rushed back upstairs to the TARDIS. Alex turned to Kazran and tried asking him questions, having him think if he's ever seen his dad or any numbers that came to mind.

-x-

"7258. 7258."

Alex turned and punched the numbers into the keypad. Kazran turned the wheel and this time it opened. As they walked in Alex noticed the fog was thicker in here. _It must have something to do with the temperature in here_.

"Ah, there's fish down here, too." Alex giggled as some fish came over and nibbled on her ankle.

"Yeah, but only tiny ones." Kazran explained. "The house is built on a fog lake. That's how Dad freezes the people." He stopped in front of a chamber. "They're all full, but we could borrow one." He lifted the lantern and looked in. "Yeah, this one." He pointed to it.

Both Alex and the Doctor look into the container and saw that it was the same young woman as before. "Hello again." The Doctor greeted.

"You know her?" Kazran asked.

"Sorta." Alex confessed. She knew it would be complicated to explain, so she left it at that.

"Important, is she?" The Doctor added.

"She won't mind." Kazran said with confidence. _How does he know that_? "She loves the fish."

Kazran tapped the password into a keypad in the container and a video of the woman appeared in the small window. "_My name is Abigail Pettigrew, and I'm very grateful for Mr. Sardick's kindness. My father…_"

"She starts to talk about the fish in a minute." Kazran whispered.

Alex tuned back into the message. "… _but I would not allow it. I could not have chosen this path were it not for the compassion and generosity of the great philanthropist and patron of the poor, Mr. Elliot Sardick, but I'm also surrounded by the fish, the beautiful, iridescent, magical fish_…"

Alex felt the Doctor move by her as Abigail spoke. She turned and watched as he looked into the other containers to see other people, frozen. "Why are all these people here?"

"… _they catch the light as they dart through the fog_…"

"What's all this for?"

"My dad lends money." Kazran explained to the Time Lord. "He always takes a family member as… he calls it security." _Not an easy man to love, I can tell_. Alex thought.

"Hard man to love, your dad." Kazran looked away and Alex put a hand on his shoulder in comfort. "But I suppose you know that."

"… _I am not alone, and I am at peace_."

Kazran hit some more buttons and the inside of Abigail's container lit up. Alex walked over to the Doctor and wrapper her arm around his, resting her head on his shoulder. He looked at her and smiled. She returned it. She watched as the screwdriver lit up, beeping every now and then. Without it really registering in her mind, she heard another, similar, beeping responding. "What's wrong?" Kazran asked as he walked to the Doctor's other side.

"Just my half a screwdriver trying to repair itself." The Doctor explained as they all watched it. "It's signaling the other half." _Why am I getting a bad feeling again_? Alex suddenly realized the responding beeping that was coming from behind them. She turned around slowly as realization hit them.

"The other half's inside the shark." Kazran pointed out.

"Yeah." The Doctor answered. "Sounds like she's woken up. Okay. So its homing in on the screwdriver…"

The shark loomed out of the fog, mouth opened wide. Everyone jumped back, to get out of the way. In doing so, the Doctor fell to the ground, knocking over containers. Alex jumped up and ran away. She dashed through containers. She figured it would be easier for the shark to get her if she ran in a straight line than in a zigzagged line. Alex tripped and landed roughly on the ground. She grunted before she got up. She looked around, frightened, looking for any signs of the shark.

However, a song – hauntingly beautiful – came to her ears. She didn't recognize the song, but it was amazing. The brunette girl slowly got up and looked around, entranced. She slowly moved around until she walked past a row of containers to see Kazran looking at a woman signing to the shark. As Alex walked closer she realized the woman was Abigail.

The brunette girl was entranced to silence by Abigail's singing and didn't realize the commotion on behind her as the Doctor also came out. He walked over to her and took her hand, and even then, she still didn't look at him. She did squeeze his hand, to make sure he was really there, and he squeezed back.

"It's not really the singing, of course." The Doctor said scientifically.

"Yes, it is." Kazran argued.

"Nah." The Doctor shook his head, sure of himself.

"The fish love the singing, it's true." Kazran shot back.

"Nah." The Doctor repeated. "The notes resonate in the ice, causing a delta wave pattern in the fog." He suddenly slapped his neck as he looked behind him. "Ow! A fish bit me."

"Then please, for once in your life, Doctor, shut up." Alex said, still not bothering to dignify him with a glance just yet. Abigail turned to them as she continued to sing. Alex smiled at her, and she returned it.

"Of course!" The Doctor said. _He was never able to keep quiet for long unless you have something blocking his mouth_. "That's how the machine controls the cloud belt. The clouds are ice crystals. If you vibrate them at the right frequency, you can align them..." He slapped his neck again. "Ow! Why do they keep biting me?"

"Look," Kazran looked at the Doctor. "the fish like the singing, okay? Now shut up!"

The Doctor paused and made a face at the young boy. "Okay." Alex reached up finally and put her hand over his mouth, keeping him from speaking any more. She could feel the look he was giving her, but she didn't bother to look at him.

-x-

Once Abigail finished singing, calming the shark down they were able to borrow the icebox for the shark. They got her in there without a fuss and got into the TARDIS. Kazran and Abigail stood near the doorway, looking into the TARDIS in amazement. "It's bigger on the inside." Kazran said.

"Yeah, it's the color." The Doctor passed off. "Really knocks the walls back." Alex chuckled. _Oh yeah, it's _totally _the color, Doctor_. The Time Lord passed Alex and flashed her a grin. He then tapped on the container lying on the floor. "Shark in a box, to go."

Alex walked in and ushered them into the box before closing her doors. As the TARDIS took off to its destination, Abigail looked around in wonder. "This is… amazing!"

"Nah, this is transport." The Doctor passed off easily. _I disagree. _Alex thought this was amazing, and knew the sight of the TARDIS would never get old. "I keep amazing…" He ran to the door and opened it. "out here."

Alex came down the steps and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the sight just outside the TARDIS. The sun shined just through the clouds, causing the clouds to sparkle as the fish swam among them all, lighting up their faces. Alex just watched entranced.

The Time Lord headed back to the container. "Come on, then, let's get this shark out." He punched in the number to start the defrost. The shark was released and they all watched her fly back into her sea.

"Hey, look at her go!" Kazran muttered.

The Doctor closed the container, and he finally saw the numbers on the front. "Abigail, this number, what does it mean?"

"It pertains to me, sir, not the fish." Abigail answered.

"Yeah, but how?" He asked, pressing.

"You are a doctor, you say?" Abigail asked. "Are you one of mine?"

"Do you need a doctor?" He asked. She looked sad, very sad for a moment, and the Doctor was about to press when Alex and Kazran took his attention away.

"It's… just wondrous." Alex muttered.

"Just brilliant!" Kazran added.

The Doctor walked over to Alex's side, but when he saw her face, he froze.

He was entranced as well, but it was by his girl's face lit up by the sun. Her eyes shinned brightly in the light, and the smile on her face beat all the suns he had ever seen. He couldn't take his eyes away from her, even if he wanted to. But he didn't, he never wanted to look away from the look that was in her eyes.

She looked like an angel. It was the only way he could properly describe her. The sun just hit her in that way that made it look like there was a halo hanging around her head. Alex's eyes finally looked over to the Doctor, and the look in her eyes, the wondrous look in her eyes.

She could see it. She could see the beauty within the sight that they saw. It was one of the many reasons why he loved her, because she could still see it. She could still she the magic in the world, and he thought that she would never stop seeing it. She would see it forever, and he wanted her to see it. She would show him, and only then could he see it as well. Only then could he see the majesty that caught her breath so many times.

"Oh Doctor…" She breathed looked back at the sight before them. "It's so beautiful."

He continued to look at her. It took him a moment to respond to her beauty. "Not as beautiful as you. Never as beautiful as you, love."

Alex looked over at him and she finally realized the look that was on his face. It was that same beautiful passionate look that he had on before. She felt her breath being taken away from her. The sun hit him and lit up his face, causing the passion to burn brightly within his eyes. They burned brighter than any sun she had ever seen.

Their faces were getting closer without either one noticing. Alex put a hand on the Doctor's chest, over one of his hearts. He cupped her neck, his fingers warming her cool neck. Their faces moved ever so slightly to the left. Alex just couldn't look away from the Doctor's beautiful hazel eyes. She was getting sucked into them, and just drowning in the sensation.

A light smile touched both of their faces, but didn't touch their eyes as they continued to look into each other's eyes. Their lips got closer, and closer, and closer…

A bell chimed on the console, announcing something. The Doctor looked over and rushed to it. Alex kept her eyes closed before she sighed irritably. _Am I _ever _going to get a chance to kiss him without any interruptions_? She felt like she had ever right to be frustrated. Every – _damn _– time they tried to kiss, _something _always seemed to get in the way.

"Ah! Sorry!" Alex took a couple of deep breaths to relax herself before she turned around now calmed. "Time's up, kids!"

"Why?" Kazran asked disappointed. He wanted to stay longer to watch the fishes.

"It's nearly Christmas day!"

-x-

Kazran, the Doctor, and Alex were back at Abigail's container. They were all getting ready for her to retreat back into her frozen state. "If you should ever wish to visit again…" Abigail said with a smile.

"Well, you know," the Doctor smiled, playing coy. "if I'm ever in the neighborhood…"

Kazran cut him off, excitedly. "They come every Christmas Eve. Yeah, they do, every time. They promise!"

Alex laughed as the Doctor tried to deny it. "No, we don't…"

Kazran closed the door. "Oh come on, Doctor. Live a little. We have a time machine, let's do it."

The Doctor closed his eyes and shook his hands at both of them. "Fine." Kazran and Alex hugged before Alex grabbed the Time Lord's hand and rushed back to the TARDIS. The Doctor laughed as he followed his excited human girl.

-x-

With a quick trip they were back again, and landed just outside the door where Kazran was waiting, a year older. Alex plopped a Father Christmas hat onto Kazran's head, and he laughed. Both the Doctor and Alex were wearing one as well. They all rushed back into the room and opened Abigail's door. "Merry Christmas!" They all greeted her cheerfully.

"Doctor! Alex!" Abigail said just as cheerfully. The Doctor skipped back to the TARDIS with his girl hand in hand with him. She was giggling as she held onto a harness.

-x-

Once outside, the Doctor found a two-wheeled open carriage and Alex easily hooked up the harness. "You are out of your mind." Abigail said once she found out about their plans. "This will never work!"

"Oh, don't think shark, think dolphin!" The Doctor retorted playfully. _Oh yeah, because a dolphin and a shark have _plenty _of things in common with each other_. Alex thought sarcastically with a smile and a roll of her eyes. Alex lifted Kazran into the back part of the carriage.

"A shark isn't a dolphin!" Abigail argued.

"It's nearly a dolphin." The Doctor shot back.

"No, it isn't." Abigail said.

"That's where you're wrong, because…" The Time Lord trailed off when he realized that she was right. A shark and a dolphin had nothing in common. "Shut up." He said, falling back on his usual phrase. The Doctor lifted up his half screwdriver and turned it on, letting it beep into the night.

Alex watched in the fog, hoping it would work. Kazran got out of the carriage and started to walk towards them. "It could be anywhere. Will it really come?"

"No chance." The Doctor said bluntly. "Completely impossible." However, just as he said that, the a responding beep echoed from the night. Alex grinned suddenly, _it's impossible at any other time except Christmas_. "Except at Christmas."

-x-

The Doctor and Alex were in the front of the small carriage while Abigail and Kazran were in the back. Alex had a tight hold on her Time Lord's arm as they flew around the city. Alex was laughing gleefully as the wind blew her hair behind her. She pressed her face into her Doctor's arm, and could feel his shoulders bouncing with his own laughter. She felt a kiss on her head and it brought another laugh to her lips.

"How are we getting back?" Kazran yelled over the howling wind.

"I don't know!" He responded.

"Do you have a plan?" _Ah, he never has a plan_. Alex thought as she threw a arm up and let the wind fly through her fingers.

"I don't know!"

They laughed and cheered as they flew about the city.

-x-

The two brunette time travelers and Kazran were back at Abigail's container. "Best Christmas ever!" She said with a smile as she got back into the icebox.

"'Till next time!" Kazran said. They closed the door and she was frozen once again.

-x-

The events repeated themselves. The Doctor and Alex would go back to their TARDIS. They were skip to the next year; they would meet Kazran at the doors of the ice vault; they would wake up Abigail; and they would go to anywhere in the whole wide universe, even throughout time.

They opened Abigail's container on yet another Christmas Eve. "Merry Christmas!" They said as their usual greeting to the blonde.

"Doctor! Alex!" Abigail greeted. "Where to this time?"

"Did we mention?" The Doctor asked with a grin as he shared a look of excitement with his girl. "At any point, all of time and space…?"

_This is going to be amazing_!

-x-

This continued again as they opened her container on yet another Christmas eve. Kazran it seemed had just hit puberty, and was actually asking Alex some questions about many things. Some things she would laugh and explain some things she would blush and order the Doctor to explain since she just wouldn't be able to.

Because of this hard time – that all teens must face – he was somewhat sullen when they opened Abigail's door. However, the Doctor and Alex were jolly as ever. "Merry Christmas!" They greeted together.

"Doctor! Alex!"

-x-

This time when Alex came rushing down the stairs she stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Kazran, now in his teens. _Whoa_! Her eyes almost popped out of her head. "Hello Alex."

"Holy crap, Kazran!" She suddenly grinned. "Look at you! You're a stud!"

He blushed and looked away. "Stop it, sis. I hate it when you do that." Over the long years that she had been in his life, when he had was much younger he had asked her as she leaved that when the next time they meet if he could call her 'sis'. It had been a heartwarming question, which almost brought Alex to tears. She answered 'yes' almost immediately. Ever since then, it had stuck. "But you are! If I didn't see you as a little brother and if I didn't love the Doctor _ever so much_ I'd go for you!" The blush increased on Kazran's face as Alex laughed.

"Come on, let's go wake Abigail." The Doctor said as he finally caught up with the two brunettes.

They rushed over to her container and without hesitation opened it up. "Merry Christmas!" They all greeted.

However, instead of her usual greeting, Abigail finally got a look at the young brunette. "Kazran!" She said in pleasant surprise. Alex grinned and looked between them. _Oooh, I _so _bet they're gonna get together, and that has nothing to do with me vaguely remembering the episode_!

-x-

The Doctor moved around the controls and Alex walked with him. "Oh, they are _so _going to get together!" She squealed softly to him.

He smiled up at her and raised an eyebrow. "And what evidence are you basing this on?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not just basing it on the episode, although to be fair that is part of it." He grinned. "I'm basing it off my gut feeling and woman's intuition." He chuckled. He wasn't surprised by that, combine all of that and Alex was a woman who knew how things worked here.

He leaned down and kissed her nose. She smiled up at him. She heard their conversation and to her it just made it more obvious that they were going to get together. Finally, Kazran walked over to Alex's side, near the Doctor. "So, Doctor, where this time?" He asked.

"Pick a Christmas Eve." The Doctor said. "I've got them all here." He gestured to the console where he and Alex had set all of the Christmas Eves up.

"Might I make a request?"

Everyone looked over at Abigail. It was rare for her to make one, so naturally they were all curious as to where she would pick. "Of course." The Doctor said.

"This one." She said.

-x-

Abigail stood on the street wearing a hooded cloak, watching through a small window at a family. Alex had recognized it as the family they had seen in the tower in the future. "Who are they?" Kazran whispered to the brunettes. They were standing back a ways, watching her.

"Her family, Kazran." Alex answered, watching the girl. Alex could feel her feelings from even this distance. "The woman in there is her sister, we met her, just once, when she was older."

"Abigail's crying." Kazran said. Indeed she was, she watched the scene with tears slowly sliding down her cheeks. Alex could feel her constricting emotions and took a deep breath to calm herself down. She felt the Doctor take her hand to help her.

"Yes." The Doctor whispered back.

"When girls are crying, are you supposed to talk to them?" Kazran asked quietly.

The Doctor paused, actually having to think about it. "I have absolutely no idea."

Alex rolled her eyes. _God, for someone with such a high IQ he is such an idiot when it comes to women_. She turned to Kazran. "Kazran," he looked down at the woman. "Go over there. But I don't want you to talk to her, I want you to let _her _talk to you. You just stand there and be quiet and let her talk. Okay? Trust me, girls don't like it when a guys comes in and tries to fix it. We don't want you to fix it, we want you to shut up and listen." It's possible that she 'borrowed' that line from '_Criminal Minds_'. _Good show… really depressing, but _really _good_.

Kazran nodded and walked over to Abigail. Alex turned to the Doctor with a raised eyebrow. He looked at her confused. "What?"

"'You have absolutely no idea'? Seriously Doctor? What about me? You do fine with me."

"I know how to make you feel better when you're crying." The Doctor confirmed. "But you're you, love. You and I both know you're not average."

Alex shrugged but knew that he had a point. She wasn't like other girls, so she responded differently than other girls. "Remember what I told Kazran then." Alex commented and the Doctor nodded.

She turned and watched him as he watched Abigail and Kazran. A thoughtful, calculating look was on his face. _He's still good-looking_. Alex thought, but that was never a big factor for her. It was all about personality. It was all about chemistry and character that got her attention. _Sometimes I still don't understand how I got such a man that's so absolutely brilliant there are no words for him_.

She didn't see herself so special, or at least, not as special as the Doctor saw her to be. Suddenly, the Doctor looked at her, sensing her staring. Their eyes locked and they just looked deeply into each other's eyes. She smiled up at him and he returned it.

If both were willing to look enough and really see, then they would both see that the other was silently speaking the words both wanted to hear…

'_I love you_.'

But alas, it was not time yet for that to happen. But it was coming. It was coming very soon.

-x-

The Doctor had slipped in and explained to the family who was just outside. Of course, the woman wouldn't deny seeing her sister again and was happy to let them all in. Alex opened up the curtains and waved a hand, telling Kazran and Abigail to come in.

They got situated and Kazran was helping Isabella's husband while Abigail and her talked. Alex watched as the Doctor tried to entertain the son by playing a card game. "Pick a card, any card at all." He held out the deck to the boy and he picked a card. "Memorize the card; put it back in the deck. Don't let me see it." The boy did as told and once he made sure he knew what the card was, he put it back into the deck.

The Doctor then put the deck away and pulled out a random card. "The three of clubs."

The boy shook his head. "No." Alex laughed.

"You sure?" He asked as he looked at the card again. "I'm very good at card tricks." _Apparently not as good as you think, love_. Alex thought with a giggle.

"It wasn't the three of clubs." The boy said with certainty.

"Well, of course it wasn't," he tossed the card away, "because it was the seven of diamonds!" He pulled the car from within his jacket pocket. Alex just watched the scene with a smile on her lips. _Ya know, this would be a lot more impressive if he would actually get the kid's card right_…

"No." The boy shook his head again with a small laugh.

"Oi, stop it, you're doing it wrong." Alex laughed freely. She loved the fact that to the Doctor, it wasn't _he _that was doing it wrong, it was the young boy. _Just can't admit the fact that he's not good at something_.

"Well then," Isabella stood up and called attention to everyone. "Tomorrow's dinner is canceled, as my sister refuses to attend." Alex looked up concerned as she looked at Abigail.

"Isabella…" Abigail said, she didn't want her sister to be like that.

However, it seemed Isabella had other ideas in mind. "Instead… we'll have it tonight." Alex smiled and looked at the Doctor and he grinned at her.

"Our first Christmas dinner together." She told him. His grinned widened. "It's gonna be our first Christmas dinner together!" She squealed softly and jumped into his lap, hugging him tightly. He laughed freely and hugged her back. It was true; this would be their first Christmas dinner together. With Ten, while they did spend Christmas together, they never had had a Christmas dinner together and Alex was so happy that she was going to get that with him now.

-x-

The dinner was all ready and now spread across the table. Alex and the Doctor sat at the front of the table. Abigail and Kazran were sitting on their left, and the family was sitting on their right. They all had crackers and were going to open them all at once. "Three! Two! One! Pull!"

Everyone pulled and opened them up. They cheered and laughed together. The boy pulled a card out of his cracker. "How did you do that?" The boy asked in amazement. _So betting it's not gonna be his card_. Alex thought with a chuckle. She rested her head onto her Time Lord's shoulder. He took her hand from underneath the table.

"Your card, I believe." The Doctor said confidently.

"No!" The son said yet again as he laughed.

The Doctor's face fell; _hopefully he's starting to realize he's not as good at cards than he thinks he is. _"Oh, shut up!" Everyone laughed.

Kazran decided to steer the conversation onto a different road. "Er, Merry Christmas!" He lifted his glass to a toast.

"Merry Christmas!" Everyone lifted their glasses and toasted. Alex could feel chills running down her spine as she felt the Doctor's thumb start to gently stroke her knuckles.

-x-

They all gathered around Abigail's icebox at the end of another Christmas Eve. "Best Christmas Eve ever!" Abigail hugged both the Doctor and Alex.

"Ah! 'Till the next one." The Doctor said.

"I look forward to it." Abigail commented and Alex grinned at her. "Now I'd like to say goodnight to Kazran." She said.

"Of course." He just stood there. When they didn't move he continued. "Well, on you go." Kazran looked at Alex and she rolled her eyes. She tugged on the Doctor's arm and he bent down.

"She wants to say goodnight to him… _alone_."

The Doctor's mouth made a perfect 'o' as he understood. It probably just meant that she wanted to kiss him. "Oh! Oh, yes, right! Sorry, we'll, um, we'll go, then. Goodnight." He said to Abigail before turning to Kazran. "Good luck… night!" Alex giggled, _ah he's tripping over his own words, it's cute_. "Goodnight!" The Doctor backed up into a container and turned to it. "Sorry." He walked away.

Alex chuckled as she followed him. "Doctor!" He rushed over to him. "I, er, I think she's gonna kiss me." Alex shook her head, _oh, he's asking the Doctor for help, that's a bad idea, he's not good with girls apparently_.

"Alex." She turned and saw that Abigail had called her. She walked back over to the blonde. "Is that a bad thing?" She asked, pointing to how Kazran kept talking to the Doctor even as the brunette Time Lord pushed him away.

Alex chuckled. "It's fine, he's just nervous Abigail. Just…" Alex thought of it for a moment. "Just take the first step, that's probably best. Ya know, be the first to kiss him, 'cause after that I don't think it's gonna matter who kissed who 'cause you're both gonna like it, ya know?"

Abigail nodded. "Thanks Alex." They smiled and gave each other another hug.

"See you in a year, Abigail." She said as she walked back. As Kazran passed her, blushing more than she's ever seen him she patted him on the shoulder. "Good luck, sweetie."

-x-

The next year, just like the Doctor and Alex promised, they were yet again traveling on another Christmas Eve. This time to Hollywood Mansion, Alex looked around as she tried to find the Doctor. All she had seen was _the _Marilyn Monroe making moves on the Time Lord. Alex was wearing a sexy short green dress. She had found it in the TARDIS wardrobe.

When she asked the TARDIS what she thought about it, she had gotten a _loud_ hum. It seemed that the TARDIS approved. When she had asked if the Doctor would like it, she had gotten an even louder hum. Alex's hair was left normal, just thrown over her shoulder. She had some silver strappy heels.

She heard the Doctor's voice before she had seen him. "Guys, we've really got to go quite quickly. I just accidently got engaged to Marilyn Monroe. How do you keep going like that? Do you breathe out of your ears? Hello? Sorry, hello? Guys, she's phoned a chapel, there's a car outside, this is happening now!"

Alex turned and saw _the _Marilyn Monroe waving at the Doctor. "Yoo-hoo!"

She walked around the wall and saw the Doctor turn and wave back at her. He then turned back to the still kissing couple. "Right, fine, thank you." He snapped his white jacket. "I'll just go and get married then, shall I? See how you like that!" He walked away from them. "Marilyn, get your coat!"

"Doctor!" Alex waved at him as she did her best to jog over to him without breaking her neck. "Doctor!"

"Love," He called to her as she got up to him. He then looked down at what she was wearing and his mouth went dry.

Alex looked up and saw that his face was almost completely blank and was just staring at her. She looked down at herself, worried that something was out of place or she had spilled something. When she saw that nothing was wrong, she looked back up at him with a raised eyebrow. He just continued to stare at her. She followed his eyes and realized he was looking at her legs.

She had long legs, despite her height, and from her constant adventures with the Doctor, they were that nice sort of tan. Not that overly tan look that Alex _hated_, but it was that healthy look of tan that she enjoyed. She looked back at him and kicked him. He grunted. "Oi! Eyes up here, Time Lord!"

The Doctor looked at her and she grinned. "What?"

"You just got engaged to _the _Marilyn Monroe?" She teased. She giggled now that she saw all the lipstick that covered his cheek from the constant kissed he must have gotten from her. "Are you really that surprised? I mean come on, you woo just about anyone you meet, Marilyn Monroe isn't going to be any different."

"Help me, please, love." He begged.

She giggled and shook her head. "No-pe." She said. "I'm not getting between you and her. You're just going to have to get married, love, 'cause that's the only way for her to leave you alone." He groaned, and she took his hand and dragged him off. "Hey Marilyn! I've got him right here; he's ready to marry you!" Marilyn was quite happy to hear that.

-x-

The Doctor was testing his half screwdriver on a little fish. It came up and started nibble at the light. Alex smiled at it; she reached out and put her finger in reach. The finger then nibble on her finger and she giggled. She turned when she heard the icebox close and saw Kazran standing in front of the icebox.

The Doctor walked past Kazran, patting his shoulder as he went. "There we go," he said cheerfully. Alex skipped behind him as she followed him. "Another day, another Christmas Eve. We'll see you in a minute, eh? I mean, a year."

"Doctor, Alex…" Alex turned, concerned. When did he start calling her Alex and not sis? "Listen, why don't we leave it?"

Alex's eyebrows furrowed. She didn't understand. "Leave what, Kazran?" She asked softly.

"Oh, you know. This. Every Christmas Eve, it's getting a bit old." Alex frowned. She was a little upset that he actually thought it was getting old. _I thought we were getting somewhere_… She actually hoped they were helping him, making him happier.

"Old?" The Doctor asked. He put his hands on his girl's shoulders, because he knew what she was thinking. He rubbed them soothingly.

"Well, Christmas is for kids, isn't it?" Kazran asked. "I've got some work with my dad now; I'm going to focus on that. Get that cloud belt under control."

"Sorry. I didn't realize we were boring you." Alex tried to hold back her tears. She wasn't sure what to think or what to do. Her eyes were becoming glassy with her attempts to hold back her tears.

"Not your fault." Kazran said. "Times change." _Not as much as I would have liked_. She thought as he walked away.

"Not as much as would have hoped." The Doctor muttered. "Kazran." He stopped and the Doctor walked over to him. "I'll be needing a new one, anyway. What the hell…" He gave Kazran the half screwdriver. "Merry Christmas. And if you ever need us, just activate it. We'll hear you."

"I won't need you." _What's going on_? He was fine up until this night. What changed?

The Doctor watched him for a second. "What's happened? What are you not telling us?"

Kazran didn't answer and just turned and walked towards the door. Alex looked over at Abigail as she slept frozen in her icebox. "What about Abigail?" Alex's voice broke at the end of her sentence. The Doctor turned and walked back over to her, hushing her gently. She could feel the tears overflowing and falling from her cold cheeks.

"I know where to find her." Kazran yelled back as he finally exited the ice vault.

Alex let the tears fall freely and the Doctor hugged her tightly. "I thought we were making a difference, Doctor. I thought we were actually doing good to him. What happened?" She sobbed.

The Doctor rubbed her back as he walked her back to the TARDIS. "I don't know," he confessed softly.

_What happened? What are we going to do now_? Alex's thoughts were running a mile a minute. _What about all those people on the ship? What about Amy and Rory_?

-x-

The Doctor held Alex tightly to his chest as she cried. They didn't know what to do. The Doctor didn't say much, since he knew there wasn't anything he could say. He just held his girl tightly to him.

Suddenly a beeping alerted them. Alex looked up, her eyes blood shot from her crying. "What's that?" She asked hoarsely as she whipped away at her tears. The Doctor looked at it and then at her.

"It's a signal. Kazran's using the screwdriver."

"Then let's go." Alex said in a hurry. The Doctor put the ship into motion and quickly they were on the patio right outside Kazran's bedroom. Alex rushed over to the window and bent down on the knee, watching Kazran through the window. The Doctor came up next to her, leaning against the window.

Kazran turned to see them, and walked over to him. Alex had a soft smile on her face, but it slowly disappeared when she saw that Kazran looked at them bitterly. Without so much as a blink, he closed the curtains. Alex let her eyes fall sadly. "What happened to you?" She asked. He was becoming the man she remembered, not a single thing had changed.

The Doctor was already on the phone. "Amy, it's time. Yeah, do it." He offered a hand to Alex and she took it. He walked her back to the TARDIS to get them in the right place.

-x-

They went back to the ice box where Amy was to lead Kazran down to. The plan was Amy was to be the Ghost of Christmas Present. She was to show him all the passengers that were to die if he didn't save them. She was also to have him become a hologram and get a view of the cockpit where the pilot could maybe convince him.

But when Kazran explained what had happened. Alex felt tears come to her eyes and fall from her cheeks. _So that's why he was so bitter, he realized Abigail's days were up_. She only had one day left, and as he asked, 'which day to chose from?'

Finally the Doctor herded Alex down so he was now next to Kazran. "_Doctor_?" Amy asked over the phone.

"Yeah?" The Doctor answered.

"_Are you hearing this_?"

"Loud and clear, Amy." Alex answered. Now he had seen the past, and the present. Now it was her job. She was to be the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. _'Cause _hello_, it's _not _'Ghost of Christmas Future', that's not what Charles Dickens called him, and that's certainly not what I'm going to call myself. I'm doing it the proper way, Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come_.

"They're here?" Kazran asked, looking around. "Where are they? Doctor? Alex? Doctor? Alex?"

The hologram was now finished and Alex stepped forward. It was now her turn. "We're sorry, Kazran." She said softly. She couldn't bring herself to speak louder than that. "We didn't know."

"All my life, I've been called heartless." Kazran said as he turned to look at Alex bitterly. This time, she didn't step down. She started right back into his eyes boldly. "My other life, my real one, the one you rewrote. Now look at me."

"Better to have a broken heart than no heart at all, Kazran." Alex said, her voice becoming bolder. He needed to see, he needed to learn and she was sick of this bitterness. He needed to see.

"Oh, try it." Kazran shot back. "You try it. Why are you here?"

"Because," Alex looked at him square in the eye. "This is the final stage. You've seen the past, you've seen the present, now it's time for the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come to join us. And I'll be playing that part." She said, walking towards him confidently.

"Fine! Do it! Show me! I'll die cold, alone and afraid. Of course I will, we all do! What difference does showing me make? Do you know why I'm going to let those people die? It's not a plan. I don't get anything from it. It's just that I don't care. I'm not like you or your precious Doctor. I don't even want to be like him! I don't and never, ever will care!"

There was a pause and Alex took a deep breath. "I don't believe you." She said quietly. _You care about Abigail, and that's something. Don't let yourself be close minded. Do just care about her, care about what she would think. She wouldn't want you to let those people die, Kazran. I know she wouldn't_.

"Then show me the future. Prove me wrong." Kazran challenged. _But what he doesn't understand is, I'm already showing him the future_.

"I am." She said calmly. "Right now. I'm showing you the future right now, Kazran. What do you think?" The question wasn't directed at him though. Alex looked over his shoulder at young Kazran that they had picked up, still in his pajamas. "Is this the person you want to become, Kazran?"

Older Kazran turned and looked at his younger self. They both came closer to each other. "Dad?" Young Kazran asked in fear.

Kazran dropped his cane and lifted his head to strike the boy. Young Kazran flinched back with tears falling from his eyes. Alex tensed up, _don't hit the boy, Kazran, be better than that_. Alex knew he had it in him, he just need to find it buried deep underneath all else. He paused, seeming to remember something. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry." He reached out for his younger self who backed up. "It's okay, don't be frightened." He put hand on his younger self's shoulders and pulled him into a hug. "I'm… I'm so, so, so…" Both of them started to cry.

Alex raised an eyebrow, _wait a minute, he isn't suppose to touch himself… that would be paradox_. Alex turned to look at the Time Lord, her mouth already open to ask the question. "Only on Christmas, love. It can only happen on Christmas." Alex closed her mouth and shrugged. He walked closer to the two Kazrans. "Kazran. We don't have much time."

-x-

The Doctor sent up a signal to the ship. He appeared on screen, and Alex saw Rory and Amy there. She waved in the background. "Hello, hello!" He called to everyone. "Ah, hello, everyone. Prepare to lock onto my signal."

"_Doctor, what's happening_?" Amy asked.

_Isn't obvious Mrs. Pond_? Alex laughed and answered. "It should be obvious, Mrs. Pond! We're saving Christmas!"

"Don't go away!" The Doctor said as he switched it off.

Alex rolled her eyes with a smile. "Dude, where are they going to go? They can't go anywhere but down, hun."

They walked over to Kazran who was at the controls. Young Kazran was off to the side. "We good to go, then?" The Doctor asked.

"The controls won't respond." _What_?

"What do you mean?" Alex asked confused. "They're isomorphic, you said so yourself, they only respond to you."

"They won't." Kazran said.

"That doesn't make sense, why wouldn't…" The Doctor tried the controls but then realization came across his face. "Oh! Of course. Stupid, stupid Doctor."

"What?" Alex asked. "What is it, Doctor?" _We need to hurry, or else they're gonna crash_.

"It's you." The Doctor said to Kazran. "I've changed you too much, the machine doesn't recognize you."

"But my father programmed it…" Kazran pointed out.

Alex understood and felt her shoulders droop. "Yeah, he did. But think about it, Kazran, he would never program the machine to respond to the you that you've become." _And it's all our fault_. Alex's head dropped. _Why is this going so wrong_?

"Then what do we do?" Kazran asked.

"Um… Um… I don't know. I don't know." The Doctor said frustrated.

"There must be something!" Young Kazran said desperate. They didn't have any time left.

Kazran suddenly pulled out the half screwdriver that the Doctor had given all those years ago. "This! You can use this! I kept it, see?"

"What, half a screwdriver?" The Doctor asked. What the hell was he suppose to do with that.

Something came to Alex. "Half a screwdriver that's trying to repair itself, and homing in on the other half in the screwdriver, which is in the shark that's up in the heart of the cloud belt."

Realization came to the Doctor's face. "Ah! Allie, love, you're brilliant! With the other half up in the sky in a big old shark, right in the heart of the cloud layer. We use your aerial to boost the signal, set up a resonation pattern between the two halves...That would work! My screwdriver, coolest bit of kit on this planet. Could do it."

"Do what?" Kazran asked.

Alex and the Doctor shared a grin. "My screwdriver is still trying to repair. It's signaling itself. We use the signal, but we send something else."

"Send what?" Kazran asked.

"Well? What? What?" This was where the Doctor's and Alex's grins faded. They knew the one thing that could work, and they had no other options.

"I'm sorry, Kazran. I'm so sorry." The Doctor said. They didn't have a choice.

"I don't understand." Kazran confessed. _You will_. Alex thought with a sigh.

"We need something that we know for certain will work." Alex said softly. She turned to Kazran. "We need her to sing, Kazran. It's the only thing we know that will work."

-x-

"Her voice resonates perfectly with the ice crystals. It calmed the shark. It will calm the sky, too." The Doctor explained as they came back down to the ice vault again. They all stood in front of Abigail's icebox.

"Could you do it? Could you do this? Think about it, Doctor. One last day with your beloved. Which day would you choose?" Alex felt the Doctor tense up next to her, and she looked at him concerned. When she saw his face, she understood. That hit very close to home, because 'his beloved' was her. Alex smiled and gently cupped the Doctor's face. The Doctor leaned into her touch.

"Christmas." Alex looked over surprised to see Abigail step out of her icebox. "Christmas day. Look at you." She put a hand on Kazran's cheek. "So old now. I think you waited a bit long, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry." Kazran said. Alex could feel tears come to her eyes, _this is so bittersweet_. She wasn't sure whether to cry, laugh, or do both.

"Hoarding my days, like an old miser." Abigail said.

"But… if you leave the ice now…" Kazran said hesitantly. If she left the ice now, she would have used up her days completely.

"We've had so many Christmas Eves, Kazran." Abigail said. "I think it's time for Christmas Day." The Doctor and Alex looked at each other, smiling.

-x-

The Doctor hooked up his screwdriver to Kazran's machine with some long wires. Once they were outside, Abigail started to sing. The Doctor worked on adjustments as she sang. "Well?" Kazran asked.

"Well, the singing resonates in the crystals. It's feeding back and forth between the two halves of the screwdriver. One song, filling the sky. The crystals will align, I'll feed in a controlled phase loop, and the clouds will unlock."

"What does that mean?" Young Kazran asked. _I second that question_. She never understood him when he went into those long scientific explanations. "What happens when a cloud unlocks?"

"Something that hasn't happened in this town for a very long time." The Doctor said. Just as he said it, as Abigail sang, snow began to fall. Alex laughed and lifted her hands up, catching the snowflakes. She looked up, watching as the white specks fell from the clouds.

As Kazran and Abigail shared a very special moment, Alex nudged young Kazran gently. "Come on, we'd better be getting you back home." She said with a wink. He smiled.

Young Kazran entered the TARDIS and the Doctor turned and smiled at his and Alex's handiwork. Alex smiled as the Time Lord answered. He returned it and kissed her cheek as he passed. She giggled and closed her eyes, now content as she listened to the sounds of the TARDIS come to life.

-x-

The Doctor and Alex had returned taking Young Kazran home. The Doctor leaned down in front of a snowman and rubbed noses with him. Alex giggled at him. _He's such a kid sometimes_. He shot her a grin and she giggled again.

"You know," Amy's voice greeted their ears. Both looked over at their two friends. "that could almost be mistaken for a real person. The snowman isn't bad, either." Alex chuckled, but she raised an eyebrow at the costumes that her friends were wearing. _Why are they wearing… _Alex's thoughts trailed off as she realized what it was. _Ah… _Alex chuckled again. _And people tell me that my mind's in the gutter_.

"Ah, yes, you two!" The Doctor responded, ignoring Amy's comment. "About time! Why are you dressed like that?" He asked. Alex lifted a hand to stop herself from laughing.

Amy shot her a look. "Ah, kind of lost our luggage. Kind of crash landed." Rory said, not answering the Doctor's question.

So, naturally, he asked again. "Yeah, but why are you dressed like that at all?" Alex was snickering. _I can't believe he doesn't know_… To her, it was obvious why they were dressed like that. _Well, that just means that in a way, he still has an innocent mind_.

Amy still didn't answer his question. "They really love their snowmen around here. I've counted about twenty."

"Yeah, we've been busy." Alex shrugged, as if acting like it was nothing. Alex suddenly burst into a grin as she looked around. _Ah, I do love Christmas_.

"Yeah, yeah, you two have." She hugged the two brunettes. "Thank you."

"Pleasure." The Doctor answered. "Right, come on then, let's go!" He headed to the TARDIS with Alex right behind him.

"Got any more honeymoon ideas?" Rory asked. _Oh I bet he's got plenty_. Alex rolled her eyes with a smile. _More than plenty_.

"There's a moon that's made of actual honey. Well, not actual honey. And it's not actually a moon. And technically, it's alive and a bit carnivorous, but there are some lovely views." He unlocked the TARDIS for them to enter.

"Yeah, great, thanks." Rory said sarcastically as he entered. Alex chuckled, _it's your fault for asking_.

"Are you two okay?" Amy asked.

Alex looked at her weirdly. "Of course we're okay." Alex didn't understand why she was asking. _I mean, do we look not okay, or something_? "You?"

"Of course." Amy answered. "It'll be their last day, won't it?"

"Everything has to end sometime, otherwise nothing will ever get started." Alex understood that better than most people. 'Every song must end in order to change into a new one.' The Ood had once said to her. _They must have been talking about my relationship with the Doctor. My song with Ten had to come to an end because it was time for my song with Eleven to start_.

Rory opened the doors, breaking her from her thoughts. "Your phone was ringing. Someone called Marilyn. Actually sounds like _the _Marilyn." Rory said.

Alex laughed. "You gave her your number?" _Oh my God, I can't believe he did that_!

The Doctor sighed and gave his girl a look. "Doctor?" Amy asked with a raise eyebrow.

"Tell her I'll phone her back." The Doctor said with another sigh, not bothering to answer Amy's question. "And that was never a real chapel."

"It was to her, apparently!" She laughed harder and Rory went back inside.

"Where are they?" Amy asked. "Kazran and Abigail."

"Off on a little trip, I should think." _Their last trip together_. She smiled softly. _I hope they make it as special as they can_.

"Where?" Amy asked.

"Christmas." Alex answered.

"Christmas?" Amy repeated, confused.

"Yeah, Christmas." The Doctor confirmed. Amy went inside and the Doctor looked up to the sky. "Half way out of the dark."

Alex cupped his cheek and he looked back down at her. She smiled and then reached up and kissed his cheek, close to his lips. The Doctor and Alex stayed there for a moment, just letting her kiss his cheek. _So close_. She thought, but then leaned back down and smiled at him. He returned it and they entered the TARDIS together.

A time would come when they would be able to kiss. Very close now, as the TARDIS materialized away. But now at this very moment would they kiss, but they would.

Very soon, they would._e'H_


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter Thirty Eight**

Alex hummed along with the tune of 'Before He Cheats' by Carrie Underwood. In her hand was a rather large red book that she was currently skimming through just because she was bored. She figured the best way to eat away at this ungodly feeling was to check up and see what the Doctor was doing. Of course, she had to find out that it wasn't as easy as it sounded, but that was a good thing for her. She now had things to do to before she went insane with the _boring_ feeling of being… well, normal.

She had googled her Time Lord's name – _Ha! Google's gonna take over the world, I tell ya! _– and found a _shit load _of results. _Ah, well it happens when you have a popular boyfriend_. She grinned to herself at that passing thought. But, ah she was getting off track. This was how she spent most of her time when she wasn't with Rory and Amy.

'_Cause yeah, stalking my Time Lord isn't creepy at all_…

Alex thought dryly with a smile. She skimmed through the book she had in her hands before she finally got on the passage she was looking for. "_At the personal intervention of the King, the unnamed doctor was incarcerated without trial in the Tower of London_." _Oh yeah, 'cause getting on the King's bad side was such a good idea, right Doctor_? "_Two nights later a magical sphere some 20 feet across was seen floating away from the tower, bearing the mysterious doctor aloft_."

Alex rolled her eyes and plopped down onto the couch. _God, it's like he's being deliberately ridiculously to get my attention. _There was no doubt that it was her Doctor that was in the book. She tossed the book onto her coffee table and started mumbling to herself.

A groan exited her mouth, _God, stop mumbling_! She slapped her head and shook it. Her doorbell rang and she was thankful for the distraction as she got up and walked to her door. She opened it and the mailman handed her a letter. "Thanks." The brunette said.

She looked down at it, and knew the moment she saw it what it was. _So, it's time_… Alex sighed and opened up the letter to see a date, a time, and a map reference. Alex sat down in her kitchen, slightly surprised of how she got there but was too engrossed in her letter to care for much longer. She ran her fingers across the letters and numbers and sighed. _So, it's time_. She repeated in her head.

Her phone rang and she got up and picked it up. "Hello?"

"_Lexi_," Amy's voice came through. "_Did you get a TARDIS blue letter_?"

"With a date, a time, and a map reference?" Alex grinned. "Yeah, I did."

"_We found out where it was_."

Alex remembered, but she asked anyways. "Where?"

"_It's in Utah_."

This time, the grin was genuine. "Oh yeah… Let's go to _my _country."

-x-

They had gotten all their stuff together and were able to get a very nice man to drive his bus down to the area that the Doctor wanted them to meet him. Alex was grinning out the window, so excited to be back in her country. It had been some time since they had been there. The bus finally stopped and they all stepped off. Alex wore a blue jeweled V-neck baby doll blouse, some dark wash jeans, and some light blue converse. Alex wore her hair in a stitched up French twist to keep it out of her face. "Thanks!" Amy called to the bus driver.

"You're very welcome!" He closed the doors and drove off.

"Uh!" Alex fixed her backpack and looked around. She wanted to see where her Time Lord was. "This is it, yeah? The right place?"

"Nowhere, middle of?" Rory answered. "Yeah, this is it." _Yeah, it is very him to ask us to come out to the middle of nowhere_.

"Howdy!"

Alex blinked and whirled around. A grin burst across her lips as she saw her Time Lord. _Ooh, he's got the Stetson on his head_! He was also on the hood of a red 1960s station wagon. _Oh, he's going all American, isn't he_? "Doctor!"

"Ha-ha! It's the Ponds!" He got off the car as the three humans rushed over to him. "Pond One and Pond Two!" He hugged Amy tightly. "Hello, Ponds come here!"

"So, someone's been a busy boy then, eh?" Amy said when she pulled away and fixed his bowtie. Alex waited as patiently as she could to get her chance to hug her Time Lord.

"Did you see me?" The Doctor asked, still grinning.

"Of course!"

"Stalker!"

"Flirt!"

Rory lifted up a hand, entering the conversation. "Husband."

"And Rory the Roman! Oh, come here!" He hugged him. Alex giggled. _Ah, those two are so awesome_!

"Doctor!" Alex lifted her arms when the Doctor was done.

"Ah, love!" They hugged tightly and Alex felt the Doctor kiss the side of her head. She sighed and just nuzzled into the crook into his neck. "Ah, my darling love…"

"I missed you, Doctor." She whispered.

"I've missed you too, love." He said gently.

They finally broke apart and Alex fixed his bowtie. "So I see you've gone American." She gestured to the car and then the hat.

"You're starting to affect me, love." Alex grinned and nodded, enjoying that thought.

"Yeah, nice hat." Rory said. _Ah yes, here it comes_… Alex tried to hold back her grin.

_3… _"I wear a Stetson now, Stetsons are cool." _2_…

_1_… A gun fired and the Stetson was blown off the Doctor's head. _Yes! Yes! That is _awesome_! _Even though Alex already knew who it was, she turned along with the other three, to see River, blowing at the muzzle of the gun. "Hello, sweetie." She said as if nothing was wrong. _Oh God, I love her_!

"Perfect ten, River." Alex lifted up her hands and gave her a thumbs up. River laughed.

-x-

Once they were all gathered, the Doctor took them to a diner that was nearby. Alex, Amy, and Rory were getting some drinks as the Doctor and River sat in a booth, comparing diaries. Alex came in and slid down in with the Time Lord. "Jim the Fish."

"Oh, Jim the Fish! How is he?" Amy and Rory slid into the booth as well.

"Still building his dam."

"Sorry, what are you two doing?" Rory asked. Alex took a sip from her drink and rested her head onto her Time Lord's shoulder. He took her hand and rubbed circles with his thumb.

"They're both time travelers, so they never meet in the right order. They're syncing the dairies." _Now that that's explained, onto why we're here_. Alex lifted her head so her chin was resting on his shoulder now.

"Okay, so spill it Doctor." She said. "What are you up to? You've been crazily obvious to us in books and stuff. That's usually not your style." Yeah, he could be crazy; she knew this, but not enough to be _so _big that it caught the attention of everyone it seemed.

"I've been running...faster than I've ever run, and I've been running my whole life. Now it's time for me to stop. And tonight I'm going to need you all with me." Alex tried to keep her face straight, she knew where this was going and a sinking feeling was starting in her stomach.

"Okay, we're here, what's up?" Amy asked.

"A picnic!" The Doctor said suddenly. "And then a trip. Somewhere different, somewhere brand-new."

"Where?" Amy asked. _America_… Alex thought.

"Space… 1969." _He's telling us so we can pass the information off to the present Doctor_.

-x-

The Doctor had taken them to the Shore of Powell Lake in Utah. Amy, Rory, and River were all sitting around the edges of a couple of picnic blankets laid down together. The Doctor and Alex were lying across the blankets. Alex's back was pressed against the Doctor's chest.

"Salut!" The Doctor said, as he lifted up a wine bottle he had gotten from Napoleon.

"Salut!" Everyone lifted up their glasses. Alex still had her soda from before, since she knew that she wouldn't like wine, and she knew that the Doctor wouldn't like it either. She didn't stop him because she knew that she would find it hilarious, she found it that way when she watched the episode, and what would change that?

She was chuckling just thinking about it. "So when are we going to 1969?" Rory asked. _Soon_, Alex thought.

It was so strange…

She now remembered more than she ever did before. It was so strange that she could now remember what was going to happen. A little part of her brain told her that it shouldn't be _that _surprising, since it _was _her favorite show. But at the same time, she _always _had a crappy memory before. It never changed even if Doctor Who had been her favorite show.

She shook away the thought when Amy spoke up. "And since when do you drink wine?"

"I'm 1,103 –" _Oh, careful Doctor, you just slipped. _Alex sipped her coke and didn't comment. "I must have drunk it some time." He took a sip from the bottle but he was quick to turn and spit it out. "Oh, wine's horrid! I thought it would taste more like the gums." The brunette choked on her drink trying to hold back her laughter.

Alex decided she might as well jump into the conversation. She turned to him, leaning up against his chest, resting the back of her head against his shoulder. _Sorry Amy, gonna – sorta – steal your line_. "1,103?" She asked. "What happened there? You were 908 before you left. What are you not tell us?" The Doctor's beautiful hazel eyes looked down at her, and Alex could feel her heart jump. _Oh God, I am so falling for him_. It was weird, falling for him all over again, but she was, she knew it.

"You've gotten more beautiful." He nuzzled into her neck and Alex clenched her teeth and sucked in a sharp breath. _Ah, no… no, bad Doctor… Don't… No, don't nuzzle into my neck… Ah! You know how sensitive I am_! Alex gasped and squealed as the Doctor took his fingers and tickled the skin. The American girl squeaked and she arched her back as she screamed out in laughter.

Everyone else was chuckling as the Doctor finally ended her torment. The only reason why he had was because she had run out of air, her face was all red. Alex took a couple of deep breaths to regain her lost oxygen. _Damn him, if he keeps doing that… I'm gonna die of lack of oxygen_. Of course, she couldn't really complain.

They do say that laughter is good for the heart.

_Whoever 'they' are_…

Anyways, if it was true… She added at least a good twenty years on her life.

Alex finally turned and whacked the Doctor's chest. "I hate it when you do that." She mumbled.

He nuzzled back into her neck. "No you don't." Alex took another sip and looked out of the corner of her eye and saw Amy look up at the dunes, and the brunette knew that her friend would see a figure silhouetted in the sun. _Too bad she won't remember it_.

"Who's that?" Amy asked.

"Who's who?" Rory questioned, looking over at his wife.

The moment Amy looked down at Rory, her faced cleared. _She's forgotten_. Alex took a sip of her drink again, resisting the urge to comment. "Sorry, what?"

"What did you see? You said you saw someone." Rory pointed out.

Amy looked at her husband like he was crazy. "No, I didn't." Alex felt the Doctor look up at the ginger through her hair. But he turned and looked out at the sky.

"Ah!" The Doctor said, turning the attention to him. "The moon, look at it! Of course, you lot did a lot more than look, didn't you? Big silvery thing in the sky, you couldn't resist it. Quite right."

Rory realized something vital. "The moon landing was in '69. Is that where we're going?" _We're not just going there_. Alex thought. It wasn't hard to figure out, even if she didn't remember. Nothing was ever simple with the Doctor. Anyways, he was purposefully leading them into that direction.

"Oh, a lot more happened in '69 than anyone remembers." The Doctor responded. "Human beings… I thought I'd never get done saving you."

"You can't complain, Doctor." Alex said. "You enjoy saving this planet. You love Earth." The Doctor nodded. "Anyways," she leaned in and rested her head on his shoulder. "I want the Earth to be saved, and you would do anything I asked." Alex saw the Doctor smile, and she knew that he knew she was right.

A pickup truck pulled up onto the sand behind them and an older man stepped out. _Canton_. Alex thought. The Doctor stood up and held up a hand in a wave. Canton mirrored the action. _It's time_. Alex could feel her throat close up. _Okay girl, you can do it, stay calm. That's the most important thing. You need to stay calm_.

Easier said than done.

_Another thing that '_they_' say_.

"Who's he?" Amy asked. But she would understand soon.

Alex stood up with Rory and River. "Oh my God!" River said, looking out into the lake. Alex turned and she saw the astronaut. Alex stumbled for just a moment, before correcting herself. She could feel her world spinning, knowing what was going to happen. _I can't get myself involved, the Doctor's gonna tell us that_. This had to happen. It was important to the plot line of this season.

"You all need to stay back." The Doctor ordered. "Whatever happens now, you do not interfere. Clear?"The Doctor walked down the beach to the astronaut. Alex turned and looked at Rory.

"Rory," the blonde looked at her. "Listen to me, Amy's going to try and interfere, make sure she doesn't." He nodded his head. He trusted Alex; she knew things that he didn't. Alex tried to give him a smile and then turned to River. She looked at her, ready for her order. "Okay, River, now I don't think I'm going to be able to stop myself no matter what I try and do. I need you to hold me back." Her voice lowered to a whisper so only River could hear her. "You and I both know what's going to happen, and you know that it can't be changed." River nodded, showing she understood.

The American girl turned back around and watched her Time Lord. She took deep breathes and her hands clenched into fists. Rory still had questions though, but just like Alex told him to, he stayed near Amy to keep her back if she were to run. "That's an astronaut. That's an Apollo astronaut in the lake. Look." The Doctor stood in front of the astronaut on the beach. Alex saw him say something and tried to read his lips. She saw that he greeted the astronaut, and then reassured them that he knew who it was.

_It's River_.

Alex took a peek at the blonde woman but then looked back at the Time Lord. She refused to say anything. There was a very long, very tense moment that went by as the Doctor talked to the astronaut. He then bowed his head as the astronaut raised its arm. Alex's breath was coming in quick and fast. _Oh God, here it comes_.

"What's he doing?" Amy whispered. Rory shook his head.

The astronaut fired and the Doctor stumbled backwards. "Doctor!" The three others were quick to rush after her and grab her before she could do anything.

"Amy! Stay back!" River said. "The Doctor said stay back!"

"River," the blonde looked at the brunette. She was close to tears. _I can't do it_. "Let her go and hold me back 'cause I can't do it." River let go of Amy once Rory had a good hold on her, and held her brunette friend back. Alex was biting her lip so hard that she was tasting blood. _I have to stay back, I have to stay back. The Doctor told us to stay back_.

But God, it was so hard to.

The astronaut fired again and the Doctor fell to his knees. "No!" Amy yelled. Alex brought her hands up to her face as her throat closed up. She couldn't get any sounds out. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn't. How different this was to watching the show. It was so much more… _real_ when she was actually there and watching this with her own eyes, with no screen between them.

Alex could feel the tears start to fall from her eyes. They burned her eyes and blurred her vision. Amy struggled against Rory's arms. "You have to stay back!" River ordered but Amy ignored her. River's arms were wrapped tightly around her friend's shoulders. There was strain there and she was starting to struggle against the restraining arms without even realizing it.

"No!" Amy repeated.

The Doctor stood up as regeneration energy began to waft from his hands and face. _Oh God… _"Doctor!" Her voice finally broke free and Alex yelled out to her Time Lord. She let got of her face, and her hands gripped tightly at the sleeve of River's jacket.

The Doctor looked over at his friends and Alex and he locked eyes with each other. "I'm sorry." Time slowed down in Alex's Egyptian blue eyes. The Doctor's head slowly tilted back and she could hear the drumming in her ears, but they were slow as well, counting down the Doctor's last minutes.

_Thump_.

Sound faded away as Alex saw the regeneration start up.

_Thump_.

She saw out of the corner of her eye Amy yell something out.

_Thump_.

Alex gripped River's arm tightly, not even blinking as she watched.

_Thump_.

The astronaut fired again, and the Doctor collapsed to the ground. Everything came back in a rush. The sounds of River and Amy yelling out came blasting in her ears, but she ignored it. She broke free of River's grasp and ran over to the Time Lord. She didn't pay attention as the astronaut slowly descended back into the water. Alex got to the fallen Time Lord first and cupped his face and shook it a bit. _No, come on, Doctor, come back. You can. You always do. Come on_. Alex couldn't get her voice to work; her throat had closed up again.

River took readings of the Doctor's vital signs with her handheld device. Alex could feel her whole body trembling. The last of her will crumbled and a waterfall of tears fell from her cheeks. She knew he wasn't coming back. Alex sobbed and put her face into his shoulder. Her trembling hands stuck to his face, tracing it. The sounds all faded away again as Alex fell into despair.

_No. No I can't_. Alex finally lifted her face away from the Doctor's. She wiped her tears away and stood up on shaking knees. She saw that River was firing at the astronaut but she still couldn't hear any sound. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up and saw Rory looking at her concerned. She remembered. _I can't be like this. I need to be strong. This was the future Doctor_. She felt a wave of pain go through her.

It didn't matter if it was the future Doctor or not. It was horrible watching that. _But I need to be strong. The present Doctor is going enter soon, and we need to hide this from him_. And in order to do that, she needed to be strong. Alex took some deep breaths. "River, he can't be dead. This is impossible." Amy said, crying.

"It killed him in the middle of his regeneration." Alex said her voice raw. "It's the only way a Time Lord can die. Regeneration is a way for a Time Lord to trick death, by changing every cell in their body." _It's a great way for the writers to bring in a new actor when they think it's time_. It was good way to keep things fresh. "If a Time Lord dies in between a regeneration cycle, then he dies permanently."

Amy sobbed. "Maybe he's a clone or a duplicate or something." Alex lifted her head. _Wait a minute_… She thought about it, and shifted through all the episodes until she got to the six season finale, 'The Wedding of River Song'. _Wait… That was it_. Alex held back her grin. She remembered now. She used all her will power to make sure that her facial expression, body language, or tone didn't change.

_I'm so stupid sometimes, forgetting something like that_. Canton finally came down the slope and walked near them. "I believe I can save you sometime. That most certainly is the Doctor, and he is most certainly dead. He said you'd need this." He set down a gas can at the Doctor's feet. _Gasoline_.

"Gasoline?" Rory asked. He wondered why they would need that.

River explained. Alex got down on her knees again and stroked her Doctor's face. "A Time Lord's body is a miracle. Even a dead one. There are whole empires out there who'd rip this world apart for just one cell. We can't leave him here. Or anywhere."

Amy stroked the other side of the Doctor's face. She looked up and saw that Alex's face was empty. She knew that this had to be the hardest for Alex. And it was hard for the brunette, but for a different reason. It was taking all her will power not to change her facial expression or body language to give herself away. _It's important that they don't know. _They'll find out, but no matter how much she remembered the episodes, it was important that she kept them mirrored to each other as much as possible.

She knew that there were some things that would change because she was there. But those were things she couldn't control. She was determined to control anything that was in her power to do so. And this was one of them.

"Wake up!" Amy cried. "Go on, wake up, you stupid bloody idiot!" Amy backed off and rested her head onto his chest. "What do we do, Rory?" She sobbed.

"We're his friends." River answered. "We do what the Doctor's friends always do." She picked up the gas can. "As we're told."

Rory looked around and noticed a boat that was near them. "There's a boat." He murmured and Alex and River looked over to what he was talking about. "If we're going to do this… let's do it properly."

-x-

So they did it properly. Alex watched the Doctor's body burn in the boat that was now out in the lake. Alex hugged herself and kept her face blank. _Okay, so now Canton's going to tell us who he is, and that we will be seeing him again. Then River's gonna figure out that the envelopes are numbered, and then we're going to go back to the diner to find the present Doctor_. Alex nodded mentally, that was her to do list, so to speak.

River finally turned to the man. _Here we go_. "Who are you? Why did you come?"

"Same reason as you." Canton answered. He pulled out the TARDIS blue envelope and showed River. After a moment's hesitation, River pulled out hers and looked at him. "Dr. Song… Alex… Amy… Rory… I'm Canton Everett Delaware III." _Okay, him introducing himself: check_. "I won't be seeing you again. But… you'll be seeing me." _Telling us that we'll see him again: check_. He put his hat back on and picked up the gas can as he walked back to his truck.

River watched him go and then turned to the others. "Four." _River figuring out the envelopes are numbers: check_.

"Sorry, what?" Rory asked.

"The Doctor numbered the envelopes." She walked over to Alex. "Lexa, what number did you have?"

Alex reached into her pocket and pulled it out. She unfolded it and raised an eyebrow when she saw the number. "Um… 2." _So I'm the second person the Doctor trusts the most_. Alex was a little insulted. _Wait, who the hell does he trust more than me_?

-x-

They went back to the diner and entered it. Rory, River, and Alex were talking. Amy was still in shock. "You got four, I was three, Lexa was two, Mr. Delaware was five."

"So?" Rory asked.

"There's an important thing we're missing here, Rory that we need in order for me to explain." Alex said. "Where's one?"

"You think he invited someone else?" Rory asked.

"Well, he must have." River said. "He planned all of this to the last detail."

"Will you shut up? It doesn't matter." Amy said, but the other three ignored her.

"He was up to something." Alex said. She was positive, she remembered the episode, but left that little part unsaid.

"He's dead." Amy continued.

"Space 1969, what did he mean?" River continued.

"You're still talking, but it doesn't matter." Amy spoke loud enough for the others to hear her. The three of them turned to her.

"Hey, it mattered to him." Rory said, walking over to his wife.

"So it matters to us." River finished.

"He's dead." Amy whispered.

"Amy," Alex walked over to her friend and put her hands on her shoulders. "Oh, Amelia Pond, he still needs us. I know, Amy, I _know_. But we need to do this for him. We need to be strong for him. We need to focus and find out what he needs us to do."

"How are you doing so well?" Amy asked. "I'd figured you'd be worse off than me."

"It's what I just told you that's keeping me going." Alex said, she knew it would be true if she didn't know the episodes. "And I know that he wouldn't want me to lose myself in this depression because he's dead. He would never want that to happen to me."

Rory spotted something and tugged on River's and Alex's arm. "Look." Alex turned and saw it was the final envelope. Rory turned to talk to the man behind the counter. "Excuse me, who was sitting over there?"

"Some guy." He answered.

River walked over to the table and picked up the blue envelope. "The Doctor knew he was going to his death, so he sent out messages. When you know it's the end, who do you call?"

"Friends," Alex answered as Amy and Rory gathered around them. "People you trust." _Oh wait, oops, sorry Rory for stealing your line_. Alex mentally winced.

The blonde held up the envelope. "Number one. Who did the Doctor trust the most?"

_Present Doctor enters now: _At that moment, the back door opened and in strolled the Doctor, a straw hanging from his mouth. Amy, River, and Rory stared at him. Alex made sure to do the same, her face in perfect shock. _Thank you daddy. _Her father was a theater major, which was helping out a lot right now. He smiled and pointed to them, oblivious to their cold shock. "This is cold." River said. "Even by your standards, this is cold." _Actually, yeah it is_. Alex was in agreement.

"Or, 'hello' as people use to say." Alex held back her grin, in any other situation she would have laughed. _But now is not the time for this_.

"Doctor?" Amy asked hesitantly.

"I just popped out to get my special straw. It adds more fizz." He held up the bendy straw. _Ah… _Alex got distracted, her thoughts turning child-like. _Oh! Dude, a bendy straw! I love those! I haven't played with one of those in a long time_! And it added more fizz? _Dude, that just makes it even more epic_. Alex set aside a plan to steal the straw for later.

Amy walked up to him, staring, and touched his chest walking around him in a circle. The Doctor followed her movements. "You're okay. How can you be okay?"

"Of course I'm okay. I'm always okay," he hugged her tightly. Alex could see that he was confused and concerned of Amy's unusual mood. "I'm the King of Okay. Oh, that's a rubbish title, forget that title." He released her. "Rory the Roman, that's good title. Hello, Rory." He hugged the man, and Rory patted the Doctor on the back, still in shock. The Time Lord then released him and turned to talk to River. _I'd be careful Doctor, she's gonna slap you_. Alex grinned for a brief moment before hiding behind a face of shock and emotional turmoil. "And Dr. River Song… Oh, you bad, bad girl, what trouble have you got for me this time?"

_Slap_.

Just like Alex predict, River was quick with her anger. She slapped him hard and the sound resonated in the room. "Okay," the Doctor turned back to her. River was still frowning. "I'm assuming that's for something I haven't done yet."

"Yes, it is." River's tone was strained.

"Good, looking forward to it." He then turned to Alex. "Ah, love."

Alex threw her arms around his shoulders before he could finish whatever he was going to say. Alex took deep breaths, letting his scent fill her lungs. _Okay, don't cry, don't cry, don't cry_. Damn, even though she knew that he was fine and everything and remembered how he gets out of it didn't stop her from feeling that tingling sensation telling her that she was going to cry. She could still see the images in her mind's eyes, and it was hard. It was very hard.

She nuzzled into his neck and greedily sucked in his scent. "Ah, love." The Doctor repeated as he turned to all of them, but held her tightly in his arms. She knew that he would be suspicious, but she didn't care. All that mattered to her that she could hold him right now. That she could reach out and touch him.

_I could kiss him_.

Well, maybe not that. That was still a little too soon. "I don't understand. How can you be here?" The blonde male poked the Doctor in the shoulder since Alex was still hugging him tightly. She could feel his emotions, feel his frustration. She knew that he never liked it when she was upset about something, and it was probably worse since he didn't know why she was upset. _Sorry Doctor, but its spoilers if we tell you_. Alex fiddled with the end pieces of the Doctor's hair as she refused to let him go.

"I was invited." The Doctor responded. "Date, map reference. Same as you lot, I assume, otherwise it's a hell of a coincidence." _I don't believe in coincidences_, Alex thought, _as quoted by __Leroy Jethro Gibbs_.

Ah, got to love NCIS.

"River, what's going on?" Amy asked. _Um… It's complicated_. There wasn't really any point in explaining it in her mind, Alex figured.

"Lexa, ask him what age he is." _What? Why me? You're suppose to ask Amy_. Alex rolled her eyes.

"That's a bit personal."

Alex did as told anyways. "How old are you?"

"909." The Doctor answered. _Now they realize that the Doctor we talked to was a future Doctor_.

"Yeah, but you said…"

Thankfully, River cut Amy off from finishing her sentence. _Spoilers, Amy, he can't know that we've met his future self_. "So where does that leave us?" _Anyways, River has a right to be upset._ "Jim the Fish? Have we done Jim the Fish yet?"

"Who's Jim the Fish?"

"I don't understand." Amy said.

Alex turned to her. "Yes you do, Amy." _All she has to do is use her brain. _

"I don't!" The Doctor said annoyed. "What are we all doing here?"

River and Alex looked at each other. River answered him, choosing her words carefully. "We've been recruited. Something to do with space, 1969, and a man called Canton Everett Delaware III."

The Doctor walked out of Alex's grasp. Alex watched him. She knew that he wouldn't like the fact that he didn't know who it was that had called them here. _Oh good God, Doctor. Get over it. Just because you're a Time Lord and amazingly – and sometimes annoyingly – brilliant doesn't mean that you get to know _everything. "Recruited by who?"

"Someone who trusts you more than anybody else in the universe." _Even more than me_. Which, if Alex thought about, she couldn't help but think it was a little vain. _I mean come on, the Doctor trusts himself more than another person? I don't know, but that does seem a little vain to me, or at least something along those lines_.

The Doctor turned. "And who's that?"

Alex and River shared another look. "Spoilers." The blonde answered.

-x-

The Doctor was walking around the console of the TARDIS, talking, as the others just stood around, lost in thought. _Okay so now we're gonna go find out about the Silence, well at least we're gonna start on that path_. Alex knew that it would take the whole friggin' season to find out who exactly were the Silence anyways, _and even then some things still weren't made clear in this season_. Ah, but one season at a time, shall we?

Alex sat down on one of the chairs, her leg bouncing anxiously. She wasn't sure why she was so anxious but she was. She could feel the Doctor continue to peek at her, and she tried to ignore it. _I wish he would stop doing that_. He was making it so much harder for her. _In any other situation, I would love this attention, but this is not one of those times_.

"1969, that's an easy one. Funny how some years are easy. Now, 1482, full of glitches." _It is funny, 'cause 1482 seems like just a random year. It's like the writers just took a wild guess and came up with 1482._ "Now then, Canton Everett Delaware III, that was his name, yeah?" Amy left, not able to handle it, and walked down to the area underneath the console. "How many of those can there be? Well, three, I suppose." River shook her head and followed Amy. "Rory, is everybody cross with me for some reason?"

Alex got up and answered first. "Let's go find out, shall we Rory?" Alex gave him a look as she past him and he nodded.

"Yeah."

Alex felt the Doctor's concerned gaze as she walked down to the area where Amy and River were. Amy was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Both Rory and Alex joined them and stood beside River as she explained what was going on to Amy again. "The Doctor we saw on the beach was a future version, 200 years older than the one up there."

"But all that'll still happen?" Amy asked. "He'll still die?"

_Why was she so surprised_? "Amy, we're all going to do that at some point in our lives. Whether its tomorrow or 200 years into the future like the Doctor." Alex said.

"We're not going to arrange our own wake and invite ourselves." Rory intervened. "So the Doctor in the future, knowing he's going to die, recruits his younger self and all of us to… to what exactly? Avenge him?" _Nah. So not him_.

"Mm-mmm," River shook her head. "Avenging's not his style."

"Save him." Amy offered.

"No." Alex shook her head. "I doubt that."

"That's not his style either." Rory pointed out.

"We have to tell him." Amy said as she stood up. _Oh no you don't, you can't Amy_.

"We've told him all we can." River said. "We can't even tell him we've seen his future self. He's interacted with his own past. It could rip a whole in the universe."

"Except he's done it before." Amy objected. _Yeah, and look what happened_…

Rory pointed out the results of that. "And, in fairness, the universe did blow up."

"But he'd want to know." Amy said.

_Oh really_? "Would he, Amy?" Alex asked her. "Would he really want to know how and when he was going to die? In detail? 'Cause I don't think he would. I don't think anyone would want to know something like that. I certainly don't. Anyways, I think that while, yes I think that he did had a big reason for this. I think that we're missing a small but important part to why he invited us."

"What's that, Lexa?" River asked.

"It's simple, River." Alex explained. "Okay, so the Doctor knew that he was going to die, right?" Everyone nodded. "But here's the thing, here's the important thing…" Alex smiled. "He knew that he didn't have to die alone. There were people, _us_, that would be there for him until the very end. Why die alone? Why not die with people that you know and trust, and that love and care for you."

Everyone looked down, realizing that Alex was right. It was a simple, small, but important part to why he invited them. "Now that sounds like his style." River said.

"I am so glad, actually." Alex confessed. "I mean, oh my God, you have no idea what the tenth Doctor was like. _God_, that man was _so _dysfunctional! I mean, _come on_, he was always wanting to die on his own and crap! It was horrible! I got so annoyed with his angstiness so much sometimes! I am _so _happy that this regeneration is nothing like that."

"Lexa," River said calmly. "You're starting to ramble."

"Oops," Alex shrugged. "I can't help it. It's the Doctor's fault; he's rubbing off on me."

Speaking of which, the Doctor stuck his head down over the edge. "I'm being extremely clever up here, and there's no one to stand around, looking impressed. What's the point in having you all?" He then disappeared, lifting his head back up.

Alex rolled her eyes with a shake of her head. _Jerk_. "Couldn't you just slap him sometimes?"

"Yes." Alex grinned. She had done it before. "And he knows that I'll do it too." River chuckled.

River, Alex, and Rory headed for the stairs, but Amy wasn't done without a fight. "River, we can't just let him die. We have to stop it. How can you be okay with this?"

"The Doctor's death doesn't frighten me, nor does my own." River answered. Her voice was completely serious. "There's a far worse day coming for me." Alex felt sadness go through her and she turned away and walked up the stairs, her heart becoming heavy.

The Doctor was showing off again as he walked around the console. _Sometimes I wonder how he gets out of the TARDIS doors with an ego his size_. Alex giggled to herself. "Time isn't in a straight line; it's all bumpy-wumpy. There's loads of boring stuff, like Sundays and Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons."

"Wait a minute," Alex spoke up. "I knew that you didn't like Sundays, you said before that you never landed on them 'cause they were boring and such. But what's wrong with Tuesdays and Thursday afternoons?" She saw nothing wrong with them.

"They're _boring_." The Doctor stressed.

"You are so mean sometimes."

"Never to you, love." He said. _Well, that's true. But sucking up to me Doctor isn't going to do anything other than give me a warm, fuzzy feeling in my chest_.

The Doctor got back on track. "But now and then there are Saturdays, big temporal tipping points when anything's possible. The TARDIS can't resist them, she loves a party, so I give her 1969 and NASA," the Doctor had walked around the console and tapped Alex on the nose. She giggled and turned to him, unable to resist the Time Lord that was so close to her. The Doctor and her faces were nose to nose. The Doctor leaned down, and Alex leaned up, _almost there_. But at the last second the Doctor moved away. Alex closed her eyes. _Damn_. She had been _so close_. "'cause that's space in the '60s, and Canton Everett Delaware III, and this is where she's pointing."

The four humans gathered around him and looked at the scanner as he revealed the date. "Washington DC, April 8th, 1969. So why haven't we landed?" _Uh oh_. Alex forgot about this part. _This is where he tries to fight going to place without knowing all the details_. In a way, Alex found this to be his tantrum almost. He didn't want to go to a place where he didn't know all the details, _spoiled man sometimes, I swear_, so he wasn't going to go.

"Because that's not where we're going." The Doctor said.

"Where are we going?" Rory asked.

"Home! Well, you two are. Off you pop and make babies. Dr. Song, back to prison. Allie, love, since I missed you so much." He passed Alex again and brushed her cheek with the back of his knuckles. "We're late for a biplane lesson in 1911, or it could be knitting. Knitting or biplanes, one or the other." _Or we could go see Martin Luther King Jr. since you _still _haven't taken me to see him yet_. But that was for another time. They needed to go to 1969 right now.

The Doctor flopped into a chair, rubbing his forehead. The others approached him and he looked up, annoyed. "What? A mysterious summons? You think I'm just going to go? Who sent those messages?" _We can't tell you, Doctor_. Alex knew her tone was like a scolding mother, even if it was in her head. "I know you know, I can see it in your faces. Don't play games with me. Don't ever, ever think you're capable of that."

"You're going to have to trust us this time." _Oh wrong thing to say coming from you, River_. Alex winced. She knew that the Doctor wouldn't do that. He didn't know River, so he wouldn't trust her. _Ugh, sometimes he is like a spoiled child. Like I said Doctor, we can't have everything! You don't know _everything_, and ya know what? You're going to have to deal with that sometimes_.

"Trust you? Sure." He stood up and walked over to River. Alex lifted up a hand and rubbed her forehead this time. "But first of all, Dr. Song, just one thing… Who are you?" River didn't say anything. She just looked at the Doctor silently. If the Doctor looked closely, he could see a resemblance to Alex's stubborn glare in her eyes. "You're someone from my future, getting that, but who?" She still didn't answer. "Okay… Why are you in prison? Who did you kill? Hmmm? Now, I love a bad girl, me, but trust you? Seriously?" _Oh for God's sake_.

"Trust me." Alex threw out. They needed to get to 1969, and if there was anyone who the Doctor trusted, it was Alex. _Wow, out of all the time I knew him, I never thought I would actually have to say that_.

He turned to her. "Okay." He walked over to her and cupped her cheek. Alex smiled.

"Okay, Doctor, you have to do this… and you can't ask why." Alex said.

The Doctor looked into Alex's eyes. "Are you being threatened? Is someone making you say this?"

"No." Alex winced afterwards. She knew the Doctor would easily be able to see through that.

"You're lying." He said.

"Doctor," Alex put a hand on his when he tried to pull it away. It felt so perfect there, like it was meant to be right there, cupping her cheek, _if you're into that romantic stuff like I am_. "If anyone is making me say this, it's myself. What River said is right, it's _spoilers_. You can't know."

"Allie," He was warning her, but she wasn't about to back down.

"Oh don't give me that," she threw back at him. "We can't get everything, Doctor. Well, I mean in most cases. I mean, I got everything in you, but that's a special case, Doctor." She saw the Doctor was a little surprised she admitted that but she ignored it. She had to let this out. "Doctor, just because you don't know something doesn't mean a thing. Live with it. We humans do it every day, so here it is; you're now getting a taste of it.

"Anyways, _come on_, Doctor, we're your friends. It's not like we would lead you into something that would hurt you or anything. You don't know what's going to happen, _deal with it_. You have to do this," Alex tried a different tactic. "Please, please for me, Doctor. Do this for me."

She saw the Doctor was waning, but not completely. "Swear to me. Swear to me on something that matters." _Um… okay, let's see_… Alex looked around and then realized something perfect.

She took the Doctor's hand and put it on one of the TARDIS's controls, intertwining their fingers. "The TARDIS." She whispered. If there was something important to both of them, it was without a doubt the valiant ship the Doctor had. The TARDIS hummed, as if happy that she was chosen.

The Doctor stared at her and Alex knew that she had won. "My life in your hands, Allie Harper." He walked away and started up the controls. Alex let out a hug breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding in.

"Thank you." River said.

"River," the blonde looked up. "Please don't ever have me do that again." That had to be the _hardest _thing Alex ever did. River smiled and nodded.

"So! Canton Everett Delaware III!" The Doctor said. "Who's he?"

-x-

River had gotten information about him on the scanner. "Ex-FBI got kicked out." She read.

"Why?"

-x-

"Six weeks after he left the Bureau, the President contacted him for a private meeting." River said.

"Yeah, 1969, who's President?"

Alex was offended that River was typing it into the database. _Sorry TARDIS, but I already know_. "Richard Millhouse Nixon." Alex said, and everyone looked over at her. "37th President of the United States of America, famous because he's the only president to ever resign." They all just stared at her. "What?" Alex gave them a look. "What part of 'proud American' and 'history freak' are _none _of you getting?"

The Doctor grinned at her and then they turned back to the scanner. "Vietnam, Watergate…" River listed. "There's some good stuff too."

"Not enough." The Doctor said. _Ooh, he doesn't like Nixon_? Alex grinned.

"Hippy!" River responded.

"Archeologist." The Doctor retorted.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Oh stop it children, or do I have to separate you?"

"I'd love to be separate with you, love." The Doctor turned and flirted. Alex laughed.

"Okay, Doctor, down boy. You can flirt all you want, and I encourage you to do so," the Time Lord grinned, "but that's not going to get you out of trouble." She tapped his nose. "Anyways, if we get separated all by ourselves, I am not responsible for what my hormones may cause me to do."

"Now who needs to be separated?" River teased.

"Not us." Alex retorted cheekily. "We just need a room!" River laughed.

-x-

"Okay," the Doctor announced, "since I don't know what I'm getting into, I'm being discreet, putting the engines on silent." _Oh that's good, he's decided we're going. Good, that's good_.

The Doctor flipped a switch and walked away as a loud metallic screeching filled the room. _Ah! _Alex cringed at the noise. _Something tells me you did that wrong, Doctor! And it has nothing to do with my knowledge of the show_. River walked by, turning another switch, and Alex was so thankful when the horrid noise stopped. The Doctor came back, looking curiously at River. "Did you do something?"

"No, just… watching." River answered, completely truthful. Alex hid her grin.

The Doctor seemed to take her lie. "Putting the shell on invisible. Haven't done this in a while, big drain on the power." He went to another panel.

Rory followed him. "You can turn the TARDIS invisible?"

With a grin, the Doctor switched on a lever and blinding spotlights switched on. Alex rolled her eyes. _Wrong again, I think my dear Doctor_. River leaned over and pushed a lever. "Very nearly." River corrected.

"Er, did you touch something?"

"Just admiring you skills, sweetie." River answered.

"Good! You might learn something. Okay." He banged on the scanner. "Now, I can't check the scanner, it doesn't work when we're cloaked. Um, just give me a mo." He ran to the door, and they all followed. The Doctor stopped and turned around. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, you lot, wait a moment. We're in the middle of the most powerful city in the most powerful country on Earth." _Damn right_, Alex thought. They were in _her _country, and it wasn't _anything _like England. "Let's take it slow."

"Careful, Doctor!" Alex called, even though she figured it was in vain. "America's nothing like England!" The Doctor gave her a thumbs up and exited the doors. _Oh why do I bother? He's not going to listen to me anyways_.

-x-

Alex leaned against the console, with her eyes closed, replaying the scene that was happing just outside the TARDIS doors. The TARDIS was humming underneath her, and she subconsciously reached out and patted her on the console. The TARDIS gave an appreciative hum. "Lexa?"

She finally opened her eyes and blinked for a couple of minutes before she looked over at River. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?"

Alex sighed. "It's just, it's weird." She rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm remembering everything that's going on in the episodes. I mean _everything_. And, to be honest, it's a little scary. I didn't use to remember all this before, so now, it's suddenly come back to me and it's alarming, ya know?"

River nodded her head. "You know who I am?" She whispered, to make sure Amy and Rory didn't hear her.

Alex gave her a sympathetic look. "I know who you are, I mean, it was a _shocker _when I found out in the episode. But I also know who you killed. I know why you're in prison."

"You're not going to tell the Doctor?" Alex gave River a bland look.

"I've been travelling around with him for years; I know how important it is to keep what I know a secret, River." She was slightly offended that River would even ask that.

Before the girls could speak anymore the TARDIS rocked, and everyone jolted a bit. _That would be the Doctor running into his ship_. Alex rolled her eyes and shook her head. _Sometimes I really hate him_. "That would be the Doctor," Alex relayed to River. "… running into his ship." River rolled her eyes in the same fashion.

"Every time." She muttered.

"We just can't take him out, can we?" Alex asked. "I mean, if he's going to keep doing this."

"We're going to have to lock him into the TARDIS." River agreed.

River swung the scanner around and Rory finally spoke up. "He said the scanner wouldn't work."

_She knows_. Alex thought at the same time, River said. "I know." She smiled. "Bless!"

With a spark from the scanner wires, an image appeared to show the Doctor on the ground with his face pressed into the floor. "_Not that! Ow!_" The Doctor howled. Alex rolled her eyes. They were defiantly going to need to lock him into his ship. "_River, have you got my scanner working yet_?"

Alex turned to River, talking to her. "Oh I hate him." River nodded.

"_No, you don't_." The Doctor responded.

_Oh hey, there's Canton_. Well, young Canton. "_Get the President out of here! Sir, you have to go with them now!_"

"_River, make her blue again_!" River was quick to move, she started switching and pulling lever.

"Lexa, pull that switch over there." Alex rushed over and pulled two switches and then rushed back over. She watched the scanner, and saw all of the shocked faces when the TARDIS became her beautiful blue color again. The Doctor grinned.

"_What the hell is that_?" Nixon muttered.

-x-

The Doctor made himself comfortable at the _President's _desk, even putting his feet up. Alex felt her eye start to twitch. _Dammit it Doctor, if you don't put your feet down off that desk right now… I'm gonna come out there and kill you_. She glared at his feet through the screen, trying to burn a whole to them.

The Doctor was looking over the file, and then dropped it onto the desk. "_Mr. President_," all the agents pointed their guns at him. "_That child just told you everything you need to know, but you weren't listening. Never mind, the answer's yes. I'll take the case! Fellas, the guns, really? I just walked into the highest security office in the United States, parked a big blue box on the rug. You think you can just shoot me_?"

_Yes, they can_! River had the same thoughts because she shot out of the TARDIS. "They're Americans!"

Alex was the next one of the ship. "Of course they can shoot you! We're Americans, what part of we do things different than England did you not get? You just walked into the most highly protected office in the _whole damn country_; yes they can shoot you if they feel the need too!"

The Doctor stood up, holding his hands up. "Don't shoot, definitely no shooting!"

Amy and Rory stepped out of the TARDIS, their hands up as well. "Don't shoot us either. Very much not in need of getting shot. Look, we've got our hands up."

"Who the hell are you?" President Nixon asked.

"Sir," Canton intervened calmly, "you need to stay back."

"But who, but who are they?" Nixon was obviously stunned. _It's not really that surprising; the TARDIS just has that affect on people_. "What is that box?"

"It's a Police Box, can't you read?" The Doctor asked rudely. Alex shot him a look, promising death if he kept up the rude behavior to one of her presidents. The Doctor backed off – he was a clever man, and knew Alex would do it – and moved on. "I'm your new undercover agent, on loan from Scotland Yard. Code name, the Doctor. These are my top operatives, the Legs, the Nose, the Hair, and Mrs. Robinson."

Alex grumbled. "Dammit, I hate you." _I'm not sure whether to be pleased that he thinks of that way or insulted._

"No, you don't." The Doctor grinned.

"Who are you?" Nixon asked.

The Doctor threw his question aside. "Boring question. Who's phoning you, that's interesting. 'Cause Canton Three is right, that was definitely a girl's voice." _And a very familiar one… _Alex didn't voice her thoughts and let the Time Lord continue. "There's only one place in America she can be phoning from."

"Where?" Canton asked.

"Do not engage with the intruder, Mr. Delaware." _Oh stuff it, its fun going against the rules_. Now laws were different, and Alex did her best to make sure that she never went against them. There were rules, and to her those were fun to break, but laws were on a whole different level. _Of course, I can't say the same for the Doctor_.

"You heard everything I heard, it's simple enough." The Doctor explained. "Give me five minutes, I'll explain." The Time Lord then sat back in the chair. Alex glared at his feet when they made themselves comfortable on the desk again. "On the other hand, lay a finger on me, or my friends and you'll never, ever know."

"How'd you get it in here?" Canton finally asked. "I mean, you didn't carry it in."

"Clever, eh?" The Doctor asked. Alex giggled, she did love the TARDIS. The Doctor shot her a grin, understanding her fun.

"Love it." Canton grinned, also enjoying it. _Oh cool, he's on the bandwagon with us. Awesome_!

"Do not compliment the intruder." The agent stressed, annoyed.

"Five minutes?" Canton confirmed, ignoring the agent.

"Five." The Doctor confirmed. Alex walked over to the desk and whacked his feet off. The Doctor gave her a look, but it disappeared when she plopped right down onto his lap. She leaned back and nuzzled into his neck. The Doctor gained a goofy grin for a second as he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Mr. President, that man is a clear and present danger."

Canton cut him off. "Mr. President, that man walked in here with a big blue box and four of his friends and that's the man he walked past." Alex giggled, _oh cool, Canton's badass like River_. Ah, that was Americans for you. "One of them's worth listening to. What say we give him five minutes, see if he delivers."

"Thanks, Canton!" The Doctor said. _Oh wait for it Doctor_.

"If he doesn't, I'll shoot him myself."

"Not so thanks." Alex laughed quietly. The Doctor poked her in the waist, and it made her squeak. She smacked his leg to make him behave.

"Sir, I cannot recommend…"

This time the President cut him off. "Shut up, Mr. Peterson. Alright."

Canton looked back at the Time Lord. "Five minutes." _Oh I have no doubts; the Doctor will find it within those five minutes_.

The Doctor sat up and put his hands onto the desk, still with Alex in his lap. "I'm going to need a SWAT team ready to mobilize, street level maps covering all of Florida, a pot of coffee, 12 jammy dodgers, and a fez." He tapped his fingers in a typing motion.

"Get him his maps." Canton ordered, and Alex could feel the Doctor's disappointment that he wasn't going to get anything else.

-x-

Later, the Oval Office was strewn with large street maps and everyone was looking at one. The Doctor was on one of the couches and Alex was still sitting on his lap. Alex rubbed one of her eyes, _God; I'm so tired right now_. And being in the Doctor's lap didn't help. He was unnaturally warm, and it was just the right temperature for her to be sleepy, not to mention his heartbeats were starting to lull her to sleep.

"Allie, love, are you alright?" The Doctor murmured into her ear. His face was buried into her hair as usual.

"Mmm-hmm." She muttered, but she could feel her head dropping onto his shoulder. "Just sleepy." He kissed her head.

"It's okay, love. You can take a nap." Alex didn't need any more invitation. She nuzzled into his chest, and sighed into his neck, loving his scent that filled her lungs. His heartbeats were her lullaby and she could feel a slight smile coming to her lips. _Goodnight, Doctor_. She felt him mirror her words into her hair as she drifted off.

Alex was having a wonderful dream; the Doctor had taken her to a field full of flowers. She was giggling happy to herself. They were having a picnic when the Doctor had suddenly rolled over, slightly on top of her. Both of them looked into each other's eyes and the Doctor slowly leaned down, ready to kiss her. Alex was content and happy, and gladly followed his lead and their lips leaned up to kiss.

_Closer and closer and closer they came_. Until…

_Ring. Ring. Ring_.

Alex jolted awake and looked around disoriented. She saw that she was on the couch, laid out with the Doctor's jacket over her. She sat up and blinked, confused. She was pulling the jacket around her without much thought. _Damn_, Alex groaned mentally. _It had been a dream… _Alex pouted; she really wanted to kiss him. She looked over to the Doctor. _Maybe after we're done_…

Yeah… she remembered that River was the one to kiss the Doctor after the second part of this episode 'Day of the Moon' was done, but maybe she could replace River in this? She looked over at River, the woman had shown no signs of loving the Doctor, and if River knew them like she acted, then she would have to know that Alex loved the Doctor. _Yeah, that has to work_. Alex pushed those plans aside as she got up. She groggily walked over to the Doctor, looking over his shoulder.

The Doctor reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist. "The kid?" Canton questioned, referring to the telephone. _Yep_. Alex yawned and rested her head on the Time Lord's shoulder, she was still quite sleepy.

"Should I answer it?" Nixon asked.

"Here!" The Doctor suddenly proclaimed. He pointed to the map. Alex and Canton both leaned down to look. "The only place in the United States that call could be coming from. See? Obvious when you think about it." _Actually, it is_. Alex hummed.

"You, sir, are a genius." Alex giggled and stood tall again, hugging _her _genius Time Lord.

"It's a hobby." The Doctor grinned as he kissed Alex's head. _His _human girl, _her _brilliant Time Lord, it was how it worked with those two.

"Mr. President, answer the phone." Canton ordered.

Nixon picked up the phone, and started the recorder. He held it up to his ear. "Hello. This is President Nixon."

"_It's here_!" The girl – _Melody Pond _– yelled out. "_The Space Man's here. It's gonna eat me. It's gonna eat me_." However, there was a new voice that Alex didn't remember before. It wasn't clear who the voice belonged to, but it was female, Alex could tell. She was saying something to Melody, but they couldn't hear her. _Maybe she's purposefully doing that_…

Alex gave the Doctor back his jacket and he put it back on before both brunettes walked over to the TARDIS. Amy, Rory, and River had already entered first. "There's no time for a SWAT team, let's go! Mr. President, tell her help's on the way. Canton, on no account follow me into this box and close the door behind you." _Which of course means he's gonna follow us_. Alex rolled her eyes with a smile as they entered the valiant ship.

Canton had rushed into the TARDIS, yelling something out. Once he was inside, he stood by the door, looking around in amazement. "Jefferson isn't a girl's name or her name either. Jefferson Adam Hamilton… Allie, love?"

"It's three of the names of the founding fathers of America." Alex answered straight away. _God, I love knowing my country's history_. Alex thought with a smile.

"Lovely fellas," the Doctor said, talking to his girl, "two of them fancied me." Alex giggled. _Who doesn't fancy you, Doctor_? She certainly 'fancied' him. Alex reached up and kissed his cheek, just because she could. The Time Lord gained a goofy grin which stuck this time.

Alex looked past him and saw Amy mouthing at her, 'just snog him already!' Alex flushed a bright red and rolled her eyes. She mouthed back, 'leave me alone'.

"Are you okay?" The brunette girl heard Rory asking. "Coping?"

"The President asked the child two questions." The Doctor said, bringing her attention back to him. "Where and who are you?" _And she was only answering one of them_. "She was answering where."

"It's bigger on the inside." Canton said and Alex grinned. _I don't care what the Doctor thinks of that, it never gets old to me_!

"You get use to it." Rory answered.

"Now where would you find three big historical names in a row like that?" The Doctor asked.

"Where?" Alex asked excitedly with a grin. He just wanted to put on a show, and who was she to stop him? She loved it when he got excited like that; it got her excited with him.

He returned the grin and tapped her on the nose. "Here! Come on!" The Doctor ran to the door, with the three girls following him. Canton stopped him.

"It's er…"

The Doctor looked over at Rory. "Are you taking care of this?" The Doctor, Alex, River, and Amy continued out the door. The warehouse outside of the TARDIS was dirty and cluttered. The Doctor sat at a desk, waving around a small American flag. Alex snatched the flag from him and leaned against the desk in front of him. He gave her a look for stealing his flag, and she just stuck her tongue out at him.

"Where are we?" Amy asked.

"About five miles from Cape Kennedy Space Center. It's 1969," _I hope so, _it would be bad if they missed their targeted year, "the year of the Moon. Interesting, don't you think?"

Amy turned on her flashlight as River used her handheld device to scan the area. "Why would a little girl be here?" _'Cause the Silence dropped her here to raise her up to kill the Doctor later on_. Alex thought nonchalant.

"I don't know." The Doctor answered. "Lost, maybe." Alex didn't say anything; _it would be a real mood killer if I tell them_.

Among other reasons why she couldn't say anything, of course…

River picked up the phone. "The President asked where she was and she did what any lost little girl would do." The Doctor stood up. "She looked out the window." He peered through the windows. Alex leaned back and saw the street names: _Jefferson, Hamilton, Adam_.

"Streets." Realization came to Amy. "Of course, street names!" Alex got up and walked over to where the Doctor was, resting against the wall and watching the Time Lord explain.

"The only place in Florida, probably all of America, with those street names on the same junction, and, Allie, love, you've got that face on again."

Alex blinked, she felt a sliver of fear come to her, but she relaxed when she saw his face was teasing. "What face?" she asked innocently.

"The 'he's hot when he's clever' face." The Doctor smiled, probably enjoying the lovely red hue that came to her cheeks.

Alex pursued her lips. "This is my normal face." She defended.

"It is."

She got what he was saying and held back her smile as she glared at him. She didn't succeed and she could feel it spreading across her lips. "Oh, shut up."

"Not a chance." The Doctor smirked and checked the phone receiver just as Canton and Rory exited the TARDIS.

"We've moved." Canton muttered, amazed. "How, how can we have moved?"

"You haven't even gotten to space travel yet?" The Doctor asked. _Let him explain it, Doctor_. Alex picked up the receiver and took note that there wasn't even a sound coming from it. _Okay, so it's cut, which means no phone, which leads them to the question of how did she call the President_. Alex nodded.

"I was going to cover it with time travel." Rory said as he closed the doors. Alex put the phone back and walked over to the Doctor's side. She took his hand, and he squeezed it.

"Time travel?" Canton asked. _Geez, give the guy a break, all this would be hard to swallow for anyone_…

"Brave heart, Canton, come on." The Doctor headed off to explore, and Alex followed him with her hand still in his.

"It's a warehouse of some kind. Disused." River explained when the Doctor and Alex caught up with them.

"You realize this is almost certainly a trap, of course." The Doctor said.

_Everything has the possibility of being a trap when it comes to traveling with you, Doctor_. Alex rolled her eyes. "I noticed the phone, yes."

"What about it?"

"It was cut off, Amy." Alex explained. She saw that the Doctor smiled impressed that she had noticed it. _Too bad it was because I just remembered it from the show_… Ah well, Alex couldn't find it in her heart to tell him. "So the million dollar question is how could the child phone from a place that didn't have a working phone?"

"Okay." Amy nodded, she could understand that. "But why would anyone want to tap us?"

"Don't know." The Doctor answered. "Let's see if anyone tries to kill us, and work backwards." _Wouldn't we be dead_? Alex mentally chuckled.

"Now why would a little girl be here?" _Well, it wasn't by her own free will_. Alex thought.

"I don't know," The Doctor repeated. _'I don't know' is becoming his favorite words_, "let's find her and ask her."

They came across a tilted operating table that seemed to have organic components attached. "It's non-terrestrial, definitely alien, probably not even from this time zone."

"Which is odd, because… look at this!" Alex looked over and saw a box of items that piqued the Doctor's interest. River moved her flashlight over to it, showing what was inside the boxes.

"It's Earth tech, contemporary." _But why? _Out of all the time periods there were out there, why steal space tech from _1969_?

"Very contemporary." The Doctor agreed. "Cutting edge. This is from the space program."

"Stolen?" Amy asked. "What, by aliens?" Alex ran her fingers across some of the items.

"Apparently." The Doctor got the helmet and put it on.

"But _why_?" Alex finally asked. "I mean, out of all the time periods and all the _planets _out there, why steal earth tech that _barely _survived a trip to the moon?" It just didn't make any sense to her.

The Doctor's voice was muffled. "Maybe 'cause its cooler." Alex reached up and lifted the visor so she could see his face. He was grinning at her, and she smiled at him – patiently, almost like a mother is to an overly excited child. "Look at how cool this stuff is!"

"Cool aliens?" Amy asked, fighting off a smile. _Only to him would that actually be a possibility to why aliens would have this stuff_. 'Cool aliens'? Alex giggled.

"Well, what would you call me?" The Doctor was smug, puffing his chest out just slightly.

"An alien." Alex snorted as Amy ruined his ego.

"Oi!" The Doctor said, ticked.

Alex decided to mend it better. "A _hot _alien." The Doctor looked over at her, and she just smiled flirtatiously at him. "A _sexy _alien. A _brilliant_ alien. Oh, _Doctor_," she enjoyed the shudder that ran though him at how she said his name. "I could go on all night." She was grinning at him by the time she was done. He smirked at her, and his eyes darkened a bit and Alex could feel a shudder go through her as he looked at her in that way.

The Doctor removed his helmet. Alex looked away, feeling goose bumps on her arms. She wasn't entirely surprised. The Doctor was always able to get those kinds of reactions from her. Alex noticed that Canton and Rory finally joined them. "I, er, I think he's okay now." _So, back with us, Canton_?

"Ah, back with us, Canton?" _Whoa_… Alex looked at the Doctor's back weirdly. They had been thinking the same thing… It was just bizarre sometimes.

"Like your wheels." Canton gestured behind him, to the TARDIS, and Alex laughed. She loved the fact that he was acting as if nothing was wrong anymore, like they were talking about the weather. _He's good_. Alex thought.

"That's my boy!" The Doctor clapped Canton's shoulder. "So come on – little girl, let's find her." Alex was about to follow them when she heard a noise that drew her attention away. The brunette girl turned, alarmed. She flashed her light around the area she heard it but didn't see anything. Alex looked back at everyone else, and saw that no one else heard the noise.

Alex wanted to pass it off as her imagination, but something kept it on her mind. She turned slowly back around and then walked cautiously over to the noise. She flashed her light around, making sure not to miss anything. When she finally got close to some crates everything happened so fast.

A piece of wood came flying out towards her and hit her smack in the face, knocking her down onto the ground with a rather impressive amount of noise. Alex blinked, hearing footsteps rush away from her just as she passed out.

-x-

"_Love? Love_?" She knew the voice, it was so familiar, but her brain didn't want to work. She shied away from a pair of hands on her face, whining, but the voice continued to call out to her. It drew her out of the blackness and she opened her eyes. Everything was blurry at first, but her eyes quickly focused on a brunette mass in front of her. Slowly, her vision cleared and she found it to be her Doctor. "Love? Are you alright?" He asked gently.

"Ugh," she reached up and rubbed her temple, as a pounding headache formed. "Owie," she whined.

She reached out and grabbed the Doctor's arms as he helped get her to her feet. "What happened, love?" He gently prodded her temple, and his cool fingers somehow worked magic, calming her head, though it still spun.

"Um…" Her thoughts were quick to supply what happened. "There was a noise, I went to check it out… and something hit me." She rubbed her forehead, figuring there was a red spot there.

"Oh, Allie," the Doctor's tone turned scolding, even if it was still gentle. "You should have said something."

"I know, I know." Her voice muddled as she slumped against her Time Lord. She closed her eyes and whined again. "My head hurts."

This time he rubbed the back of her head, burying his fingers into her thick hair, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She moaned as it softened the pounding and she felt the Doctor go slightly rigid. But, she couldn't bring herself to pay attention. The Doctor then turned her towards the rest of the group and herded her over to them.

He sat her down and then ran his screwdriver over her. "River," the blonde looked up before she walked over as well. Alex rolled her eyes, _God I hate it when he gets like this_. By now, both River and himself were using their devices to scan her. He then checked his readings. "Slight concussion," he looked over at River, and she nodded. "You'll be fine. Open wide." Alex did as told and he popped a candy into her mouth.

She enjoyed its strawberry taste as she sucked on it. "You don't have to do this, ya know." She was fine. Now that the pain was receding, she was fine. The Doctor leaned down and kissed her forehead with meaning. She sighed. "Seriously, Doctor, I'm fine."

"You could have seriously gotten hurt." He said gently.

"But I didn't." Alex argued. "And I'm fine now."

"Stay." He ordered as River went back over to the table.

"But Doctor," He cut her off.

"Stay." He repeated. He then cupped her cheek, and Alex sighed. _He's just doing this because he cares_. A little voice told her. She nodded and he kissed her forehead again. He then walked away back to investigate. Alex leaned back and sighed deeply.

Alex must have dosed off, because the next thing she heard was River calling the Doctor's name. "Look at this." She leaned around and saw that River had noticed the manhole. _Alright, that's good, we're right on schedule_. Alex thought to herself as she looked at her watch. Alex jumped up and walked over to the others.

_Yes, yes, I know the Doctor's gonna get mad at me. But hey, I'm feeling fine, so I don't see his problem_.

"So where does that go?" The Doctor asked. _All over the Earth, my dear Doctor_.

River was scanning the area underneath the manhole. "There's a network of tunnels running under here."

"Are there any life signs?" Alex asked, even though she already knew the answer. It seemed as though she was now asking more out of habit than real curiosity. The Doctor – as if not truly aware of the fact that she was now standing – wrapped his arm around her waist. Alex leaned into his warmth, enjoying it.

"No, nothing that's showing up." River answered.

"Those are the worst kind." The Doctor muttered. _I second that_. It's one thing to know that there's at least something down there, then you can prepare. But, if you couldn't tell how many you were facing, that was a whole different level of _suck_. "Be careful." The Doctor ordered as River started to climb down the ladder.

"Careful? Tried that, ever so dull." River said with a grin.

Alex laughed. "I second that, who'd want to 'careful'," Alex used air quotes. "That's _boring_, danger and excitement just come with being around the Doctor. If you don't know that, you shouldn't be with him." River chuckled, knowing the truth of that. "But," Alex turned serious. "Shout if you need help, 'kay, River?"

River smiled. She really hadn't change at all. "Don't worry, I'm quite the screamer. Although, not as much as you, Lexa." Alex laughed, getting her little joke and the Doctor flushed fixing his jacket. He also got it but felt flustered instead of enjoying it, like his girl was.

"Careful, River!" Alex said still laughing. "Don't want to give away too many spoilers!"

River laughed. "True, Lexa, true."

The Doctor smiled. He then stood tall and smiled lovingly at his girl. She smiled back and waited patiently. He turned away but then realization slowly came around his face and he turned back around to look at her. She laughed. "Took you long enough."

"Allie," his tone was scolding. He was warning her, but he didn't need to use words. She already knew what he was going to say.

She rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Doctor. You're being ridiculous." She said. "Look at me, I'm fine." She twirled around, to prove her point and then looked back at him, putting her hands on her hips. She wasn't backing down without a good reason.

The Doctor winced, and grabbed her shoulders to stop her. "Stop, stop, love, stop." He said. "You shouldn't be moving around."

"But Doctor I'm fine." Alex insisted.

The Doctor sighed and he put his head onto her shoulder. "I know," he sighed again. Alex cringed a bit as it blew across her neck. "I just… I don't like it when you're hurt."

Alex pressed her cheek against his. "I know." She said softly, calming down. That little voice reminded her that he wasn't doing this to be annoying or overbearing. He was doing it because he loved her. "But I am fine." She repeated, but much more softly this time.

He lifted his head and looked into her eyes. "Are you sure?"

Alex smiled. "Yes." She said. "I'm a perfectly fine." She saw that he was still hesitant, so decided to bargain with him. "How about this? I stay right by your side." _Not that I wasn't planning to anyways_. "That way, you can keep an eye on me, so that if I start to get unsteady or anything like that, you can sit me down."

The Doctor sighed, but Alex knew that she had won again. _Man, I'm good. I know just which buttons to press to get him to do what I want_. She stored that away for later use. "Okay." He said softly. Alex hugged him tightly and he returned the move.

"So, what's going on here?" Canton asked as he walked over.

The Doctor broke the hug quickly. "Nothing… Nothing at all."

Alex giggled and leaned him to down to whisper in his ear. "I think he's talking about the possible alien attack." _Although, it's not really an alien attack 'cause they were here a _long _time, like almost as long as us. _

The Doctor's mouth made a small 'o'. "Okay." He wrapped an arm back around Alex's waist and clapped Canton's shoulder as he passed him.

-x-

Alex was looking around with the Doctor. The brunette girl checked her watch from time to time, predicting when River would come up from the manhole. "Allie?"

She looked up and turned around. She almost tumbled backwards at how close the Doctor was to her. "Doctor?"

"You've been checking your watch for the last ten minutes now." He pointed out. _Damn_, Alex sighed, _leave it to him to notice_. She wasn't all that surprised, really. He was already watching her like a hawk because he was worried about her head. But, she had thought she was doing a good job at hiding it! _Apparently not_.

"It's…" Alex winced, she hated having to outright lie to her Doctor. "nothing." She finished. "It's nothing."

He watched her closely. He then her took her hands, and kissed one of them. "You know you can tell me anything, right love?"

Alex smiled faintly. "I know." She said softly. "It's…" _I can't say it, don't you dare say it, you can't tell him_. "It's nothing."

His face cleared, and Alex's heart dropped dangerously into her stomach. _Oh God, don't figure it out, please, I am _begging _you Doctor, don't figure it out_. "Does this have to do with earlier?" Alex blinked slowly; her mind had been so caught up with fear that she didn't understand what he was talking about.

"Earlier?" She repeated.

"When we met at the diner." Alex's face slowly cleared _ooooohhhh_… Alex relaxed, thankful that he thought it was that.

"Yeah." She said it slowly. It was probably a lie, _'cause hey I know how he's going to get out of it_. But it kept him from figuring out the real reason, and that was the important part.

The Doctor sighed, and it trailed across her knuckles. Alex echoed the action and ran her fingers across his jaw. She gave him a knowing look. She knew how frustrated he probably was right now. "Why won't you tell me?" Alex's face contorted a bit when she heard his hurt undertone. _Oh God, he's hurt_. Alex closed her eyes. _I hate it when he's upset. It kills me_. Alex wrapped her arms around him, and he sighed into her hair. "I want to know. I want to help." _But you can't Doctor. It'd do more harm than good if you were to know._

"I can't say." Alex said really quietly. "I just… can't. I know you hate it, but River says it right. It's spoilers." He sighed, but resigned. Alex knew that he knew it was useless, even if it hurt him, she was stubborn. _And he trusts me; he knows that I wouldn't keep something from him unless it was _really _important_. Alex lifted up and looked at her watch again. Just in that moment, River climbed up the ladder to the manhole in a hurry, panting. Alex watched as River's face cleared as if nothing was wrong. _She's forgotten_…

"All clear." River announced. _As if_. Alex sighed; she broke the hug with her Doctor. He smiled at her and kissed her nose. She smiled, enjoying their little moments together. "Just tunnels, nothing down there I can see. Er, give me five minutes; I want to take another look round."

"Stupidly dangerous." The Doctor called out to her.

"Yep, I like it too." Alex snickered as she walked over to River. "Lexa," she perked her head up, showing she was listening. "look after him."

Alex smiled and nodded. "Don't worry 'bout him, I won't let him out of my sight." As River climbed back down the ladder, Alex couldn't hold her tongue. "River," the woman looked back up. "Be careful." Alex put the seriousness of her warning in her eyes. River saw it and nodded, understanding.

Alex stood tall and walked back over to her Time Lord, now satisfied that River heeded her warning. "Rory, would you mind going with her?" She heard her Doctor asked as she nuzzled into him. He wrapped an arm around her thin shoulders.

"Yeah, a bit." Rory answered honestly.

"Then we'd appreciate it all the more." The Doctor patted his shoulders.

Alex tapped his shoulder. "Be careful." She repeated to him. He nodded. "Thanks Rory."

He sighed; he still seemed annoyed but was satisfied that at least Alex acknowledged it with a thank you. "Hang on, River, I'm coming too." He called to the blonde unenthusiastically.

-x-

"Help me!"

Alex's head snapped and whirled around to where she had heard Melody's voice. _Ah! _Alex's couldn't stop her motherly instincts from kicking in, but now stronger than ever before. _Melody_! Canton pulled out his gun and Alex turned back to him. "Help! Help me!"

"It's her!" Canton rushed off and Alex tried to grab him to no avail.

"Wait, Canton!" _It's a trap_! She thought. She held out a hand in vain as Canton disappeared around the corner. _Don't_!

Alex turned back around when she heard Amy's gasp of pain. "Amy?" The Doctor asked alarmed as he went over to her. "What's wrong?"

"I need to tell you something!" Alex knew what was going on, her mind quick to supply the information. _The Silence told her to tell the Doctor that she's pregnant. She tells him at the end of this episode, only later to say that she wasn't pregnant. That gets the Doctor suspicious and when he has the TARDIS check, it's indecisive, going back and forth between 'positive' and 'negative'. This gets the Doctor down the road on become suspicious of everything that the Silence is planning_.

"Doctor!" Alex turned back around to where Canton had left and walked over to the two.

"Amy, not now!" She told her ginger haired friend.

"It's important." Amy insisted. "It's really, really important."

"Doctor! Alex! Quickly!" Both turned to Canton's voice before turning back to their friend.

"What, now?" The Doctor asked exasperated. He grabbed both of the girl's hands and they rushed off to where Canton had disappeared. When they turned a corner they found Canton laying on the ground, unconscious.

"Oh my God! Canton!" Alex called as they rushed over to him.

"Is he alright?" Amy asked.

"Just unconscious." The Doctor said as he checked Canton for injuries. "Got a proper whack though."

"Doctor, Lexi, I need to tell you something." Amy said, insisting on the subject. "I have to tell you guys it now!"

"Not a great moment, Amy." The Doctor said, busy with other things. _Well, too late Doctor. She's gonna tell us anyway_.

"No, it's important, it has to be now!" Amy argued. _She's telling us this without even really realizing _why _she's insisting_.

"Help! Help me! Help me!" Alex's head snapped up as she looked around, hearing Melody's voice. _Where is she_? Alex remembered and whirled around to behind them. _There, she's gonna come through that door_.

"Doctor, Lexi…" That brought her attention back to Amy. "I'm pregnant." Heavy footsteps where then heard. Everyone turned and both the Doctor and Alex stood as the astronaut came walking towards them. "That's it. That's the astronaut." Alex could feel her heart pounding. Time slowed down again as she watched Melody's movements.

The astronaut raised its hand, and slowly the visor was lifted to reveal the small, scared face of Melody Pond. Alex's face widened, and her motherly instincts screamed at her to protect the little child with everything she had. Alex clenched her fists, fighting the urge. _Everything works out. Everything works out_. But the little voice didn't seem to hear her; it didn't even seem to _want _to hear her.

"Help me!" Melody repeated.

"Get down!" Melody's and Alex's eyes locked for a long moment. Melody's eyes begged to be saved, begged to be helped. Alex, without even realizing it, took a step towards the child. When Amy spoke, Alex's head snapped back around, her hair whipping around her face.

"What are you doing?" The Doctor yelled at the ginger. Alex's whole world slowed down. _No! Don't! Don't you dare, Amy_!

"Saving your lives!" Amy retorted.

"_NO_!" Alex screamed. Amy whirled around and fired the gun blindly, screaming loudly.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter Thirty Nine**

Alex ran as fast and as hard as her legs would take her. _Come on, got to get away, got to get away_.

And it wasn't the FBI agents that she was running away from…

Although, they did make things more difficult.

But, no, it wasn't them. It was the Silence that was on her ass that she needed to get away from. Alex climbed up a towering building in New Orleans. She had been all over the country, meeting up with Amy, Rory, and River from time to time. But now, she had decided to go south since she knew where everyone was.

Amy would be in Utah, River would be in New York, and Rory would be in Arizona. Since she and River had already scoped out the north western area of the USA, Alex figured it would be in their best interest to scope out the Deep South.

Alex had gotten into a bar just as the FBI came, and that's just adding to it since she had spotted some Silence beforehand. _Ugh, it is getting _so _annoying that they are memory-proof_! _These guys have to be the most annoying alien bad guys on _Doctor Who!

Alex had gotten onto the top of the large building and stopped when she saw some more Silence. They hissed at her as they walked closer. "I see you." Alex said confidently, and without taking her eyes off them, she took the cap off her marker and marked her skin. It was the only way they would be able to tell later if they had seen them. "I see you."

"You see more than your Doctor realizes." One of them hissed.

Alex's eyes blazed with ferocity and she glared at it hatefully. "You would know, wouldn't you?" The creature didn't answer but met her gaze evenly. However, as she glared at them all hatefully for bringing that up, they did all take a step back. "Ooh, scare of the me, are you?"

"You will never escape us, Alex. We will find you. You will help in the cause. You will do as we have planned for you to do."

Alex felt her throat close up, but she didn't stop glaring at them. She didn't like that sound of that. "You wish." She snapped.

"Alex." Without even meaning to, Alex turned around when she heard Canton's sing song voice from behind her. It had been a natural reaction, and the moment Alex turned her eyes away from the Silence, her memory of them faded. "Alex." The woman looked around in alarm. The Silence were gone when she turned her back around and started to run. "There she is!" Alex heard Canton say. "After her!"

Alex ran but stopped short when she saw she had reached the end of the roof. She looked down and saw it had to be a twenty to thirty foot drop. _Damn, why did I pick a tall building_? Alex thought with a sigh.

Alex turned around and faced Canton with confidence. "Do you even remember, Canton?" Alex asked. "Do you even remember why you're here? How you got here? Don't you remember the warehouse on that night?"

-x-

_Alex helped Canton up as Amy just stared at Melody in the spacesuit. _Got to get out of here, got to get out of here right now_. Alex thought rushed. _Need to get out of here, _right now_! _"Amy! Amy!" The Doctor yelled to her._

"_Amy! Move! We have to leave, _now_!" Alex ordered. Rory and River climbed out of the manhole to join in on the absolute chaos. They all rushed to get back to the TARDIS._

"_What the hell's going on?" Canton asked as he stopped. He held a hand to his shoulder. The rest of them looked behind him, keeping their eyes on it._

"_Look behind you." The Doctor said._

"_There's nothing behind me!" Canton insisted._

"_Canton, seriously, look behind you!" _And please, do it quickly so we can get out of here!_ Alex thought desperately. Canton slowly turned around and saw one of the Silence moving towards him slowly_.

-x-

"Yes, yes, and now aliens are invading America."

"You moron," Alex snarled. "You've already been invaded. America, the whole world, we've already been invaded a _long _time ago. So, correction: now aliens are _occupying_ America along with us humans."

"Now, now, Alex." Canton said. "Do you want to come with us the easy or hard way? I'm inclined for the hard way."

"Neither." Alex snapped, keeping up the charade.

"Come on, Alex, play along with us. There's no way out." Alex snorted. _Oh please, he insults me by saying that. As River said, 'there's always a way out'_.

"You're a fool, Canton." Alex said. She lifted her arms up so they were horizontal of her shoulders. "As my good friend River says, 'there's always a way out'." With that said, she let herself fall backwards off the side of the building.

She closed her eyes. She knew that the Doctor would never let her fall to her death. _Play my knight in shinny bowtie just like you always do, Doctor_. She thought with a smile. Just like she predicted, she heard the noises of the TARDIS landing, before she felt strong arms wrap around her waist.

She fell into the TARDIS, rolling a bit with the Doctor still behind her. She laughed freely. "That was fun!" She chirped as she lifted up her head.

"Allie, you shouldn't have done that." The Doctor scolded gently. She could have gotten hurt.

Alex rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Doctor! River did the same thing!"

"That doesn't make it okay." He said.

The brunette girl finally turned to him, to continue their argument, but it fizzled in the back of her throat when she saw that he had a beard now. "Eh…" She blinked and then shook her head. "No."

"No?" He repeated confused.

"No to the beard, darling." She explained, poking him in the now scratchy cheek. "You just can't pull off a beard, I'm afraid. Now, David Tennant, _he _could pull of a beard, but you cannot. Anyways, you looked so much better before without the beard!" He rolled his eyes and Alex was quick to respond. "Don't roll your eyes at me! I'll cut it off myself if I have to!" She pursued her lips, in a playfully serious way.

"Really?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

She turned. "Hey Amy," the ginger looked up. "You hold, I snip?" She asked, making a scissor motion with her hand. River chuckled at Alex's behavior. She hadn't changed one bit over the time the blonde had known her.

"You're just like him, Lexi!"

_Oh yeah, he says a similar thing in response to Rory's ponytail in 'Amy's Choice'_. "'Tis true. 'Tis true." She said, nodding her head. She wasn't at all surprised; she's lived with the man for quite a few years now. She would be more surprised if she _didn't _have any qualities that had rubbed off on her from her precious Time Lord. "Now," Alex jumped up. "Onto more important things," she said as she looked over at her Doctor.

He grinned and took the reins, also jumping up. "So, we know they're everywhere. Not just a landing party, an occupying force. And they've been here a very, very long time. But nobody knows that, 'cause no one can remember them." He explained as he pulled and pushed levers and buttons on the console.

"So what are they up to?" Canton asked. _Good question, one that we – and by 'we' I mean 'them' – will find out through this episode_.

"No idea." The Doctor answered. _You will soon, dear_. She thought. "But the good news is… we've got a secret weapon." The TARDIS landed and the Doctor ran to the doors. Without hesitation, he flew them opened and stepped out.

He stepped out onto some wetlands and everyone followed him. Alex stepped up next to him, and looked upon Apollo Eleven. _And here is where things get silly_. She did love this scene. She found what he said hilarious. "Apollo Eleven's your secret weapon?" River asked stunted. Even with her part Time Lord brain, she still couldn't figure out his plan. _That's because we're on step one and he's on step eleven or twelve_. That's how far ahead his brain thinks. _Well, actually I'd figure that with my foreknowledge I'm following him and also on step eleven or twelve, and with River's part Time Lord brain, I'm thinking she's got to be on like step five, six, or maybe even seven. _Hard to say really, only thing that Alex was sure about was River had to be ahead of the rest of them humans by at least a little.

"No, no, it's not Apollo Eleven." He said, answering vaguely. "That would be silly. It's Neil Armstrong's foot."

Alex nodded her head. _Because Neil Armstrong's foot isn't silly at all_. She rolled her eyes at her Time Lord.

-x-

_The Doctor was walking around, injecting everyone's hand with the nanorecorders. He started off with Canton. "Ow!" The man made a slight face as the recorder went into his skin._

"_So, three months, what do we know?" _That there is a _hell _of a lot of them?

"_Well, they're everywhere." Rory explained. "Every state of America." The Doctor soundlessly walked over to Rory and injected his hand. "Ow!" His voice went up at least to octaves. Alex chuckled. _

"_No just America, the entire world." The Doctor corrected._

"_That's true, love." Alex spoke up. "But there seems to be more of them around here, in America." The Doctor came over and injected her. "Owie!" She snatched her hand back, giving him a look and a petulant pout._

_He paused and gently took her hand back and kissed her palm. "Better?"_

_Her childish look melted away into a blush and smile. "Yes." He returned the smile and they nuzzled noses. Alex giggled and he grinned. _

_He then walked over to Amy and injected her. "Ow!" She hissed._

"_You okay?" The Doctor asked her, watching her closely. Alex stayed quietly out of the conversation. She knew what was going on, and didn't want to give away any sorts of signs that she did._

"_All better." Amy responded. _

"_Better?" The Doctor asked._

"_Turns out I was wrong. I'm not pregnant." _Or so you think, Amy_. Alex sighed. _Don't say that just yet_._

_Rory walked over. He didn't like that the Doctor and Amy were whispering to each other. "What's up?"_

_Amy answered quickly. She didn't want to tell Rory about the whole possibly pregnancy thing. "Nothing. Really, nothing, seriously."_

"_So you've seen them, but you don't remember them." Canton pointed out. _You've seen them too. _Alex thought. _

"_You've seen them too." River responded. "That night at the warehouse, remember? While you were pretending to hunt us down, we saw hundreds of those things. We still don't know what they look like." _No one seems to know what they look like.

_Rory explained in future detail. "It's like they edit themselves out of your memory as soon as you look away. The exact second you're not looking at them, you can't remember anything."_

"_Which is _super_ annoying." Alex commented. "I mean, come on, it's just _so _frustrating, 'cause you can never tell if you've seen them or not. We had to constantly be looking down at our arms, to see if we had an encounter or not, and even then, we still don't know remember anything we possibly could have learned because we don't remember!" Alex threw her hands up. "It was so annoying!"_

"_Lexa," River entered, not even bothering to look up at her. "You're rambling. Take a deep breath."_

_Alex did as told and took a deep breath. She realized that her mind went 50 miles ahead, and her mouth tried to keep up. This must be how the Doctor does it, Alex mused. She didn't even realize that she had said that all in one breath until River pointed it out._

"_Sorry," Alex sighed. "Had to rant a bit, it was that frustrating."_

"_And sometimes you feel a bit sick though, but not always." Amy added._

"_So that's why you marked your skin." Canton pointed out._

"_Only way we'd know if we'd have an encounter." Amy responded._

"_Again, _super_ annoying." Alex added._

"_How long have they been here?" He asked. _Longer than any of us know_, Alex thought._

"_That's what we spent three months trying to find out." Amy said. _Not the easiest thing to do if you can't remember anything you find out.

"_Not easy, if you can't remember anything you discover." Rory added._

"_But how long do you think?" Canton insisted._

"_As long as there's been something in the corner of your eye, or creaking in your house, or breathing under your bed, or voices through a wall. They've been running your lives for a very long time now, so keep this straight in your head. We are not fighting an alien invasion, we're leading a revolution." _Oh God, I _love _that line! _Alex squealed in her mind. "And today the battle begins."_

"_How's that, Doctor?" Alex asked still smiling at her happiness from hearing that line._

"_Like this." The Doctor quickly reached over and injected River's hand. The only reason why he hadn't gotten her soon was because she was at the TARDIS console, flying the ship._

"_Ow!" She said in surprise and pain as she waved her hand around._

"_Haha! Nano recorder. Fuses with the cartilage in your hand." The Doctor injected himself with a recorder. "Ow! Then it tunes itself directly to the speech centers in your brain. It'll pick up your voice, no matter what. Telepathic connection. So the moment you see one of the creatures, you activate it." The center of his palm, here the nanorecorders was, started to flash red_. Ooh, that's actually kind of cool. _Alex was always a sucker for something that was shinny, bright, glowing, or sparkly "And describe aloud exactly what you're seeing."_

_He pressed his palm with his middle finger, and the playback began. "_And describe aloud exactly what you're seeing."

"_Because the moment you break contact, you're going to forget it happened. The light will flash if you've left yourself a message. You keep checking your hand. If you've had an encounter that's the first you'll know about it."_

"_Why didn't you tell me this before we started?" Canton asked._

"_We did, Canton." Alex answered. She stepped closer to the Doctor and took his hand. She remembered what happened next, and it always gave her chills – the _bad _kind of chills. She thought it best if she stuck with her Doctor. "But it's not just the memory of the aliens that fade; it can be the information _about _the aliens that can also fade from memory as well. We couldn't refresh it in your memory because we had to play up the whole 'you're chasing us, we're running' scenario."_

_While Alex was speaking, the Doctor was pressing a few buttons on the console. Alex took a deep breath, bracing herself as Canton looked over his shoulder – and then looked back around and fixed the Doctor's bowtie. The others just watched him. Alex was squeezing the Doctor's hand, looking over Canton's shoulder instead. The Doctor squeezed back, hoping to calm her. _Damn, even if that thing is a hologram, it still gives me chills. I _hate _those things_. "What?" Canton asked. "What are you staring at?"_

"_Look at your hand." River said slowly._

_Canton, still confused, looked at his hand which flashed red at him. "Why's it doing that?" He asked. He hadn't pressed it at any point._

"_What does it mean if the light's flashing? What did I just tell you?" The Doctor asked._

"_I haven't…" _Just that you couldn't remember, Canton_. Alex thought. They just explained it. These creatures were memory proof; they would edit themselves out of anyone's memory. The moment he looked away is the moment he forgot._

"_Play it." Alex said softly. The Doctor gave her another squeeze._

_Canton did as he was told, and played it. "_My God, how did it get in here_?" Canton's voice came through frightened. Alex closed her eyes and buried her face into his shoulder, just listening to the conversation. The Doctor wrapped an arm around her shoulders._

"Keep eye contact with the creature and when I say, turn back, and when you do, straighten my bowtie._" The Doctor said in the recording. He wasn't frightened, and Alex could tell by his voice that he was planning something._

_Alex knew this would be where Canton slowly started to turn around. She still didn't have the heart to lift up her head, and kept it buried in her safety. "_What? What are you staring at?_"_

"Look at your hand_."_

"_It's a hologram," the Doctor finally explained. He still kept a tight hold around Alex's thin shoulders. "extrapolated from a photo on Amy's phone. Take a good long look." Alex finally showed her face as the hologram dissipated. She still kept her head on the Doctor's shoulder though. He didn't seem to mind, and even squeezed a bit when she pulled away a slight bit. Everyone's face cleared, _they don't remember it at all_. "You just saw an image of one of the creatures we're fighting. Describe it to me." He snapped his fingers._

"_I… I can't." Canton said. Alex could only remember what she saw from the episode, and not from actual experience. When the Doctor turned to the others, they all shook their heads, they couldn't remember either._

"_No. Neither can I." The Doctor confessed. "You straightened my bowtie because I planted the idea in your head while you were looking at the creature." He explained as he walked around to some different parts of the console._

"_So they can do that to people." Amy said. "You could be doing stuff and not really knowing why you're doing it."_

"_Ugh," Alex shuddered. "That's creepy." She looked down onto her arms and saw goose bumps. "Ooh look goose bumps!" She commented, completely distracted. The Doctor chuckled and rubbed his very warm hands up her arms. But that only made the goose bumps worse. She felt tingles go through her when he touched her._

"_Like post hypnotic suggestion." Rory pointed out, getting back on track._

"_Ruling the world on post hypnotic suggestion." Amy said. _

"_Oooh!" Alex wiggled her fingers at Amy and the two girls giggled._

"_Now then, a little girl in a spacesuit." The Doctor said, bringing their attention back to him. "They got the suit from NASA, but where did they get the girl?"_

"_She's a little girl in a spacesuit. I know that sounds like it would be easy to find, but it can't be. How the hell are we going to find her? I hate to burst your bubble, but there are _a lot _of homeless children out there on the streets. Which to be honest, I feel very sad about saying. There shouldn't be as many homeless kids as there are. But there are, and there's no changing it. And the thing is, we don't even know what she looks like. How are we going to find her? It's like a needle in a haystack."Alex would have kept going and going and going._

"_Lexi!" Amy cut her off. She snapped out of her little rant and looked around. They were all staring at her._

"_What?" She asked. "So I'm getting a little rant-y and stuff, but it's not my fault!" She announced and pointed at the Time Lord. He leaned away slightly to miss her finger. "It's his fault; he's been rubbing off on me _a lot _apparently."_

_The Doctor rolled his eyes. "I have a plan, love." He tapped her nose and she stuck her tongue out at him. "They probably stayed close to the warehouse, 'cause why bother doing anything else? And they take her from somewhere to cause the least amount of attention. But you'll have to find her. Allie and I are off to NASA." _Oh, are we now_? Alex thought with a raised eyebrow. Alex didn't need to look over the Doctor's shoulder to know that he was using the scanner to zoom in on possible locations for Melody in all of Florida._

"_Find her?" Canton asked. "Where do we look?" _Where else, Canton_? Alex thought with a grin, knowing where her Doctor was going._

"_Children's homes."_

-x-

So, that's how the Doctor and Alex ended up, well, in Apollo Eleven. Alex itched to help out the Doctor, but knew that she shouldn't. So, she just sat back, only helping him when he asked. However, there were many times when his hands would tangle up with hers. He claimed that he was helping her, but she knew that was a lie. Alex smiled to herself; she enjoyed the feel of his fingers wrapped around hers.

Both know that he was just using that as an excuse to hold her hands, and she couldn't complain. Her phone rang suddenly, and Alex used her knew blue tooth. "Hello?" She already knew who would be on the end of the line, but the Doctor didn't, and this conversation contained important information that was relevant to him.

"_I think we've found the place she was taken from_." The brunette girl relayed the information to her Time Lord.

"Ask her how she knows." The Doctor said as he continued to work hard.

"What makes you think so?" She asked.

"'_Cause those things have been here. But the whole place is deserted_." Amy explained. "_There's just one guy here and I think he's lost it."_

"Repeated memory wipes fry your brain eventually." The Doctor responded, once Alex explained to him. "Tell her to find out what she can, but don't hang around."

"Okay, Amy, find out what you can about that place, but the Doctor says _don't_ hang around." _Not that it's going to help. _Amy's gonna be gone by the time they got there, _but I've got nothing to worry about 'cause the Doctor's gonna find her_.

"_Where are you_?" Amy finally asked.

Alex was about to answer, a slight smirk on her lips, but she then looked down and saw that they weren't alone anymore. "Ah, gotta go, Amy, talk to you later." She hung up without giving the ginger a chance to answer. "Ah darn," she whispered into her Time Lord's ear. "This means we can't make out once we're done."

The Doctor choked on his own air. "A-Allie!" _Ah, but it did the trick, didn't it_? She wanted to get his attention, and she did.

"We've got company." She said, jerking her head towards the door. There, two scientists stood, looking in on them with very confused expressions.

Both brunettes sat up and looked at the men. "Don't worry." The Doctor spoke first, with confidence in his voice. "We put everything back the way we found it." Alex gave him a look and lifted up his hand, which still held one small wire. The Time Lord corrected himself. "Except this. There's always a bit left over, isn't there?"

-x-

Alex leaned back, annoyed. She slumped down as she pursued her lips. _Exactly how many times are we going to have to explain our story_? It was getting redundant, having to keep repeating themselves _over_, and _over_, and _over _again. The Doctor sat in the chair next to her, also handcuffed, legs crossed. "One more time, sir." One of the men started again. "How the hell did you two get into the command module?"

"We told you!" The Doctor answered with his voice full of annoyance. _How many times do we have to tell them_…? Alex groaned in her mind. Like she said before, _redundant_. "We're on a top secret mission for the President." He put emphasis on Nixon's title, hoping it would get through to them.

"Well, maybe if you just get President Nixon to assure us of that, sir, that would be swell." Alex glared as both men looked at each other, obviously finding this funny. _Too bad the joke's gonna be on them soon_. Just thinking about it made her smirk.

"Don't worry, gentlemen." She said, pretending she hadn't heard their sarcasm. "We already did."

The man scoffed, doubtful of that, but the double doors behind them opened. Alex smiled to them – _now who's the smug ones, huh_? – as the President Nixon walked into the room. Next to him, River and Rory – in period dress – acted as his aids. Alex waved a hand at River, who returned the gesture with a smile. The American girl smiled when she caught sight of the TARDIS behind them.

"Hello." Nixon greeted. Both men stood before their president with awe. "I believe its Mr. Garner, is that correct? Head of security?" He shook the man's hand.

"Ah, yes, sir. Yes, Mr. President." _You can call us many things, but you can't deny we're respectful to our president at least. _

The President then turned to the second man. "Mr. Grant, is it?"

"Yes, Mr. President." They shook hands as well. Alex leaned back again, and just because she could, she turned and kicked the Doctor's leg gently. He looked over at her, questioning her and she just shrugged, and then mouthed 'I'm bored'. He chuckled quietly.

Alex tuned the President out, since she already knew what he was going to say and kicked the Doctor's leg again. He then gave her a look, telling her to behave. Her lips curled up and her eyelids lowered. She saw him shudder a slight bit, but she knew that he enjoyed her flirty look. She then stuck her tongue out at him. He grinned, 'you better be ready to use that tongue'. He mouthed to her. 'Why? You got something planned?' She fired back. He just grinned at her, and it showed her _exactly _what he was thinking.

The brunette girl returned the grin, but she could feel her cheeks heating up, which she knew that the Doctor enjoyed. "Now, fellas, listen." Nixon brought them back to the present – instead of a realm where just the two of them existed. "This man and woman here – codenamed, the Doctor and Miss. Robinson –" Alex shot the Time Lord a scathing look, annoyed and a tad bit embarrassed that the name _stuck_. He just grinned at her; he, of course, was enjoying it. It was as if she was silently saying 'I hate you' and he was returning it with his usual response, 'no you don't', "is doing some work for me, personally. Could you cut them a little slack?"

"Er, President, they did break into Apollo Eleven." Nixon paused at this, and then looked past them to the two time travelers. The Doctor mouthed 'sorry' while Alex smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

"Well, I'm sure they had a very good reason for that." The President said, recovering from his small pause. _Good thing he trusts us, or else we'd be screwed. _"But I need you two release them now, so they can get on with some very important work for the American people." _More like the whole world_. "Could you do that for me?"

"Well…"

Nixon's face became serious. "Son, I am your Commander-in-Chief." Alex smirked slightly, enjoying that he whipped that out so quickly. _That should change their minds_.

And it did. "Then I guess that would be fine, Mr. President."

Nixon smiled. "Glad to hear it."

The MP came over and unlocked the Doctor's handcuffs. The Time Lord stood up, and waited until Alex's cuffs were unlocked as well. He then offered her a hand in a very gentlemen-y fashion. Alex smiled, enjoying the sweetness of her Doctor as she took his hand and stood up. "Thank you!" The Doctor said as he shook Mr. Grant's hand. "Bye bye." He said as he shook Mr. Gardner's hand before heading to the TARDIS.

Alex giggled as they walked. Alex's arms were wrapped around the Doctor's arm. "I love America." He chuckled with her.

"I think there's something you love more." River teased, a slight smirk playing on her lips. "With the way you two were flirting with each other back there."

"And why shouldn't we?" The Doctor playfully retorted after Alex and he had shared a grin with each other. "We're young."

Alex snorted. "Ha! _I'm _young." She corrected. "You're 908 years old, Mister." She then realized something. "Actually, I take that back, with the way you act, I swear you're a little boy on the inside." She teased.

He nuzzled her nose. "He's a teenager in love with it comes to you, Lex." Rory muttered. The two chuckled together, knowing just how much a 'teenager' the Doctor could get around Alex. _Rory's far more correct than I think even he knows_. The time travelers looked at each and smiled, _it'll be like a little secret then_… Their little secret.

"Oh, Rory, by the way." Alex spoke up as they entered the TARDIS. "You did it wrong." He looked at her, confused. What had he done wrong? Alex smiled. "Americans don't salute like this," She repeated his action, saluting with her palm out. "That's just the way the British do it. We do it like this." She then did it again, but this time her palm was facing down. "Ya know, for future reference."

Rory nodded. "Got it, Lex." Alex smiled and walked back over to her Doctor. And just on a whim, while he was unsuspecting, she reached over and kissed his cheek again. But this time, she made it remarkably close to his lips. She saw the Doctor close his eyes and leaned down closer to her, and she knew that he was aching to kiss her again.

She was too. She was dying to just reach up, grab the back of his head, and kiss him with everything she had. _But it's too early_. She told herself. _Just a little while longer, we've got more important things to do, and I can kiss the breath out of him – and myself – later_.

-x-

The Doctor had taken President Nixon back to the office. Alex was sitting in the chair, her legs curled up to her chest, her eyes distant. _In just a couple of minutes, Canton should be calling, telling River that Amy's in trouble_. She felt a hand come onto her shoulder, and looked over to see it was River. "What's wrong, Lexa? Something's worrying you."

"Can't say." She whispered. "But you'll find out. In…" She looked down at her watch. "around two minutes."

"He won't be mad." River whispered. Alex looked up at her, blue eyes wide. "When he finds out, he won't be mad. I promise, Lexa, he could _never _be mad at you."

Alex smiled softly. _I hope you're right, River_. If not… She was sure that would kill her. "Thanks River." She felt the woman give her a squeeze on the shoulder before the phone rang. _Right on cue_. River walked over to it, and Alex tuned it out, knowing what was coming.

She put her head back, faintly hearing River rush over to the doors and relaying the news to the Doctor. She heard him come into the TARDIS and off they were. The TARDIS landed quickly, and the Doctor stopped only momentarily before his girl. She opened her eyes when he sensed his presence, and saw that he was looking at her concerned. "Tired." She said as the only explanation.

He seemed to take in her lie – well, more like half-lie, she _was _tired, but that hadn't been what was bothering her – and grabbed her hand gently. She smiled at him and they bounded out of the TARDIS. "Canton, no need!" Alex said as they rushed up from behind him.

"Okay, gun down, I've got it." The Doctor confirmed. "Amy, we're here. Are you okay?" _Well, not really_. The Doctor used his screwdriver on the door.

"_I can't see_." Amy sobbed. Everyone rushed into the room, no one – excluding one –realizing that just a few feet away, pressed against the wall, was little Melody Pond.

They entered the room, but no one was there. On the floor was the spacesuit. "Where is she, Doctor?" Rory demanded. _There_. Alex said, as she spotted the blinking red light of the nanotransmitter. _Well, at least there's her voice_.

The Doctor didn't answer as he scanned the suit. River knelt down and opened up the visor, to show that nothing was inside. "It's empty." River announced.

"_It's dark, it's so dark. I don't know where I am. Please, can anybody hear me_?" Everyone turned to where the sound was coming from. Alex slowly bent down and picked up the small transmitter. She then showed it to everyone else, her eyes grave. Rory took it from her. _I'm sorry, Rory, I really am, but we'll get her back_. For some reason though, she just couldn't say it. She couldn't voice her thoughts.

"They took this out of her?" Rory questioned. "How did they do that, Doctor?" His wife's sobs came through the recorder. "Why can I still hear her?"

"It's blinking, Rory." Alex responded very, very quietly. "It means that it's live. It's not a recording." The Doctor opened his arms in offering, and Alex stepped closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Alex's arms slowly came around him and pressed against his shoulder blades.

"Amy, can you hear me? We're coming for you. Wherever you are, we're coming, I swear."

"She can't hear you." The Doctor intervened quietly. "I'm so sorry. It's one way."

"She can always hear me, Doctor." Rory replied. "Always, wherever she is. She always knows that I am coming for her, do you understand me? Always."

"_Doctor, Lexi, are you out there? Can you hear me? Doctor? Lexi? Oh, God. Please, please, Doctor, please, Lexi, just get me out of this_." _We will, Amy. Don't worry_.

"They're coming." Rory answered. "I'll bring them, I swear."

Someone came through the door. _Ah, yes, what was his name? Owner of this place… Um… Oh yeah! Renfrew! _"Hello, is someone in there? Who? I think someone had been shot. I think we should help. We… I can't… I can't remember." _Poor thing_. Alex thought. His brain really has been memory wiped so many times it can't function properly anymore.

-x-

Renfrew led them all back to his office, where the creature laid on the floor, grasping its wound. Alex hesitated near the door. She just couldn't see one again… She just couldn't… Not after…

"Allie?" The Doctor questioned. She just looked up at the Doctor – her beloved Doctor – and shook her head. She knew he could see it, see the clear fear that was in her eyes. The Time Lord cupped her cheek, and she saw the concern grow in his eyes. She shook her head again, but gently pushed him towards the door. _He needs to hear this conversation, while it's small, it's still important_.

The Doctor kissed her forehead, a silent reminder of his promise to never let anything hurt her. She pushed again and he went into the office. Alex hovered near the door, but didn't dare enter. "Okay." The Doctor muttered, as he knelt in front of it. It backed away from him and hissed. "Who and what are you?"

"Silence, Doctor." Alex couldn't stop herself from shuddering at the hissing voice. She tried to stop the memories that wanted to flood her mind's eye. "We are the Silence." Alex knew the Doctor would be having flashbacks of the previous mentions of the Silence; _The Eleventh Hour_; _Vampires of Venice_; _The Pandorica Opens_; _Big Bang Two_. "And silence will fall."

Thunder cracked loudly from outside. Alex pressed her forehead to the doorframe, her eyes closed tightly.

-x-

They went back to the warehouse so that they could do a proper examination of the spacesuit. A small TV was on in the background, showing a grainy white and black picture of the awaiting launch of Apollo Eleven.

Alex was barely paying attention to any of this as she paced back and forth quickly. One arm was wrapped in front of herself as the other hand, bent at the elbow was on her face – her index finger vertical to her eye, while the rest of her fingers curled around her mouth. She was going over her mental checklist again.

_The Doctor's gonna realize how the Silence work – how they're outer space leeches – and how they got a spacesuit. Canton then will take video of the Silence talking, which the Doctor will edit so it only gives the 'You should kill us all on sight' line, for later use. Rory, later, is listening to Amy, and she gives him that little speech about how it's him, and it always has been, but he misunderstands and thinks she's talking about the Doctor. The Doctor and Rory have a little talk. Then we go and get Amy and the Doctor gets all of the human race to basically become killers – weird, since it usually isn't his thing – by using the Silence's very words and power against them. And then we're off, River is taken back to prison, where that will probably be my chance to kiss the Doctor. _A slight blush came across Alex's cheeks. _Oooh… Just thinking about it… Oooohhh_… She withheld a shudder. _And then Rory finds out about Amy thinking she pregnant as the Doctor tests Amy with the TARDIS and he finds out that the results keep switching_…

"Allie!"

The American girl's head snapped up, bewildered by the sudden call of her name. "Ah! What? What?" She whirled around and came to face the Doctor. Even if he was hiding it, Alex could see that he was slightly annoyed, but he was mostly concerned.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?"

"He was calling your name for a bit now, and you didn't answer." River explained.

Alex made a small 'oh' with her face and looked back at the Doctor, sheepish. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"About what?" Alex could hear that while he wouldn't force her, he was curious. He always was curious about what she was thinking.

She shrugged. _Can't tell him, don't you dare tell him. Not one word_. "Stuff." She answered vaguely.

His lips pursued for a moment. He obviously didn't like that her answer, but didn't press it. He turned back around to the suit. Alex walked past him and started fiddling with it, just to give her something to do. When she looked up, however, she saw that River was looking at the Doctor. She turned her head around and saw he was sniffed the envelope before licking it. "Ooh. That's disgusting." Alex muttered. "Don't lick that, you don't know where that's been."

"It's been in my pocket." The Doctor answered.

"Yeah, I meant before that. You don't know where they put that. _Don't lick it_." She stressed it, feeling as though she was a mother who was scolding her son.

"You won't learn anything from that envelope, you know." River finally said. _Of course not, ordinary envelope that the future Doctor got from Craig_.

"Purchased on Earth, perfectly ordinary stationery, TARDIS blue." The Doctor listed off. _Ooh, aren't you just a genius Doctor_? A blind man could have told us all of that… "Summoned by a stranger who won't even show his face." _That's 'cause he's got his past self to show his face for him. _"That's a first for me. How about you?"

River looked at him, as he came closer. Alex felt her heart squeeze without much thought. She looked down, trying to ignore the bitter feeling that was curling insider her. _Oh stop it, River's your friend, get a hold of yourself_. But that didn't seem to matter. She just kept thinking about all those scenes she had seen in the TV show.

All those romantic scenes with Eleven and River…

The brunette girl fumbled, and dropped a bit of device that drew both the Doctor and River out of their conversation. Alex was surprised at how much pain that caused now. She didn't like to think about her Doctor with anyone else in that way. She wiped away the faint tears that gathered in her eyes. She saw a hand reach down and pick up what she had dropped. She looked at saw the Doctor looking at her.

He was close to her, even closer than he was with River, and that gave her some comfort. _I have to ask her_. She knew that this jealousy wouldn't go away until she talked to River. _I have to ask her if she has any feelings_. However, she wasn't entirely sure about her plan.

What if River said 'yes'?

What would she do if she did?

_Oh God, I can't think about that_… Even the mere thought of it sent a wave of pain through her. She didn't want to fight with River about anything. But she certainly didn't want to lose the Doctor.

"Love?" The American was brought out of her thoughts and looked over at the Doctor. "What's wrong, love? You look like your hurt about something." He said that last part quietly, knowing how she felt about others knowing something like that.

"I just…" Alex felt the words disappear. She saw her reflection in his crystal eyes. She wrapped her arms around his neck, desperate for physical contact. _Don't leave me, Doctor. Please, don't. I don't think I can stand on my own anymore_. If he left her, it would probably ruin her.

"Love…" He murmured. He was overcome by the sense of desperation that came from her. "What's wrong, love? What brought this on?"

She felt the words come to her lips, despondent feelings ringing in each word. "Don't leave, please don't leave."

The Doctor didn't understand at first. He held her too him, tightly, even so. Did she mean don't leave her now? Maybe she was worried about Amy. No. That wasn't it. The Doctor realized that the feeling within her words told him what it was. This was a long buried fear, coming to the surface. But why did it come out now? He looked over at River, he didn't understand, he had been talking to her.

Did she feel threatened by River? But that didn't make any sense either. Why would she feel threatened?

It didn't matter. The Doctor told himself. But the thought of what was going through her head seemed ludicrous. As if he would ever leave her! He did once, and he regretted it with all his being the whole time. He would _never _do it again. "I'm not going to leave you, love." He whispered into her ear. "Never. I will _never _leave you."

Alex let out the breath that she didn't realize she was holding in. It felt so much better when the Doctor whisper those words into her ear. It made all her petty fears go away, and only replaced them with confidence in her Doctor. "Sorry," she mumbled as she let him go.

He brought her back to him. "Don't be, love." The hugged longer, neither one wanting to let go. Both of them wanted to stay in their little world, where they could stay in the other's arms forever.

Alex was the first one to let go, she knew they were slightly off track, but she knew of a way to get them back _on _track. "So why a child?" She asked. "Why would the Silence be raising a child? What are they doing?"

"Keeping her safe." River responded. "Even giving her independence."

The Doctor gave Alex a meaningful kiss on the forehead, before he turned and started to pace, speaking as he did – more so to himself than the other humans in the room. "The only way to save Amy is to work out what the Silence are doing."

"I know." Rory responded. _He's probably stressed, here his wife gets kidnapped and we can't really do anything_… Aw, poor Rory.

The Doctor started snapping his fingers to emphasis his words. "Every single thing we learn about them brings us a step closer."

"Yeah, Doctor, I get it, I know." Rory repeated, and Alex could hear his frustration. Even more so, she could _feel _it, even from this distance.

"Of course, it's possible she's not just any little girl." _Oh she's not_. Alex thought dryly. _Let's see she's Rory's and Amy's daughter, who's River from the past, not to mention she part Time Lord_.

Yeah, that about summed it up, obviously _not _'just any little girl', eh?

"Well, I'd say she's human, going by the life support software." _You would say that, wouldn't you River_? Alex made sure her face didn't betray her thoughts. Basically meaning she didn't want a smirk coming across her lips. Although, to be fair that wasn't a _big _lie, since Melody was _mostly _human, mostly human with just a kick of Time Lord in her.

"But?" Alex asked. The way River said it, she could almost hear the word 'but' right after it.

"She climbed out of this suit. Like forced her way out." River showed them the seatbelt, which had been pulled apart with quite a bit of force. "She must be incredibly strong."

"Incredibly strong and running away." Alex smiled at the Doctor's tone.

"You like her, don't you?" _Well that's good, 'cause she's right in front of you_…

"Oh yes, I do." He kissed her cheek. "Never as much as you though, love." Alex smiled softly. He was trying to reassure her that there was no one else in his life that could take her place. _So he had figured out why I was acting the way I did before, huh_? She wasn't surprised. When it came to her, he was quick to figure out _everything_. _Well, hopefully not everything… He can't find out about_…

"We should be trying to find her." River chided. Who knows what the Silence are doing to her. _Well, I sorta do, but that's not the point_.

"Thanks for the reminder, River. Got any ideas?" Alex retorted. She gave the blonde a look that told her exactly what she was thinking. Instead of being angry, River's lips turned up into a faint smirk and went back to examining the spacesuit.

"I have the strangest feeling she's going to find us." _Funnily enough, she already _did _find us. _Alex thought.

"But there's still something that's bothering me." The Doctor looked over to his love. "I mean, I get everything else," _Actually that's a lie, I get _everything_, but we're just going to ignore that for now_. "Why a NASA spacesuit? I mean, really, _why_?"

"Because that's what the Silence do." Alex could almost see a light bulb go on, over her Time Lord's head. "Think about it. They don't make anything themselves. They don't have to. They get other life forms to do it for them."

"So they're parasites then?" River asked.

"Super parasites." The Doctor corrected. "Standing in the shadows of human history since the very beginning." _Ugh, that's kinda creepy to think about_. "We know they can influence human behavior any way they want. If they've been doing that on a global scale for thousands of years…"

"Then what?" Rory asked.

"Why did all of us humans suddenly want to go to the moon, Rory?" Alex asked. River's and Rory's face cleared. They understood now.

"_Ten, nine, ignition sequence start, six, five, four_…"

"Because the Silence needed a spacesuit." The Doctor answered.

"… _one, zero, all engines on. Lift off. We have lift off. 32 minutes past the hour, lift off on Apollo Eleven_."

-x-

Alex was in charge of the video when Canton sent it in. Her tongue stuck out just a slight bit as she fixed it. The Doctor and River were off, still examining the suit, but the Doctor was explaining Alex's behavior quietly to River. "Can you blame her?" River finally asked.

"But I don't understand." He said. "Why was she upset? It didn't make sense." He hated admitting that, because he wanted to understand everything about her.

River shook her head. Time Lord or not, the Doctor was still a _man_, and sometimes men would never understand women. "She was afraid."

"Yes, River, I understand that." The Doctor replied.

The blonde gave him a look. "She still is afraid, Doctor. I think she always been afraid from the beginning of when you admitted your feelings to the other."

The Time Lord paused, "why?"

"Because she's afraid that she'll lose you." River had only gotten Alex to explain this to her once. She had opened up to the blonde, and explained it all. "She's always been afraid of that. She's afraid that someone will come along, someone who she thinks is maybe prettier than her, or smarter, or something like that and that girl will steal you away."

"But… why?" The Doctor repeated. He couldn't even begin to _fathom _this. To him, it didn't make any sense why she would be afraid of that. No one could ever hold his hearts like she has. No one could take him away from her. No one could ever make him stop _loving _her with every possible thing that he had.

"Doctor, you are a brilliant man." River explained to him. She wanted to roll her eyes, at how _dense _this man could sometimes be. "You are a brilliant, wonderful, amazing man. There has been, is, and will be women that fall in love with you. She's worried that she's not going to be enough. She's not going to be enough to compare to you."

"But why was she jealous of you? We had just been talking." River sighed, and the Doctor almost lost it. She knew something about his girl, and he had to know. "River, tell me. You know something."

"She once said that it was about the show." River finally explained, very quietly. "That… That apparently we had become a couple in the show." The Doctor's eyes looked past her, deep in thought. "That was probably what got her worked up. She probably saw us talking, and it triggered the memories of what would be happening between us had it been in the show. That had to have hurt her." River couldn't imagine what that would feel like. She couldn't put herself in Alex's place. You love this man with everything you have, and remembering seeing him fall in love with another woman had to hurt like nothing else. It didn't matter if it was a _show_, that still must hurt.

"Oh my love…" The Doctor muttered. "She doesn't trust me?"

"It's not about trust, Doctor." River said. "The memory of the man that she loves with all of her heart and more, to a point where she cannot describe how much she loves this man, the memory of him falling in love with another woman. That has to be beyond painful."

The Doctor cringed. He did put himself in her place. He tried to imagine her with someone else, and the pain that rippled through him was unbearable. He loved her so dearly that the thought of someone else in her life, playing his role… It crushed him to no end. He forced himself away from that image, having enough. "Doctor," He looked up and she was waving River's device. "Got it." River and the Doctor looked at each other, a mutual understanding passing them as he got up to check it out.

"Okay, here it is." Alex said, as the Doctor came up behind her. As she pressed a few buttons to get it started, she felt the Doctor wrap his arms around her waist, and bury his face into her hair. "There…"

"_You should kill us all on sight_."

"There we go." Alex was proud of herself, but when the Time Lord didn't say anything she became worried. "Anytime you want to chime in, thanks." She muttered sarcastically. But even then, he didn't respond. She turned around, still in his arms, and tried to look at him in the face. He kept his eyes down and his face in her hair. "Doctor…" She whispered. "What's wrong, love?"

"Oh, love…" He murmured. "Oh, love I couldn't stand it."

"What?" She asked.

"_It_." He hissed it out. Alex raised an eyebrow; she still didn't understand what he was talking about, and without his face she couldn't tell what he was talking about.

"What's it?"

"You being with another man." There was a hint of a growl in his voice, telling her just how much he couldn't stand it. "That would tear me up inside." She still couldn't see where this was coming from… "But to think you had to see that for a while." She went rigid. She understood now.

"Ooh, Doctor." She cooed, forcing herself to relax. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm not with another man though."

"Love, love, look at me." He suddenly broke away from their hug to look deep into her eyes. Their eyes locked and there was nothing that could break it. "I would never, _ever_ be with another woman. There isn't a woman out there that could even _hope _to gain the _slightest _amount of love that I have for you."

Alex looked away and closed her eyes tightly. "Promise?" She couldn't stop herself. She swore that if this promise was broken, it would kill her.

"I _promise_."

How could she doubt him when he promised it like that?

The feelings coursing through her as the Doctor's warm body pressed against her was electrifying. _Good Lord, I don't think I'm ever going to get use to it_. And that was fine by her. She never wanted it to get old; she always wanted this to take her breath away. She always wanted this to make her breath hitch, make her heart jump, make her dizzy and lightheaded.

The Doctor slowly leaned down to her lips. Alex felt her heart race, and she let her eyes close, slowly leaning in as well. _Who gives a damn if this isn't the end of the episode? 'Cause I certainly don't. I just want to kiss him so badly_.

"Doctor, a unit like this, would it ever be able to move without an occupant?"

Both Alex and the Doctor halted their faces and the American cursed mentally. It took all her will power to pull her face away from the Time Lord's. _Damn, damn, damn, damn_! _I want to kiss him so badly_! The girl sighed bitterly. Why could she not just do that? She felt the Doctor mimic the action, and it slowly whispered across her forehead. She smiled at him humorlessly and he returned it.

Both wanted to kiss the other, but they both were having bad luck about it, apparently.

The Doctor was quicker about getting over it than Alex was. "Why?" He asked as he walked back over to the blonde.

"Well, the little girl said the spaceman was coming to eat her. Maybe that's exactly what happened." River offered. The unit, moving on its own, 'ate' the little girl and put her into itself so that she could become the controller.

Amy started to speak again, and both brunette time travelers heard it. Alex gave the Doctor a look, and both left Rory alone. "I love you. I know you think it's him. I know you think it ought to be him. But it's not, it's you. And when I see you again, I'm going tell you properly, just to see your stupid face. My life was so boring before you just dropped out of the sky." Rory's head dropped. _Oh come on, Rory, as if she loves the Doctor anymore_. Alex tried not to roll her eyes. _Out of all the woman I have to worry about, Amy is not even on my list_. She made her choice long ago, and that choice was Rory Williams. "So just get your stupid face where I can see it. Okay? Okay?"

The Doctor came and sat beside Rory. Alex sat down between his legs, and nudged Rory gently. "She'll be safe now. No point in a dead hostage." Alex smacked his chest. _Even if that's true, don't say it _now _Doctor_!

"Ow…" He rubbed the spot where she had smacked, confused as to why she did it. He was telling the truth…

"Can't you save her?" Rory asked.

"I can track the signal back. Take us right to her." The Doctor responded honestly.

"Then why haven't you?" If he had a way to find his wife all this time, what the hell had he been doing?

"Because then what?" The Doctor asked. "I find her, and then what do I do? This isn't an alien invasion. They live here. This is their empire. This is kicking the Romans out of Rome." Alex gave him a weird look.

"What are you talking about?" She asked. "Rome _fell_." _'This is kicking the Romans out of Rome_'? What is wrong with him? Is this another one of those analogies that he later decides is terrible and tells them to forget about it?

"I know. I was there." The Doctor said, with distant eyes. Alex shook her head. She had been there too.

"So was I." Rory added.

"Personal question." The Doctor suddenly said. _Oh gee, what a surprise_… Alex thought sarcastically.

"Seriously? You?" It was full of sarcasm.

"Do you remember it?" He asked, ignoring Rory's tone. "2,000 years waiting for Amy? The Last Centurion?"

"No."

Both Alex and the Doctor paused, looking at each other for a moment. She then looked back at the blonde, suspiciously. "Really? You're not… like lying or somethin'?"

"Course I'm lying." Rory answered. Another look was shared between the Doctor and Alex. _Course, 'cause that can't be something you can forget easily_.

"Course you are. Not the sort of thing anyone forgets." The Doctor pointed out.

"But I don't remember it all the time." Rory spoke up. The brunette listened closely, because she knew that – even though she's heard it before – that it was the first time he's talked about it. That wasn't something you just tune out. "It's like there's… a door in my head. I can keep it shut."

"_Please come and get me._" Amy spoke up again, sobbing through the recorder. "_Come and get me_."

The Doctor stood up, and listened, deep in thought. Alex got up herself and wrapped her arms around his waist, resting her head on his back. He took one of her hands and kissed her knuckles. _Come on, love, remember… think… you know how to do this_…

-x-

Alex opened the doors and grinned evilly at all the Silence that were gathered around. "Hey ya'll!" She exited the valiant ship, followed by the Doctor who had a TV under his arm, who was followed by River who naturally had her gun out and aimed at all the enemies.

"Oh! Interesting. Very Aickman Road, seen one of these before. Abandoned, wonder how that happened. Oh, well! I suppose I'm about to find out. Rory, River, keep one Silent in eyeshot at all times. Oh, hello, sorry. You're in the middle of something. Just had to say though, have you seen what's on the telly? Hello, Amy, you all right? Want to watch some television?" _Just get on with it, sweetie_. Alex thought with a roll of her eyes and a smile.

The Silence tried to move closer and Alex spoke up, consciously trying to copy the Doctor's command tone. "Ah, ah, ah! Stay where you are. Wanna know why? He," she pointed to her darling Doctor, "is confident. _Never _good – or at least, never good in your case, _fantastic _in my case – when he's confident. Ah, of course, how can I forget? We also have our lovely friend here, River Song, here. Never going to meet someone like her again; _epic _hair, clever, and oh, she's got a gun, and unlike the Doctor and me, she's not afraid to shoot you all where you stand." Alex smiled sweetly, although it came out slightly evil. "Basically, she's just plain _awesome_."

"Thank you, sweetie." River said. Alex turned and winked at her.

"I know you're team players and everything," The Doctor took the reins again, "but she'll definitely kill the first three of you." By now, Alex and the Doctor were back to back.

"The first seven, easily."

"Seven, really?" The Doctor asked, surprised.

"Oh, River," Alex smiled and pressed her head to the Doctor's shoulder. "Make it eight, just for him."

"Stop it." The Doctor said, and both had their flirtatious grins on, which matched their flirty tones.

"Oooh, make me, love."

"Yeah, well, maybe I will."

"Is this really important flirting?" Amy snapped. "I feel I should be higher on the list right now."

That got them both back on track. "Yeah, right, sorry." _Man, we can get distracted in the weirdest times_. Alex thought bemused. "As I was saying, our lovely friend here is going to kill the first three of you to attack, plus him behind. So maybe you want to draw lots, or have a quiz."

"What's the got?" Amy whispered to the ex-Centurion as he came over to untie her.

"Something, I hope." He responded.

"Don't worry," Alex jumped in, putting a hand on their shoulders. "He's got something, definitely. Just… Just be warned it _will _get a little crazy in here." She then smiled at them, a smile of fond memories and bemusement, since it _always _got crazy with the Doctor, that gave no comfort to the couple and walked back over to her Doctor.

He was walking around the console, talking. "Or maybe you could just listen a minute, because all I really want to do is accept your total surrender, and then I'll let you go in peace. You've been interfering in human history for thousands of years. People have suffered and died. But what's the point in two hearts, if you can't be a bit forgiving now and then." He stared into what had to be the leader's face. As if. Alex thought. He's not gonna let them go. "Ooh! The Silence. You guys take that seriously, don't you? OK, you got me, I'm lying. I'm not really going to let you go that easily. Nice thought, but it's not Christmas. First," He turned on the TV. Oooh, here it comes, "you tell me about the girl. Who is she? Why is she important? What's she for? Guys, sorry. But you're way out of time. Now, come on, a bit of history for you. Aren't you proud, because you helped?" He pulled up the TV antenna, and didn't give the Silence a chance to answer. If there were going to answer, who knows what they were going to do? "Do you know how many people are watching this live on the telly? Half a billion, and that's nothing, because the human race will spread out among the stars, you just watch them fly. Billions and billions of them, for billions and billions of years. And every single one of them, at some point in their lives, will look back at this man, taking that very first step, and they will never, ever forget it."

The Doctor watched the moon landing unfold for a moment. "Oh." He took out a phone, "but they'll forget this bit." He spoke into the phone. "Ready?" Alex knew, on the other end, Canton was ready to go and answered him. He then put Amy's phone to the phone the Doctor had given him. Within seconds, the device that the Doctor had hooked up to Apollo Eleven would activate.

_And then_… "_It's one small step for man_…"

The broadcast was interrupted with the video that Alex had fixed up. "_You should kill us all on sight_." It looped and repeated, so that everyone, all four billion people watching this right now, would see it.

"You've given the order for your own execution," The Doctor said, and his voice was full of victory, because he had won this round with the Silence. _I still find it strange that he does this. This isn't in his nature, I thought. He's not into killing anyone_…

"_One giant leap for mankind_."

"And one whacking great kick up the backside for the Silence!" The Doctor added. "You just raised an army against yourself. And now, for a thousand generations, you're going to be ordering them to destroy you every day. How fast can you run? Because today's the day the human race throw you off their planet." The leader advanced onto the Time Lord, and thankfully he was smart enough to back away. _Oh yeah, and here's where it gets messy_. She gave River a look, who nodded, aiming her gun, ready for the fight. "They won't even know they're doing it. I think, quite possibly the word you're looking for right now is 'Oops!' Run! Guys, I mean it, Run!"

River started to fire at that exactly moment. The Doctor went back to back with her, and used his screwdriver as well. Alex ducked down out of the way of a blow as the Silence drew up their energy. "I can't get her out!" She heard Rory yell over the noise. She grabbed the Doctor's arm and dragged him towards Amy so they could get her out.

"Go, just go!" Amy commanded.

"We are not leaving without you!"

"Will you just get your stupid face out of here?" Rory stopped everything he was doing and just stared up at Amy. _Finally, he realizes it_.

"Okay! Time to get out of here!" Alex yelled over the chaos. "TARDIS!" She called, and even in all the craziness she still used a sing-song tone. "We're coming, darling!" She was sure in any other case, she would have heard the lovely ship give a hum, ready to greet them, but of course, that was not the case here.

The Doctor used his screwdriver on the straps to set Amy free. Both Rory and Alex helped her get down and to the TARDIS. After making sure that Amy was fine, Alex went back to the doors, grinning as she past the Doctor – knowing their little conversation they had. She leaned down the doors just in time to hear River's and Rory's conversation for herself. "So, what kind of doctor are you?" He asked. _Not one you wanna mess with, that's for sure_. Alex grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

"Archaeology." River answered with a straight face. Without even looking over her shoulder, River pulled out her gun and shot at the Silence behind her. "Love a tomb."

"River, you scare me sometimes." Alex imputed. Both women shared a laugh as they entered the TARDIS, leaving Rory there to be stunned.

River came up to the console with pushed the Doctor out of the way so she could do her magic. "You can let me fly it!" The Doctor's tone reminded the American of a sulking child again. She smiled endearingly.

"Or we can go where we're supposed to." River responded. "Lexa, please pull that lever." Alex didn't even bother to turn, and pulled it down from behind her. When the TARDIS gave a slight groan, seeming not to like that action, she pressed a button that was next to it and the TARDIS calmed.

Alex then leaned so she could watch Amy and Rory from around the console. "Aw," she cooed when they were done.

"They're cute, aren't they?" Alex smile when she heard the rumble of the Doctor's voice next to her ear.

"Oh yeah, totally. They are just… _perfect _too, ya know?" She could feel him nodding his head.

-x-

River had gotten them to the right place, just like she said. After picking up Canton, they went back to the Oval Office to say goodbye to both Canton and Nixon. "See ya around, Canton. Good man." _And I know that I will, since I know the whole future and stuff_…

He smiled. "See ya around, Alex."

"So, we're safe again?" Nixon asked as he shook the Doctor's hand.

"Safe?" The Doctor almost scoffed at the word. _Ah, safe is a relative word, isn't it_? Alex tried not to laugh. If she had to do a tossup, she's rather be in the TARDIS with the Doctor on some crazy, psycho adventure than _safe_. "No, of course you're not safe. There's a billion other things out there, waiting to burn your whole world. But if you want to pretend you're safe, just so you can sleep at night, okay, you're safe. But you're not really." He turned to Canton, ignoring the President's face. "Canton. 'Till the next one, eh?" They shook hands like good friends.

"Looking forward to it." Alex jumped out of the TARDIS for a moment and walked over to Nixon.

"So, Mr. President, all Canton wanted was to get married. I mean, that's not a _great _reason to kick him out of the FBI, huh?"

"I'm sure something can be arranged." Nixon answered.

The American girl shook hands with him. "We're counting on you." The girl grabbed the Time Lord's arm and started to walk back to the TARDIS.

"Er, Alex," she paused and both brunettes turned. "Canton here tells me you're… from the future." Alex tried not to wince; _we really shouldn't give that information out much. People are gonna be asking how the future is, and that's not a question that should be answered_. "Hardly seems possible, but I was wondering…"

"Before you start, Mr. President," Alex spoke up. "Just know that I'm really not one to answer a lot of questions." _Or more so, I'm not one to reveal the future just because my President asks me_. She loved her President, but there were some things she just drew a line in.

"But I'm a President at the beginning of his time. Dare I ask, will I be remembered?"

Alex's eyes widened and she and the Doctor shared a look. "Not to worry, Mr. President, they're _never _going to forget you." Her voice turned wry, almost dry. The Doctor and Alex turned and they walked to the TARDIS again.

"Say hi to David Frost for me." The Doctor called and Alex elbowed him harshly. "Ow…"

-x-

River was now back in her cell, with the door open and Alex was leaning against some of the bars. "I would ask you to come with us, but I already know your answer."

River smiled. "You'll understand soon, Lexa."

"Oh, I think I already understand." Her tone turned almost dry.

"I know what you want to ask me, Lexa." Alex and River shared a look. The blonde smiled kindly. "And no, I don't like the Doctor in any way like that."

Alex didn't say anything for a long moment, but she finally relaxed her body. "You have no idea how happy that makes me." She mumbled.

She smiled, "you haven't kissed him this whole time, Lexa. You really should." River couldn't understand what was holding them back, but maybe that was it. Maybe it was her fear of River falling for the Doctor that stopped her.

Alex grinned, and a flush came to her cheeks. "Oh I was thinking the same thing." She winked at the blonde.

The Doctor finally exited the TARDIS and walked up to the cell. "You could come with us." He pointed out as he leaned against the bars next to his girl.

"I escape often enough, thank you." River responded. "And I have a promise to live up to. You'll understand, soon enough." She fixed his bowtie.

"Okay, up to you." He turned and walked back to the valiant ship. "See you next time. Call me." _As if. You never answer your phone_.

"Lexa," River whispered and motioned her head to the Time Lord. Alex took a deep breath and turned. The Doctor was watching them curiously. He finally locked eyes with her as she walked closer.

"Am I forgetting something?" He asked his girl.

"Shut up." She said and just grabbed his face and kissed him with everything she had.

Her head just about exploded with emotions. Her heart jumped out of her chest. Butterflies filled her stomach. She just could not describe the feeling of finally being able to kiss her Doctor again after _so long_. The feeling was like happiness, but to a whole different level. So much higher and more exciting than happiness. The Doctor's hands came up and rested against her hips and he dragged her closer to him.

She completely lost track of everything else around her, and just wanted to drown in the taste of his minty lips. She was becoming dizzy, and tried to fight the spinning, but was losing that battle. Finally, the Doctor's lips trailed away from her and she lost her breath again. Of course, only now did she realize her ragged breath and figured that she must have stopped breathing at some point. His breath was just as heavy. _So, I fulfilled that promise to myself and kissed both him and myself breathless_.

"What's wrong with you two?" River asked and Alex dragged herself out of the muck that had become her brain. "You're acting like you've never done that before."

"We haven't…" The Doctor whispered against her lips. It fanned across them, and Alex resisted the strong urge to kiss him again. She realized that their foreheads were pressed together, and she had a tight hold of his hair, which had been what was giving her the leverage in the kiss. One of the Doctor's hands was pressed against the space between her shoulder blades will the other one was pressed against her tailbone.

"Well, we as in you being Eleven and me haven't…" Alex mumbled. Her lips felt numb, and she so badly wanted to stop talking and kiss him again.

"You haven't?" Alex was so badly resisting the urge to kiss the Doctor's delicious lips that she didn't hear the sound of shock and sadness in River's voice.

"We… We should be off." The Doctor slowly dragged his body away from hers and Alex burned with the intent to grab him and keep him close to her. She resisted and backed away her self – and it took all her willpower to do so. "Let's go, yes, love, let's go."

"Yeah." She fixed her shirt and they entered the TARDIS together. "Well, first time for everything." She mumbled but turned and waved at River goodbye before entering the ship.

However, the moment Alex closed the doors the Doctor threw his hands up against the wood, right next to her head. She jumped and looked at him startled but he just devoured her lips in another burning kiss. Alex took a hold of his hair again and moaned in delight. The Doctor growled against her lips thickly and took her chin and opened her mouth in order to plunge his tongue into her mouth.

They were so busy eating each other's faces off that they hadn't realized that Amy had come up behind them. "So, you're finally making out, huh?"

They started and both turned. "Hi Amy," Alex whispered. She was amazed she could talk since her lips were burning so badly they were almost numb. She knew that Amy had a smug look on her face, but ignored it.

The Doctor got back on track to fly his ship. "Rory I'm going to need thermo couplings. The green ones and the blue ones."

"If you're not busy sucking Lex's face off." Rory mumbled but he walked off even so to find the thermo couplings. Alex burning brightly in a blush. _I'm not sure what we're going to do if this burning feeling continues_. She hoped it was just the burning sensation of finally being able to kiss after all this time, and it will fall back down to a natural pace after a while.

The Doctor grabbed Alex's hand and walked her up to the console. Alex almost tripped, since her legs were weak from this kissing fest. "So." The Doctor said as he walked up to Amy.

"So?" She repeated.

"You're okay, Amy?" Alex asked concerned.

"Fine." She answered. "Head's a bit weird. There's lots of stuff I can't quite remember." _Like the photo of you holding your child, which was in the little room where you were kidnapped_… Alex thought dryly.

"After effect of the Silence." The Doctor explained, _isn't he just scientific-y_? "Natural enough. That's not what she was asking. You told us you were pregnant."

"Yes."

"Why?" _Because the Silence did that because they probably want you to know your own death is coming from Amy's own womb_. Alex mentally winced at that. _Ugh. I hate this plot line… I can't stand to think what he's gonna do if he finds out_…

"Because I was. I thought I was. Turns out I wasn't."

"Amy, why tell us though?" Alex asked, clarifying the question.

"You guys are my friends. You're my best friends." Amy smiled at them.

"Did you tell Rory?" The Doctor asked.

"No." She responded.

"Amy, why tell your best friends but not tell your husband?" _Out of all the people, she should at least start to realize that's a little funny. I mean, come on, who does that? If you find out your pregnant, the most _common _reaction is to tell the husband first_.

"Why do you think?" Amy replied. She made it sound obvious for why not. "I travelled with you two in this TARDIS for so long. All that time. If I was pregnant for some of it, wouldn't it have an effect?" _Oh yeah, totally, it makes your daughter part Time Lord_. Alex didn't voice her thoughts. "I don't want to tell Rory, this baby might have three heads, or like a time head or something." _Time head_? Alex giggled.

"What's a time head?" The Doctor asked with a smile.

"I don't know, but what if it had one?" Amy replied.

"A time head, really, Amy?" Alex teased.

"Shut up, alright!"

They laughed. _Ah, a time head… That's just silly_.

"Oi! Stupid face." Amy called to her husband. He had been taking an unnaturally while to get some thermo couplings.

Rory started a bit but then made his way back to the console. "Er, yeah. Hello."

Amy spotted the recorder that was still in his hand. "Taking that away from you, if you're going to listen in all the time." She complained. _I wouldn't mind in any other case. Right now, I would mind… _She could understand where Amy was coming from.

"Okay, that's a fair point." Rory admitted. "But you should've told me you thought you were pregnant. I'm a nurse, I'm good with pregnancy."

"Not, as it turns out, that good. So can you stop being stupid?" She went over and hugged him.

"Er, no. Never. I'm never, ever going to stop being stupid!" Rory picked her up off her feet and they laughed.

"So, this little girl, it's all about her. Who was she? Or we could just go off and have some adventures. Anyone in the mood for adventures? I am. You only live once." Amy, Rory, and Alex shared a look, reminded of what they know. He smiled at Amy and then turned and twirled Alex over to him. She giggled, and he cut it short by bending down and kissing her heatedly on the lips.

He had waited for this for so long that he couldn't help himself. He couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to hear her moan. He wanted to feel her body against his. He wanted to be with her again as he once had been. And he got to feel and hear all of these things as he pressed her against the console with his hips.

She whined as he pulled away, not at all finished kissing him. He looked up for a brief second to see the results on the full body scan on Amy. He asked the TARDIS to scan for pregnancy, because something about it seemed very off. The results then jumped back and forth between 'positive' and 'negative'.

Alex brought him back to her as she dragged his face down to hers and kissed him with all her might. He groaned deeply, loving her taste. Oh, how he had missed this. He buried deep into her, feeling her warmth and finally feeling whole again. He filed away Amy's troubling situation for now and just enjoyed her taste.

"I love you…" He whispered, the words burning within. It felt like such a _wonderful _release to be able to say them.

"I love you too…" Alex responded, and her heart jumped. The same feelings were coursing through her as they bent down and kissed again under the soft glow of the TARDIS lights.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter Forty**

"Doctor, I want to go to the sea!"

The demand had come from Alex Harper, who hadn't been to the sea in a very long while and wanted to go _now_. Also, she knew that _Curse of the Black Spot_ was coming up, and knew that if she asked to go to the sea, then that would take them there. _With some help with the TARDIS, of course_. And she could feel the ship was in with the American as she hummed.

"Alright, love, we'll go to the sea." Over the course of the week the Doctor hasn't lost his new found enthusiasm. Of course, all the humans knew that it was because Alex and he was finally a couple. He was stealing kisses from her like no tomorrow. _Like this instance_… As the Doctor passed her, he leaned down and kissed her deeply. Alex couldn't complain one bit, and enjoyed receiving those little kisses. Of course, sometimes they'd become more than _little _kisses.

"Mmmm…" She sighed against his lips, enjoying his minty taste. She was thankful though, that she had been right and that ungodly fire that had consumed them at the end of _Day of the Moon _had been brief, and they now were at a much more comfortable pace. _I mean, it was hot that the Doctor and I made out through the whole night, but man, I don't think I could have stand that _all _the time_.

"Even better, love," the Doctor said as he was finished taking her breath away. Alex blinked, trying to focus on his words. "I'll take you to a pirate ship." _Cha-ching_! That would be the sound of her winning again. She was good at predicting how the Doctor would react in order to get him to follow the episodes. _I am _very _good_!

"Doctor what's that?" Alex asked when she saw a red flash coming from the monitor of the TARDIS. He leaned over and looked at it.

"It's a distress signal." He muttered. "It's nearby."

"Let's check it out, then?" Alex asked, knowing that was what lead them to the episode. "And, hell, from where it seems to be, it'll take us to a pirate ship anyways."

"Good idea, love!" He kissed her lips again and revved up the engines. When they finally landed, he turned to her. "Shall we?" The Doctor offered his arm, and Alex took it and all of them exited the TARDIS.

"Eh." The brunette cringed a bit at the sea water. She picked her feet up to try and make sure that it didn't soak too much into her shoes. They walked over to a hatch that was their only way to the topside of the ship. Alex hissed slightly as her hand caught onto a rusty nail. She waved it around a bit, but kept walking, not bothering to look at her hand to see a small black spot appearing.

Rory shoved on the hatchet as the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver in order to open it. Amy and Alex were encouraging them, but they didn't move to help them. Amy had responded that they were girls, and that it was the boys that did the labor intensive work. Both men rolled their eyes, but did as the ginger told.

The hatchet finally burst opened, and the time travelers came face to face with a small pirate crew. "Yo ho ho!" The Doctor said, but his face fell when he didn't get a response. "Or does nobody actually say that?"

-x-

A lot of commotion started up at them being there, and that lead them to being dragged to the captain's cabin. This lead to them to being questioned by the captain himself. _Ah, this is just a wonderful way to be introduced_… Well, she figured it was better than just appearing on their ship out of nowhere with nothing more than the sounds of scrapping engines. "We made no signal." The captain said.

"Our sensors picked you up." The Doctor tried to explain. Alex rolled her eyes, knowing the word 'sensors' would make _no _sense to these men. "Ship in distress." _And it's not even this ship that sent the signal we picked up_.

"Sensors?" The Captain looked at him with confusion and suspicion.

Alex leaned the Doctor over to whisper in his ear. "Maybe you should try a different word."

"Yes. Okay. Problem word." The Doctor muttered. _Yeah, try again love_. "Seventeenth century."

Alex rolled her eyes and explained it better to the captain. "Our ship… _noticed _that you're ship was having a bit of trouble." She explained.

"That big blue crate?" He asked. It wasn't a ship. It was a box. How could a box be a _ship_?

Alex grinned as the Doctor snapped his fingers at him. "'Tis more magic, Captain Avery." _Ah yeah, _that _was his name_. "They're spirits. How else would they have found their way below deck?" Or_ maybe we _do _have a ship that can appear anywhere including below deck of your ship_.

"Well, I want to say multidimensional engineering, but since you had a problem with sensors I won't go there." _Yeah, best not_. "Look, I'm the Doctor, this is my lovely girl, Allie," she lifted up a hand to wave, "this is Amy and Rory as well. We're pirates, same as you. Arghhhhh!" Alex tried not to smile, and was failing as the Doctor turned around and looked at the men behind him. However, when he looked forward again Avery had a gun to his face. "Except for the gun thing." The Time Lord muttered.

"And the beards." Alex added. "We don't do beards, and don't you dare try one again." She waved her finger at her time travelling boyfriend.

"Wouldn't dream of it, love." He kissed her temple and she blushed slightly.

"You're stowaways!" Avery said, bringing the attention back to him. "Only explanation." _Actually, not true, we just gave you the _true _explanation, you just don't believe it_. "Eight days, we've been stranded here. Becalmed. You must have stowed away before we sailed."

"What do we do with 'em?" One of the pirates asked.

"Oh, I think they deserve our hospitality." Avery put his gun back into its place but Alex still winced. She didn't like the sound of that.

-x-

The Doctor stood at the edge of a plank jutting over the side of the ship. The pirates laughed. _Oh so pirate-y, if ya know how to do that kind of laughter_… She thought bemused. Amy, Rory, and herself were all being restrained by separate pirates. Alex was a little fidgety, since she really didn't want to see her boyfriend drown. "I suppose that laughing like that is in the job description. 'Can you do the laugh?' Check. Grab yourself a parrot. Welcome aboard." He was jumping slightly, looking more like he was just going to jump into someone's pool instead of the _sea_.

"Stocks are low." Avery spoke up. "Only one barrel of water remains. We don't need three more empty bellies to fill. Take the doxies below to the galley. Set them to work. They won't need much feeding."

"Oi!" Alex said ticked. "I am _not _going anywhere! And you can't make me!" She stomped on the man's foot and he grunted in pain. She rushed around him and to her Doctor. "Doctor!" Avery turned and grabbed her in a tight grip. "Let me go! Doctor!"

"Love, no need to fight." He said.

"I am not about to let you take a _swim_!" Her voice came out high pitched at the end.

"Its fine love, everything's fine."

"Oh, of course you _would _say that wouldn't you?"

Amy, however, was still taken below deck. "Rory, a little help?"

"Hey, listen right. She's not a doxy." In any other situation, Alex was sure she would have laughed. _Amy hadn't been talking about telling them off, Rory_.

"I didn't mean just tell him off. Thanks anyway." The pirate forced her below. Alex swung her leg at him when he tried to come and get her next.

"Enough. Let her swim with him if she's so desperate." Avery said. Alex gave a 'humpf' and straightened herself as much as she could. "If you're lucky you'll drown before the sharks can take a bite."

"If this is just because I'm a captain too, you shouldn't feel threatened. Your ship is much bigger than mine." Alex tried not to snort to give his lie away. _Much bigger than yours my ass, love_. "And I don't have the cool boots. Or a hat, even."

"I'll get you one for your birthday, love!" Alex called to him. She didn't have to see his face to know that he was smiling at that.

Avery had enough chatting and aimed his pistol at the Time Lord's back. "Time to go."

"A bit more laughter, guys?" He waved his hands and the men started to laugh again.

Alex looked around, noticing that they were the only men on the ship. _Oh yeah, that's right. The rest are with the 'Siren' or really just the programmed nurse from the other ship_. She decided to bring up the topic anyways. "Where's the rest of you?" She asked. "Big ship for just the five of you, eh?"

Avery didn't say anything, but Alex could see the look clear in his eyes. He was afraid now that she mentioned it. _Well naturally, they don't understand that she's actually trying to help his men. Of course, she could work on _how _she took them to her ship, 'cause really if they scream and 'dissipate' to get to the other ship, no wonder they'd be afraid of her_…

"Boo!"

Everyone whirled around to see Amy with a nice pirate-like coat and hat on. She had a sword pointed at Avery's throat. _Oh, bad idea, black spot on hand and ugh_… She sighed to herself. She had been so preoccupied by her Time Lord possibly taking a swim that she had forgotten the fact that Amy does this. _Damn_. "Throw the gun down." Amy ordered.

_But hey_… "You look good at a pirate, Amy." Alex offered off-handedly.

The ginger threw her best friend a smile. "Thanks, Lexi." Avery did what the woman ordered, and put the gun onto the ground. She kicked it away, keeping her eyes on the captain. "The rest of you, on your knees." Alex took a couple of steps back, since Avery had let her go.

"Amy?" The Doctor called, moving away from the end of the plank. "What are you doing?" Instead of his tone being relieved or thankful, it was full of alarm, and possibly disapproval. _Yeah, well that's the Doctor for you. _Alex sighed. _Unless it's River it seems, he still doesn't like violence or anything like that, even if it did save his life_.

"Saving your life." Amy stressed, irritated with his lack of approval. "Okay with that, are you?"

"Put the sword down." Avery spoke up. "A sword could kill us all, girl." _Well, not really, like I said, she's trying to help you; she's just doing a horrible job of showing it_. Alex helped the Doctor get back onto the solid flooring of the ship. She then hugged him tightly, and he returned it, kissing the top of her head.

Amy spoke crisply, not understanding what Avery was really saying. "Yep, thanks. That is actually why I'm pointing it at you."

"Amy, watch it!" Alex yelled as a pirate rushed towards her. It still surprised her and forced her away from Avery. The Doctor tried to run forward, to help, but Avery caught him and forced him into the rigging. _Careful, careful, careful_! Alex thought, sounding like a mother. However, when Amy advanced towards them with the sword, they backed up, gasping in fear. _They're afraid to get cut, 'cause if they do, they'll get a visit from the 'Siren'_. Amy got cocky and started showing off, waving the sword in the air. _Don't get cocky, Amy, you're gonna get someone hurt_. The pirates tried to advance towards her again, but she pushed them back. They backed her into a corner, _ah here it comes_.

She grabbed a piece of the rigging, and swung in the air. As she passed, she got one of the pirates in the hand before she landed on a barrel. _Here comes the black spot_. "You have killed me." The pirate muttered.

"No way. It's just a cut." _It's not the cut we should be worrying about_. Alex could just see from where she is standing, a small perfectly round black spot appeared on his hand. _Hence the name of the episode, 'Curse of the Black Spot'_. "What kind of rubbish pirates are you?" Amy sounded like she was about to laugh. _Except this is no laughing matter_.

"One drop, that's all it takes." Avery explained. "One drop of blood and she will rise out of the ocean." Alex could feel the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

"Come on." Amy said. "I barely even scratched him. What are you all in such a huff about?"

Another one of the pirates approached her and she swung out on the rope. He was able to grab her though, and the sword went flying. Alex couldn't hold back her wince, _here's where Rory gets hit_. Right on cue, Rory tried to grab it, but missed and cut his hand in the process. Alex winced again. A black spot appeared on his hand, and he looked at it curiously. "Doctor? What's happening to me?" He asked as he showed everyone the spot.

Alex walked over to Rory and checked his hand. "It's okay. It just looks like a scratch."

"Um, Lex…" She looked up at him. "You have one too."

She blinked, confused, but looked at her hand and her face paled when she indeed saw a black spot on her skin. _Oh… Oh shit_. That wasn't good… "But how…?" She then remembered.

_Alex hissed slightly as her hand caught onto a rusty nail. She waved it around a bit, but kept walking, not bothering to look at her hand to see a small black spot appearing._

Oh… _Double shit_. "Damn." Alex muttered under her breath.

"She can smell the blood on your skin. She's marked you both for death." Avery commented. _Oh well that's lovely_. Alex sighed; she was such an _idiot _for not noticing the little black mark sooner.

"She?" Rory questioned. _She. As in the Siren. As in the one who's really a programmed nurse on an 'invisible' spaceship_.

"A demon." Avery replied. "Out of the very ocean."

"Okay. Groovy." The Doctor said.

Alex couldn't stop herself from giggling. "You did not just say 'groovy'." They weren't apart of the 1950s anymore.

He smirked at her. "So not just pirates today. We've managed to bagsy a ship where there's a demon popping in."

The brunette girl couldn't resist commenting. "Ah, just another day with you, eh Doctor?" _Demons, ships, pirates, sirens, ah lovely, so very like Doctor Who_.

He snapped his fingers at her, and they grinned at each other. He looked at Rory's hand and peeked a look at his girl's hand. "Very efficient. I mean if something's going to kill you, it's nice that it drops you a note to remind you."

"Oh yeah, 'cause it's so much better to _know _you're going to be killed." Alex commented dryly. He kissed her temple.

"Nothing's going to get you, love." He murmured to her. _I hope not_. Although, she couldn't _really _doubt him. _I mean come on, it's not like he actually _is _going to let something kill me. That would be very non-Doctor of him_.

Suddenly, a haunting song started, and Alex knew instantly what it was. _Oh damn, here comes the Siren's song. _She mentally groaned. _I _really _hope I don't act like a _complete _idiot when I'm under the 'influence'_. She had never been drunk or high before – _excluding a couple of times when I was in the hospital _– so she didn't really have a basis of what to expect.

"Quickly now." One of the pirates said. "Block out the sound." _I don't think that's gonna help_. Alex could already feel her body start to tingle and it felt very funny to the girl.

"What?" Rory asked as the others put their hands over their ears.

"The creature." Avery clarified. "She charms all her victims with that song."

"Oh, great, so put my fingers in my ears." Alex was already feeling the effects of the song, for she was resisting the urge to smile suddenly, even though there was nothing to smile about. Although, in her head, she was admiring how _hot _her Doctor looked in the moonlight. _Oh my God, he is so _hot_. Mmm… _Alex giggled mentally. _I just want to eat him all up_! "That's your plan? Doctor, come on let's go, let's get back to the… back to the…" Suddenly both Rory and Alex looked at each other and started to giggle.

"The music. It's working on them. Look."

Alex completely ignored them and walked up to her Time Lord. "Allie?" He asked.

"Ooh," she threw her arms around his neck and caused him to stumble back a bit. "I _love _it when you call me Allie! I _do_!" Her tone was a bit airy and very light. She was still giggling as she hugged her Doctor.

"Allie, love…"

"Oh. I love it when you call me 'love' to. Ooh! Doctor! You look so _sexy _right now, did you know that?" His eyes were wide as he watched her flirt with him so blatantly. "You are _so _sexy, but you're sexy no matter what." She giggled. "I wanna kiss!" She dragged him down and kissed him fervently. She moaned into his mouth and his hands trembled as they grabbed her hips.

She then broke the kiss and the Doctor chocked a bit on his air, as she decided to lower her head and start sucking on his neck. He grunted, trying not to make a noise as she seemed to _expertly _lavish his neck with attention. "Doctor!" Amy called to him.

He wasn't exactly in a position to do anything as Alex backed him into some crates. "Can't exactly do anything, Amy!" He replied.

"Mmm… Ya know," her tone was husky and the Doctor was getting excited no matter how much he tried to ignore it. "When we get back to the TARDIS, why don't we have a little _fun_, eh?" Both knew _exactly _what kind of fun she was talking about.

"The music turns them into fools." Alex was giggling and started very slowly to grind her hips against the Doctor's and he made a noise, to which she giggled more to.

"A-Allie!" His voice wasn't very commanding as he grabbed her hips desperately to stop the friction. "Don't!"

"Aw," she whined. "Why? You like it and I wanna have some fun!"

"No!" He repeated the motion as he made her take a couple of steps away from him. His body was on fire and he could see from Alex's face that she was just completely out it. He figured that even her thoughts were probably incoherent. Although, how it is that she can flirt so _beautifully _when she should be completely incoherent was beyond him. _Humans_. He thought off handedly.

Off the starboard side of the ship, a section of water glowed green. Everyone watched it as a woman rose up from the water. "Ah! The Siren!" Alex laughed. The Doctor covered her mouth, knowing that in this state, she'd probably start going off, telling them things that only she should know.

'The Siren' as Alex had called her was glowing green from what the Doctor could see. Rory's jaw dropped at the sight of her. Alex giggled, even through the Doctor's hand, and reached out for her. The Doctor wrapped an arm tightly around her waist, keeping her glued to his side. She seemed to have completely forgotten flirting with him and her attention was solely focused on the creature now. Amy held Rory back when he tried to take a step towards her. The pirate walked towards her, and the others tried to half-heartedly hold him back, but they too were entranced. The Siren outstretched her arm as the pirate reached for her hand.

Still held by their companions, Alex and Rory tried to reach out for her too, the light of the Siren glowing in their eyes. As soon as the pirate touched her hand, he dissipated. _Ooh that is so cool! I want to be dissipated! I want that! Let me touch her!_ Her spoken words were similar but were jumbled by the Doctor's hand. Rory broke free of Amy's grasp. "I have to touch her. Let me touch her."

Amy pushed Rory aside and faced the Siren. "Sorry, but he is spoken for."

The Siren was not happy about that.

So in response, she turned red and hissed as she threw Amy back with a gust of wind. "Amy!" The Doctor called. He dragged Alex back with him as she struggled to get free.

"Ah! Let me go! Let me go! I want to dissipate! I want to dissipate! Let me go! I wanna see _her_! She's so _epic_! Let me _go_!" But the Doctor wasn't about to and kept a tight hold on her.

"Everyone in the hold!" The pirates did as told and rushed to the hold. As Avery passed the Doctor, he gave the captain his precious girl. "Take her down there, and _don't let her go_!" The captain nodded and took a hold of the still struggling girl.

"No!" She whined as he took her away. "No! No! _No_! _I. Want. To. See. Her. I. Want. To. Touch. Her_." The Doctor came down with a still entranced Rory. He passed him onto Amy and took Alex back from Avery.

"What is that thing?" Amy asked keeping a hold on her husband.

Alex ignored him and looked at her Doctor, whining. "You didn't let me see her! I want to see her Doctor!"

"No, love, you can't see her." He said.

"But I _wanna_!" Her tone became that of a whining child.

"No." The Doctor said patiently and ran his fingers through her soft hair.

"Like a shark." One pirate mentioned as the two zoned back into the conversation. Well, more so the Doctor zoned back in, Alex was still in 'la-la land'. "A shark can smell blood."

"Okay. Just like a shark. In a dress. And singing. And green."

"And pretty," Alex added. "She was very pretty."

"So very pretty." Rory agreed.

"The ship is cursed." Avery said.

"_Naaaahhhhh_." Alex laughed. "You lot always think you're cursed. What is _with _us humans and curses? Just 'cause you can't explain somethin' don't mean it's curse!" If Alex even had been slightly better, her speech wouldn't have been _nearly_ that bad in grammar. The Doctor knew how much she cared for proper grammar. It seemed that Alex wasn't back with them fully yet.

"She is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Rory told his wife.

"Actually I think you'll find she isn't." Amy told Rory, but she did look at Alex.

"Oh I think she is, Amy! I think she is!" The girl replied. "I think she's _purdy_!" The Doctor rolled his eyes with a smile on his lips.

"Allie, come back to us," He murmured into her ear.

"But Doctor! I am here!" She giggled. "You're so silly, my love." She pecked his lips but the Doctor leaned away before she could try and suck off his face again. "Aw, I want a kiss!"

"I gave you one." He replied.

"_Nooooooooo_, you know what kind of kiss I want!" She reached up to grab his face, but the Doctor resisted, knowing that if she kissed him the way she wanted to – and if he was honest with himself, the way he wanted her to as well – then he'd be completely distracted and he couldn't have that right now. "_Aw_, I wanna a kiss!"

"You'll get one later." He whispered.

"Ima holdin' you to that promise!" She giggled girlishly.

"We have to leave. Right now." Amy said and the Doctor couldn't help but agree.

"That thing of yours really is a ship?" Avery asked. He still sounded skeptically that a small blue box could be a 'ship'.

"Well, it's not propelled by the wind." The Doctor answered.

"Show me. Weight anchor. Make it sail!" He pointed his gun to the Time Lord again.

"And the gun's back." The Doctor sighed and Alex laughed.

"He dun like guns." She told Avery, leaning back against the Time Lord's arm to look at the captain upside down.

"You're big on the gun thing aren't you? Freud would say you're compensating. Have you ever met Freud? No? Comfy sofa."

Alex laughed. "Of course not, Doctor! Sigmund Freud lived from 1856-1939! We're not near that time stream yet." The Doctor looked at her curious as to know how she knew that. But he filed it away for later. It wasn't as if he could ask her, anyways. She was completely out of her mind right now.

"Leave the cursed ones, Captain." Another pirate spoke up. "The creature can have them." The Doctor shot him a withering glare that made the pirate shudder.

Alex looked at him before pointing her Time Lord in the chest. He looked back at her, and his glare softened immensely. "You shouldn't do that, Doctor." She said. She was swaying back and forth and the Doctor had to keep a tighter grip on her so she didn't suddenly fall backwards. "It's not nice." She waved her finger on her. He smiled before reaching down and kissing her finger. She giggled.

"Yes, please." Rory said. "Please leave me here."

"Yeah!" Alex spoke up, perky. "I wanna stay here! Me and you Rory, right! We wanna see the Siren again!" Rory nodded with zeal.

"We don't want the Siren to come after us." Avery said.

Suddenly one of the men cried out and lifted his leg out of the water. There was a small worm like creature on it. "Ah! Leech!" Alex cried. "Right on time!" The Doctor covered her mouth again, realizing straight away what she was talking about.

"Everyone out of the water!" The Doctor commanded. Everyone did as told, and they climbed up onto the crates as the pirate pulled the leech off of his leg.

"It's bitten me," he told them. "I'm bleeding." He showed them his hand, where the mark appeared.

"Welcome aboard!" Alex commented. "You're gonna be on the happy boat with Rory and me! Nothing to worry about! It's all fine and dandy!" Of course, this didn't help the pirate's piece of mind at all. In fact, it scared him just a tad bit more.

"You are so out of it, Lexi." Amy commented.

"I'm happy, Amy. That's what it is. I'm _very _happy! More happy that I've ever been before!" The Doctor looked up at this.

"More happy?" He asked.

She looked over at him. "_Well_," she drew out her word possibly exaggerating it. "Meeting you and admitting our feelings to each other were the happiest days of my life, more happy than this, but that should have been left unsaid, Doctor!"

"Amy's right, you are out of it." He chuckled. She leaned towards him and he moved his mouth away from her range. "And no you can't have a kiss."

She giggled. "You know me so well, Doctor!" _Yes I do. Better than anyone else_. The Doctor thought proudly.

No one knew his Alex better than him.

"Now," the Time Lord looked back at the pirate as he thought. "She wants blood. Why does she want blood?"

"What were you saying about leaving the cursed ones behind?" Amy retorted.

"It's okay." The Doctor reassured. "We're safe down here. No 'curse' is getting through three solid inches of timber."

He spoke to soon, however, because the moment after he said that the Siren's song started again and she appeared right behind him. Alex squealed in delight and rushed over to her. Or, at least tried to, the Doctor caught her around her waist again and almost had to pick her up to get her to stop running. "Ah. Hello again." The Doctor sighed and then pulled Alex back. No 'Siren' was getting to his precious girl. Amy held back her husband as he struggled as well. However, the other pirate didn't have anyone holding him back and walked over to the Siren.

"No! No! No!" Both Avery and the Doctor called out to him, but he didn't heed their warnings. He touched the Siren's hand and he disappeared; only his hat left of him.

"_Oh_! Me next! Me next! I wanna try!" Alex said excited as she struggled to get out of the Doctor's grip. He tightened it, and heaved her up into the air, so her feet didn't have any traction. Everyone rushed out of the hold, and Alex had somehow got the pirate's hat and was giggling as she played with it.

-x-

Once they were back up on the ship, the Doctor locked the doors with his screwdriver. "Safe?" Amy asked.

"I have my good days and my bad days." He replied and Alex giggled before plopping the hat onto her Doctor's head. He smiled at her before taking the hat off and scanning it with his screwdriver, on a whim. Maybe it could tell him how the Siren was appearing.

"How did she get in?" Avery demanded.

"The bilge water – she's using water like a portal, a door. She can materialize through a single drop. We need to go somewhere with no water." The Doctor explained.

Amy's comment was sarcastic. "Well, thank God we're not in the middle of the ocean."

Alex laughed. "You are _so good _with sarcasm, Amy!" She applauded the ginger. Amy shook her head at her friend's bizarre nature right now. Alex took the hat and put it back onto the Doctor's head. "You look sexy with a pirate hat on." She told him and he couldn't resist but to kiss her nose. She giggled. Whatever sort of high she was on, the Doctor couldn't stop from noticing that she was adorable like this.

"Did you see her eyes?" Rory muttered. "Like crystal pools."

"You are in enough trouble." Amy told him.

"Am _I _in trouble, Doctor?" Alex asked playfully. "Oh! I know I'm not! You said yourself that you can't get mad at me, ever. _And_," her grin turned perverted. "You _liked _it!" The Doctor gave her a look and she just giggled.

"The magazine!" Avery suddenly said.

"What?"

"The magazine, Amy, is the armory where all the powder is stored!" Alex explained. "It needs to be completely dry, 'cause if the powder got wet, then it would be useless." The Time Lord kissed her cheek, even high she was still as brilliant as ever. She tried to turn to kiss his lips, but he was too quick for her.

"She's right." Avery added. "It's dry as a bone."

"Good, let's go there." The Doctor ordered.

To which Avery did not enjoy having someone else giving orders on his ship, and put the gun to the Doctor's face. "I give the orders." He growled.

"Ah. Worried because I'm wearing a hat now?" The Doctor responded before walking past Avery to the magazine. "Nobody touch anything sharp!"

"Ooh! I wanna touch somethin' sharp! That means she'll come for me!" Alex said in a sing-song voice.

The Doctor sighed. He couldn't let her hurt herself. "She's already coming for you, love. There's no need to hurt yourself."

"Aw, Doctor, you're so sweet! You don't want me to hurt myself!" Alex cooed to him.

He chuckled. "I did swear to you that I would never let anything hurt you."

"Aw," Alex leaned her head back onto the Doctor's shoulder as he more or less had to drag her off. "How did I ever land a guy like you? You are just… _amazing_. In like every way."

He kissed her head. "How did I ever get a girl like you?" He retorted gently. "You are far more brilliant than anyone else I ever met."

She giggled. "I think we make a cute couple."

"I would agree."

-x-

They were at another part of the ship, and Alex was humming a random tune that was stuck in her head. She was bobbing her head back and forth, seeming to enjoy herself. The Doctor still kept a tight handle on her, since – knowing her – she would probably get herself hurt if she was left on her own in this state.

"Quickly, man." Avery ordered as the pirate shuffled through all the keys.

"_Psst, Doctor_." She whispered to her boyfriend. He looked over to her. "It's not there. There's –" He cut her off by covering her mouth and her words became garbled again. That was more than enough for him. Not to mention the fact that he knew she was going to tell him a spoiler.

"They key, 'tis gone, Captain." The pirate announced and the Doctor caught Alex giving him a knowing looking. He could almost hear here saying 'I told you so' in her head.

"How can it have gone?" Avery asked. A key couldn't just disappear like that.

_Pie. I love pie. Pie is so delicious. I want some pie right now. I wonder where I can get some… Maybe after this little adventure the Doctor could take me to get some pie… Ah, I really do want some pie, 'cause not to mention the fact that I hadn't had much of a lunch. And since we have a time machine we can go back to when pie was first around. English Pie, I'm thinking. Yeah. That would be good. I'll have to thank Geoffrey Chaucer. That man is _amazing _for making something as beautiful as _pie_. Mmmm. I do love pie; pie is the best thing in the world. Pie. Pie. Pie. Pie~. I want some good old fashioned apple pie. Ah. Apples. Apples are good for you. What's that saying that has to do with apples? Um… Uh… Oh yeah! 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away'. Although, in my defense, that's probably a bad thing 'cause I love the Doctor, and I want him to stay around. But then again, it's probably not talking about '_the _Doctor' but just a general Doctor. Ah yeah. Didn't the Doctor say at one point that he didn't like hospitals? Or was that just something that Ten doesn't like? I wonder if Eleven doesn't like hospitals… Maybe I should ask him? Nah, he might not want to admit it. Not to mention the fact that he's busy right now. And then there's the whole thing that we're gonna be busy and such, so maybe not. And not only that but I'm probably gonna forget…_

Doctor wasn't exactly sure what Alex was thinking of, but by the look on her face he could tell it was probably something completely irrelevant. The Doctor leaned forward and pushed the door open. "Someone else had the same idea."

They entered the room cautiously only to find that the room is empty. However, the Time Lord kept his guard up. From what he was to understand of the little he let his Alex say, there _was _someone else in this room. "Barricade the door." Avery ordered to his two remaining men. "Careful with that lantern!" He growled when one of them picked up the light. "Every barrel is full of powder."

"Cough! Cough!" Alex suddenly said and everyone looked over at her confused, however Avery suddenly heard someone – _actually _– coughing and removed the lid from a barrel only to grab the small boy and heave him into view.

"You fool." He grunted. "You fool boy. What are you doing here?"

"Who is he?" One of the pirates asked. Alex opened her mouth to answer but the Time Lord covered her mouth to stop her.

"What, he's not one of the crew?" He asked.

"No." Avery spoke up; he looked at the boy again. "He's my son."

-x-

A few moments later, the boy was sitting on a bench, with Avery in front of him. Everyone else stood and looked on. The Doctor kept his hand close to Alex's mouth in case she decided to speak up again and give away something that was spoilers. "What in God's name possessed you, boy?" Avery questioned his son sternly. "Your mother will be searching for you." The boy looked down and Avery knew instantly what this meant. "When?"

"Last winter. Fever. She told me about you." The boy explained. "How you were Captain in the Navy. An honorable man, she said. How I would be proud to know you." He coughed. "I've come to join your crew."

"I don't want you here." Alex opened her mouth and the Doctor knew his girl would comment on letting the boy stay but put his hand over her mouth anyways. She shouldn't interrupt, it wasn't their call.

"You can't send me back. It's too late." The boy pointed out. "We're hundreds of miles from home."

"It's dangerous here. There's a monster aboard. She leaves a mark on men's skin." Avery explained. Alex giggled past the Doctor's hand and waved her hand in front of the boy's face, to show him her own mark proudly.

"The black spot?" He asked once he spotted Alex's cursed mark. The boy showed them the palm of his hand. There was a black spot there. Avery grabbed his son's hand and Alex made a noise of happiness.

Great! He was gonna be on the happy boat like Rory and her! _Yay_!

-x-

A little while later Alex suddenly seemed to come back to them. _Ugh. I feel weird_. She cracked her neck back and forth and then blinked a couple of times. "Ugh. I feel… _weird_." She commented offhandedly. _Wait a moment… _

Why did her whole mouth taste of mint?

She smacked her lips together mulling the taste around in her mouth. Yeah, she had mint all around her mouth. The taste seemed to be everywhere. "Back with us, love?"

She then looked over at the Doctor and rolled her shoulders. "Um. Yeah. I suppose. What happened?"

The Doctor didn't look at her, and she couldn't tell if he was thinking of if he didn't like what she did. She then looked over to Amy, knowing the woman wouldn't have a problem telling her. "You kind of acted a little slutty." Amy's answer was blunt and the Doctor shot her a look.

Alex's eyebrows shot up. "I did?" _Ah. Now I get the minty taste_. "Ah, I must have kissed you a lot." She smacked her lips to prove her point. "Did I act like an idiot?" She sighed.

"Um… sort of." Amy confessed, and Alex knew that Amy was being nice about that. She chuckled, bemused; _I totally acted like an idiot_. "You were kind of lost for a while."

She smiled. "Ah, I bet that was fun." She then sent a wink to her Time Lord. He smiled and took her hand again. She rested her chin on his shoulder. "I bet you liked it." She whispered into his ear.

He turned his head. "I won't doubt it. But I love you much better like this." He kissed her cheek and she chuckled. She then rested her head on his shoulder.

"There's nothing wrong with the boy. He has no scars." Avery commented, bringing them all back on track.

"Yep. Ignore my last theory." The Doctor told them and Alex caught herself up with her memory of what had happened.

"He has good days and bad days." Alex told Avery as her Time Lord thought.

"It's not just blood." The Doctor muttered, talking more to himself than the humans. "She's coming for all the sick and wounded. Like a hunter chooses the weakest animals."

"Okay, look he's got a fever." Amy said. _Oh, he's got more than a fever. He's got typhoid fever. _Much worse. _And in these times, no cure either_.

"The Siren knows it. Humans. Second-rate. Damage too easily." Alex gave him a look.

"Oh as if you're one to talk." She pointed out sourly. Time Lords were in just as much danger as humans were.

He couldn't like he hadn't heard her. _And something tells me he didn't_. "It's only a matter of time before everyone gets bruised. My ship. It can sail us all away from here. You and me and Allie, we fetch it. Let's go." The Doctor stood but Avery wasn't about to let him give the orders again.

"You're not the captain here, remember?" He pointed his pistol at the Doctor's face. _Well, this is becoming very common very quickly_.

A screech alerted them and they all turned around to see the Siren's arm reaching out from a barrel of water that Avery's son had opened. Alex rushed over and grabbed the lid, forcing her hand back into the water before shutting the lid. The American let out a breath of relief. _That was close_. "The water's dangerous!" Avery announced. "That's how she gets through. One touch of her hand and you're a dead man!" _Well, not _really_. _Alex rolled her eyes. She needed to stop explaining this to _herself_.

"We're all cursed if we stay aboard!" A pirate muttered.

"It's not a curse!" Alex snapped. "Curses mean that we're done for. That it's the end of the game. That we can't do anything and we're helpless. _But we're not_." She then turned to Avery and stood tall. "Captain, what's our next move?"

He went over to his son and draped a pendent over his head. _What was the kid's name again… Started with a 'T'… _Alex closed her eyes and thought about it for a minute. _Oh yeah! Toby_! That was his name, Toby. "Wait with the boy." The captain ordered to his men.

"Captain we're all in danger."

"I said wait, and barricade the door after we've gone." Avery snapped, reminding them who's the captain on the ship.

"Sure you want to go?" Amy asked as the Doctor and Alex walked over to the door.

"We have to get Rory, Toby, and Allie away." The brunette Time Lord answered. "She's out there now, licking her lips, boiling a saucepan, grating cheese." Alex rolled her eyes. _She doesn't want to eat us, she wants to help us_.

"Okay, well remember, if you get an itch, don't scratch too hard. And keep a tight hold on Lexi if she goes again."

"Was I _that _bad?" Alex asked off handedly. But when both didn't look at her, she had her answer. _Yes. Yes I was that bad_.

"We've all have to go at some point, Amy." The Doctor commented. Rory, Amy, and Alex shared look when they remembered when exactly that was for the Doctor… "There are worse ways than having your face snogged by a dodgy mermaid." Alex smacked his back and he winced. "Ow, what was that for?"

"You're not '_snogging_' anyone, Mister." She promised. No one was aloud to snog him except her.

He fixed his bowtie. "Except you, love."

She smirked. "Of course. But that should have been left unsaid, no?"

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, and Avery stepped out of the room and the captain put his gun away. "D'you want to draw lots for who's in charge, then?" The water was churning out around them as the wind started to pick up. Alex knew she had to be careful. She knew that it was not water that the Siren was using but _reflections_. She hoped the wind stayed moving across the water, so that the waves would continue to move.

"Darkness. Demon. You can have the first go." He patted Avery on the chest and held onto his Alex's hand tightly. Part of him wanted to keep her near him in case the Siren decided to bewitch her again, and the other part just loved to hold her hand.

It seemed to fit so perfectly into his hand.

They made their way to the hold. _And Avery's slips… now_: The Doctor and she were able to catch him before he put his hand through an exposed nail. "Nearly. Phew!" He muttered.

"That was close." Alex added. "Two seconds later and you would have been in trouble…"

-x-

They were easily able to get to the TARDIS without any more trouble and as the Doctor and Alex ran up to the console of the ship, Avery just stood in awe of the inside. "By all the…" He walked slowly to the console.

"Let's stop you there, yeah?" Alex asked as she giggled. "Yes, it's bigger on the inside. She's special that way." She patted the ship and the TARDIS hummed. "Since we're kind on a time schedule, you wouldn't mind if we skip that bit, eh? Oh, yeah, and he lied by the way about the size comparison of your ship and his. Kitchen is that-a-way." She pointed off to the stairs. "And your choice of bathrooms are…" She pretended to try and remember it. "Um… There." She pointed off to the left. "There." She then pointed to her right, where another set of stairs went down. "And there." She pointed back near the doors.

The Doctor was quick to get to work and Avery walked around the console, looking at all the various buttons to control the TARDIS. "What's this do?"

The Doctor stood up as he tried to explain it. _Badly_. He isn't very good at explaining things in terms which others would understand. "That does very very complicated. That does sophisticated, that does whoa, amazing, and that does whizz bang far to technical to explain!" He threw his hands up in the air before going back to his typing.

"Wheel?" Avery questioned.

"Atom accelerator." Alex rolled her eyes and nudged him. He didn't have to correct him.

"It steers the thing."

"No… Sort of…"

"Yes." Alex intervened. She threw the Doctor a look. _In all technicalities, it does steer the TARDIS_.

"Wheel. Telescope. Astrolabe. Compass." When he saw that both the Doctor and Alex were looking at him amazed he commented. "A ship's a ship."

"Oh…" The Doctor raised his eyebrows at Alex and she shrugged.

-x-

"This is how professionals do it." The Doctor said as he set the TARDIS in motion. _Not going to work_. Alex knew the poor girl was going to have a fit because she felt there was no sky. Just like she thought, the machinery groaned and went nowhere. "It's stuck." The Doctor said as he fiddled with some controls. "Not responding."

"Becalmed?" Avery asked, and Alex caught just a hint of smugness. She chuckled mentally. _The Doctor deserves it though, he should have known better than to try and show off with the TARDIS_.

"Mm-hm." The Doctor nodded. "Apparently. That's new." As the Doctor fiddled with the controls, Alex caught the look that Avery gave and let out a breath of a chuckle. Naturally, the Doctor caught onto this and pointed a finger and Avery. "You had to gloat, didn't you?"

Avery was quick to defend himself. "I wasn't gloating." _Oh you so were_.

"I saw that look just now." The Doctor said. "'Ha ha, his ship is rubbish'."

"True." Avery said and Alex laughed at his blunt response.

-x-

"It can't get a lock on the plane." _Oh yeah, _Alex checked her watch. _We're coming up to the screaming tantrum_.

"The what?"

Alex decided to explain since the Doctor was rubbish at it. "A ship floats in the ocean. But the thing is, the TARDIS is different. Her 'ocean' isn't the water that your ship floats in. Hers is what's called a 'plane'. Think of it as the ocean but it doesn't have water."

The Doctor picked up on her explanation. "The TARDIS can't see. It's sulking because it thinks the space doesn't exist. Without a plane to lock onto we're not going anywhere."

"I'm confused." Avery announced.

"Well join the club. It's rather big." Alex commented. "We should all get T-shirts." Alex and the Doctor grinned at each other, liking the idea.

There was an explosion and rumbling started. "What's happening?" He muttered as he frantically worked at the controls. _Oh nothing, she's just gonna start a rather _nasty _tantrum right now_. Her tone was rather too melancholy for the situation. "Okay. She's had her little sulk. Now she's heading for the full-on screaming tantrum."

"Can you fix her?" Alex asked, knowing he would not be able to.

"The parametric engines are jammed. Orthogonal vector's gone. I'm almost out of ideas." The Doctor confessed.

"Almost?" Avery asked hopefully. _It's in vain, considering what his last idea is_.

But she decided to throw it out anyway. "Well, we _could _trying stroking and singing to her."

"Will that help?"

_No_. "Hard to say, never has before." _Basically meaning, no_. The Doctor, in a last ditch effort, flipped a switch in hopes of regaining control but it didn't work. The TARDIS rocked dangerously. "Argh! I've lost control of her, she's about to dematerialize, we could end up anywhere!" _Well then, let's get out of here_!

"That sounds bad!"

"It is!" Alex started to push Avery towards the door.

"Out! Now! Abandon ship! _Abandon ship_!" They rushed towards the door as the console began to explode, sparks flying everywhere. They rushed out of the TARDIS and rushed towards the opposite wall of her just as she was enveloped in a green light as it disappeared. _Well see ya later, TARDIS_. Alex sighed.

"Okay, okay, oh okay." The Doctor muttered. "TARDIS runs off on its own." _Will they stop calling her an 'it'_? _The TARDIS is a _woman_ for heaven's sake; 'The Doctor's Wife' proves that_. "That's a bit of a new one. Bang goes our only hope of getting them out of here."

"Not much of a captain without a ship, are you?" Avery commented. Alex took his hand and squeezed it gently. He looked over to her and she smiled at him reassuringly. _We always find a way out_.

-x-

The three of them headed back to the magazine when they ran into one of Avery's men – _Mulligan, wasn't it_? He held two pistols to them and in his arms he was carrying a boat load of treasure. Alex noticed the crown around his arm. _Ah, that crown's nasty_. It takes both Mulligan _and _Toby.

"Mulligan? What are you doing? This is mutiny." Avery growled.

"She doesn't want me. She only wants Toby, the scrawny looking fellow." _Oi! Rory's not 'scrawny'_! "And the hot little girl." Alex felt her eye twitch as he gestured to her. _Don't get any funny ideas, ass. I'm the Doctor's girl_. They watched him run off.

"We might want to go after him," Alex said. "He's got the last of the supplies."

"Never mind the damned supplies." Avery replied. "What about my treasure?" They all took after him. Mulligan turned back around and fired at them and they took cover.

"Don't get injured. Don't get injured." The Doctor chanted. _Not that it matters about me_. Alex was already marked. They chased Mulligan back to the hold. He locked the door behind him just as they got up to it.

The brunette girl could see it in her head: Using flint, he lit a fire in a small hand-held paddle. He dropped it, however, when the flames burned his hand. "Come out of there you mutinous dog!"

The Doctor whipped out his screwdriver and started to use it on the lock. Suddenly the sounds of the Siren signing were heard. _Oh no, dammit_! Alex felt the effects take over her much faster than last time. She started giggling. The Doctor and Avery check themselves but see no marks. The Doctor grabbed his girl when she made a mad dash to the doors. From how she was approaching it, it looked like she was about ready to just break down the door with the force of her small body.

He cringed at that. She was so small and fragile the Doctor didn't have any good images of that. She was giggling hysterically and the Doctor let out a sigh. She was back to being completely out of it, but still somehow adorable and flirty. Both the captain and the Time Lord looked down and saw that through the crack of the door the green light of the Siren. "She's inside."

"She's come for Milligan." The pirate screamed and the Doctor finally opened the door. Alex squealed in delight. _Reflections are what cause her to get to us! Yay! She'll come for me! She'll come and we'll have such a _great _time_!

The Doctor held on tightly to his girl as they moved into the room very carefully. The room was empty. The Doctor scanned the room with his sonic as Avery picked up his crown. "No water in here." Avery pointed out. "How did she take him? You said she uses water like a door. That's how she enters a room." Alex was struggling towards the crown, and when the Doctor looked at the crown, and saw his reflection did he realize why Alex was so happy.

"I was wrong. Please ignore all my theories up to this point." He said.

"What, again?" Avery asked annoyed.

"We're all in danger." The Doctor muttered. He put a cover over the crown and Alex whined in horror. "The water's not how she's getting in. When we were down in the hold, think what happened. You, me, Amy, Allie, Rory, leeches."

"She sprang from the water." The Doctor had to back up when Alex tried to make a move towards the crown to get the reflection showing again.

"Yes, only when it grew still! Still water. Nature's mirror."

"So… you mean?" Avery realized what he was saying.

"Yes!" Alex laughed and tried to grab the crown again. "It's not _water_, sillies, its _reflections_. Now come here, please, I want her to take me and the only way she can do that is if she has a reflection to enter. So, please, _show the crown again_." She was pushing against her Doctor's arm and had her arms out as far as they would go to try and reach the crown. Avery backed away from her and she whined again.

"The Siren legend. The curse." The Doctor said.

Avery cut him off. "You said curses weren't real."

"Folklore springs from truth." He explained. "She attacks ships filled with treasure. Where else do you get a perfect reflection?"

"Polished metal." Alex had seemed to have calmed down now that she wasn't hearing the Siren's song anymore. She was calm and was resting her head on her Time Lord's shoulders. _Ugh. I am getting so sick of this_… She grumbled in her head. She wanted off this boat. She didn't think she could stand much more of this insanity.

"Hmm…" The Doctor put the crown into a bag as Avery reached for his pendant, only to remember that it was not there. The Doctor and Avery looked at each other.

"We must warn them." They took off towards the magazine.

-x-

"Amy!" Alex yelled as they neared the room.

"Open the door!" The Doctor ordered and they banged on the door.

"Toby, open the door!" Alex rammed herself into the door with urgency. "Toby!"

"Open the door! Now!" The brunette girl commanded.

Amy and Rory opened the door finally and the Doctor pushed his way through and snatched the pendent from Toby. He started to breath heavily on it to fog up the reflection, and the married couple just stared at him. The Doctor looked at the pendent, and when he saw he was foggy enough he gave a thumbs up to the two others. Alex nodded in relief as Avery relaxed. The Doctor then ran out of the room.

-x-

After snatching a rifle Alex rushed into the captain's room and started smashing anything that could possibly have a reflection. She started with the window. "We need to destroy anything that would let her into the ship." She grunted.

The Doctor smashed a mirror and Avery looked at him. Alex shook her head, _goodness are all pirate superstitious_? "Oh, yes, yes, I know, I know. Very bad luck to break it. But look at it this way, there's a stroppy homicidal mermaid trying to kill all."

"How much worse can it get?" Avery asked, understanding the concept.

"Yep." Alex then started to heavy the treasure into the room. "Oi! You two, help me chuck this stuff out."

"Where are we taking it?" Alex rolled her eyes, _where else_?

"The ocean." Alex responded, her tone adding the words '_duh_' to her sentence.

"No. No! This is the treasure of the Mogul of India."

The Doctor's tone was sarcastic. _He's picking up a few things from Amy_. "Oh, good. For a moment there I thought it was yours."

"Doctor, wait. Must we do this?"

Alex was grumbling. "_Yes_, Avery we need to do this. We give it any sort of reflection, any mirror and the Siren's gonna be on us within seconds. We can't risk it. We've got to protect Rory and Toby."

"And you." The Doctor added quickly. "The Siren can't take you."

"Now, Avery, please, go and get the crown that's in the storeroom and chuck it." Alex began to gather pieces of the treasure up and tossed it out of the open window now. She knew that Avery wouldn't be able to get rid of it, but it was important to the episode so she let it be.

-x-

"Just wait?" Rory asked, as if he misheard the Doctor.

"Not my most dynamic plan, I realize." _But it's the best we can do with no TARDIS_.

"TARDIS?"

"It's…" Alex thought of the right word. "It's gone, at the moment, can't really reach her right now."

Amy looked at her friend for a long moment. "What?"

"Sorry." The Doctor spoke up again. "We might be stuck here for a while."

"So you're saying that we should all just wait here below?" Rory asked. _It's not like we have any other options_.

"The sea is still calm, like a mirror." Avery replied. "If you go out on deck she'll rise up and attack you." _And none of us – other than me, but I know what's on the other side – want that_.

"It's okay." The Time Lord assured. "The clam won't last forever. When the wind picks up we'll all set sail." _Until then we can do nothing but wait._

"Until it does, you have to hide down here."

-x-

Alex was lying on the ground, farther away from everyone as she just traced random circles on the smooth wood. She suddenly felt arms wrap around her waist, and smiled knowing who it was. "Hey Doctor…" She murmured.

She felt him kiss her shoulder gently. "Hello love. Get some sleep."

"I can't." She said. "Too wound up." There were just too many thoughts running through her head. She couldn't seem to get her brain to relax. She rolled around and snuggled into the Doctor's chest. She felt him start to rub her back, and his hands came closer and closer to her neck. She giggled. "Don't. You _know_ I'm sensitive down there."

He chuckled. "You are very sensitive." He murmured. She smiled slightly, knowing that he was talking about more than just her sensitive neck.

"You love that about me." She said sleepily. The Doctor's warmth and moving hands were calming her down; she snuggled closer and listened to his rumbling voice and smooth heartbeats.

"More than you will ever know." He whispered. Alex's mind faded out as he gently kissed her cheek goodnight.

-x-

Alex's eyes snapped opened when a large roll of thunder echoed above her head. "Man the sails!" She heard her Time Lord said before he rushed out of the room. Alex scrambled to get up and ran out onto the ship with Amy and Rory next to her.

_Okay. Here we go_. Alex thought with a large grin on her face.

-x-

They were getting pelted by the rain as the storm hit them hard. Avery was holding the rigging and turned to the other three humans. Alex pushed her quickly soaking hair out of her face. "To the rigging, you dogs! Let go the sails. Avast ye!"

"What?" Alex asked. "I can't hear him over the rain!" She yelled to her two friends. They nodded but went towards the area that Avery had gestured to. They worked on the ropes that held the mainsail. Avery worked hard on the foresail.

And where was the Doctor?

He was steering the whole thing, of course!

"Put the burnt into the slack of the clews." Avery said but Alex still couldn't hear him. _Not over this god forsaken rain_. She had nothing against rain. In fact, she loved rain. But it was this kind of nasty, thundery, rain that she didn't like.

"I swear he's making half this stuff up." Amy said to them loudly.

"What we really need is some sort of phrase book." Rory responded.

"No point in a phrase book if we can't even hear him over this storm." Alex pointed out.

"Toby!" Avery called to his son. "Find my coat. My compass is inside it, boy." Toby went below. "Heave ho you bilge rats."

"'Rats' is all I heard." Rory commented.

"At least you heard one word. I can't hear a _thing _he's saying." Alex replied.

Toby came back up with Avery's coat and the crown dropped to the floor and started to roll across it. Alex checked her watch. _Right on time_. All they could do was watch. Alex jumped down and rushed over to Toby. He looked at his father; hurt by the proof his father was indeed a pirate. The Siren suddenly reached through the reflection on the crown and shot into the air above the ship. _And here she comes_. She sang and floated down onto the deck. Both Toby and Alex relaxed, giving into the song without a fight.

Her hand reached out for Alex and Toby. Avery said something, but she didn't hear anything over the _beautiful_ singing of the Siren. She heard her Doctor screaming something, but it no longer mattered. Enthralled by her, they walked closer to her, their hands out. The moment their hands came into contact, everything went dark for Alex.

-x-

She groaned and opened her eyes slowly. _What the hell_…? Her mind reminded her of what happened and she groaned again. _Ah yeah. Now I remember_. "Love?"

She looked over slowly and saw her Doctor standing there. "Doctor…" Her voice croaked. "Where am I?" She asked, still a little out of it.

"You're in a hospital." He whispered. He explained what was going on and Alex nodded when he was finished.

"So she was never a Siren, but a doctor…" Alex shifted a bit. "Yeah. Makes sense."

He turned to the Siren, as she was singing gently, trying to calm Alex down. "She is my girlfriend. More than that, she is the love of my life. I promised her that I would always take care of her and I would never her get hurt." The Doctor held his hand out, ready to take the contract.

The Siren looked at him, and seemed to think about it for a while. She then held out hand out, and small ring of light appeared. The Doctor put his hand through the light and the Siren disappeared. "What about Rory?" Alex groaned.

"He's fine. Bit of a scare but Amy was able to save him." _Ah, so I missed a _huge _chunk eh_? The Doctor unhooked her and lifted her up into his arms. She leaned her head against his shoulder as he walked her back to their ship.

"The love of your life, eh?" She smiled. "I like that." She kissed his cheek.

"So do I."

-x-

Alex had hugged Rory thankful that he was okay and then hugged Amy because she knew how much of a scare that had been for her. Amy and Rory were walking up the stairs as Alex sat in a chair, reading a book. "I thought I was an excellent pirate." Alex smirked. _Easy there, girl_. Probably wouldn't have the chance to be one again.

"I thought you were an excellent nurse." Rory complemented.

"Easy tiger." She then turned back to the time travelling couple. "Goodnight, Doctor. Goodnight, Lexi."

"Night, Amy." Alex said, distracted as she go to a good part in her book. To confess, it was Agatha Christie. After that whole adventure with Agatha Christie _way _back, she had become addicted to her books.

"Goodnight, Amelia." The Doctor said. _Ah yes, he's looking at Amy's pregnancy test and is worried because of the fact that it's switching back and forth between 'negative' and 'positive'_.

"You only call me Amelia when you're worrying about me." Amy pointed out, observant as ever. _Ah, she's good. She knows the Doctor well_. Not as well as Alex, but no one knew her Doctor better than _her_.

"I always worry about you." The Doctor defended. _Ah, but she's right, you are worrying. _

Alex knew that Amy had flashes of the Doctor's death. "Mutual."

The Time Lord finally looked over to Amy. "Go to bed, Pond." They went off to bed just as Alex finished her book. She then got up and turned off the monitor. The Doctor looked over at her. "What?"

"Let's all go to bed." She leaned him down and kissed him deeply.

"Or go on another adventure without them." He said mischievously. She giggled.

"You are so bad." But the Doctor moved the lever and they were off as the Doctor leaned back and pressed her to the TARDIS as he devoured her lips.

_This never gets old_.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter Forty One**

**Oh my God. I am so sorry for this taking so long! xD Um, I get distracted _very _easily, and well... One word. _Avengers_! -squeal- -head falls onto keyboard-**

**;nbifa;kjnu...**

**-lifts up head and clears throat-**

**Um... Yeah... My brain like had a overload of good-looking men xD**

**But, um anyways, here's the chapter you've been waiting for and there's a... _special _ending that I have been saving up for the Doctor and Alex ;) hopefully you like it.**

"Then we discovered it wasn't the robot king after all, it was the real one." The Doctor regaled to Rory. Alex was sitting with her legs crossed, on one of the chairs. She giggled. He was grinned at her, and she blew a kiss to him, which just widened his smile. "Fortunately, I was able to re-attach the head."

Amy came down the stairs, and Rory looked to his wife. "Do you believe any of this stuff?" _Of course we do_. They had been there.

"I was there." Amy said dryly. Alex looked at her worriedly, _she's still thinking about the Doctor's death_. It wasn't hard, she was thinking about it too, but at least she had the present Doctor to help her ignore it.

Speaking of which, she jumped up and walked over to the Doctor. She giggled and kissed him. He enjoyed the taste and leaned in. She tried to hold in her moan as he sucked on her bottom lip. The Doctor leaned her against the TARDIS console, and she could feel the hum of the TARDIS underneath her, she giggled and retreated her lips, patting the ship. "Sorry, TARDIS." She said breathily.

"She doesn't care." He whispered.

"Oh, I'm sure she doesn't." Alex muttered sarcastically. She turned and noticed that some flashing red lights. "Doctor, what're those?"

She could feel her Time Lord become annoyed. But the sexual tension between them was getting overwhelming. Part of her wanted to just do it with him, _it's not like I'm going to get with anyone else_. No one could compare to the Doctor in her eyes anymore – in dating terms. "Oh, it's the warning lights. I'm getting rid of those, they never stop!" He slapped the console.

Alex rolled her eyes. She whispered an apology to the TARDIS again. She gave a hum, and Alex figured she was use to the Doctor's behavior. The American girl was about to open her mouth, to defend the TARDIS, when there came a knock on her doors. The Doctor whirled around, _wait what_? Alex leaned over, around the console to look at the doors. _We're in _deep _space; we shouldn't be having a knock on the door_. However, something about this seemed familiar, but Alex ignored it for now.

She was sure if it was an episode, she'd remember soon. Amy and Rory joined her by the console. "What was that?" Amy asked. _We don't know_.

"The door." The Doctor answered. "It knocked." He walked slowly towards the door. _Is that really a good idea_? Alex asked, but she knew that the Doctor kind of threw common sense out the window.

"Right. We're in deep space." Rory pointed out.

"Very, very deep space." _Yeah okay, now this is _really _starting to become familiar. _Alex was almost certain now this was an episode, _but which one_? Now that was the question. The brunette jumped when the knocking came again. "And somebody's knocking." The Doctor slowly opened the door, and Alex's eyes widened when she saw the little glowing box on the other side. _Oh my God! It's 'The Doctor's Wife'_! She used all her will power to hold back her squeal, _I love this episode_! "Oh come here. Come here, you scrumptious little beauty!"

The Doctor reached out for it, but it whizzed past him and the three humans ducked down as it whirled around the console. It came back to the Time Lord and hit him square in the chest. Alex chocked to stop her laughter. "A box?" Rory asked alarmed.

"Doctor, what is it?" _It's our ticket to the TARDIS_. She loved this episode, did she mention that? Oh, because she did. It was the only time they get to hear the TARDIS talking, and, _It. Is. EPIC_.

"I've got mail." The Doctor said, beyond happy. Alex could feel some of her happiness chip away. _Oh yeah, I forgot, the Doctor gets hopeful that there are other Time Lords out there_. But there weren't. _Oh, my poor Doctor_. But she was there, and she knew that was enough for him. He walked back to the console, and was explaining to the others excitedly. "Time Lord emergency messaging system. In an emergency, we'd wrap up thoughts in psychic containers and send them through time and space. Anyway, there's a Time Lord out there, and it's one of the good ones!" _Or it was_. Alex didn't have the heart to tell him. He looked so excited, so happy that he thought he wasn't the only one. She just couldn't break that happiness. She didn't want to be the one who did that…

"You said there were no other Time Lords left." _There aren't, Rory_.

"There are no Time Lords left in the universe, but the universe isn't where we're going!" He tossed the box to Amy, explaining. "See that snake? The mark of the Corsair. Fantastic bloke. He had that snake as a tattoo in every regeneration. Didn't feel like himself without that tattoo. Or herself, a couple of times. Ooh, she was a bad girl!"

"Oh really?" Alex asked. She couldn't resist the chance to tease him. "Maybe 'The Corsair' and I could sit down and have a talk… hmmm? What do you think, _Doctor_?" The look on the Time Lord's face was _classic_. All the color drained from his face and he looked at her with wide eyes. She couldn't take it any longer and laughed. "Oh come off it, Doctor. I'm not stupid. You're over 900 years old, I'd be surprised if you told me you _never _kissed a girl or had a good shag once in a while." He watched her, and she was still giggling. "I'm serious."

The Doctor started up the TARDIS and she sparked before heavily shaking. Everyone held onto the console. "What's happening?" Rory asked alarmed. _We're leaving to go see Idris_!

"We're leaving the universe!" The Doctor said.

"How can you leave the universe?" Amy asked. _With a _hell _of a lot of difficulty_. Alex thought. Yeah, it was no easy task to leave the universe, since the universe was considered to be everything.

"With enormous difficulty!" The Doctor answered. "Right now I'm burning up TARDIS rooms to give us some welly. Goodbye swimming pool," _wait, what? He's getting rid of the swimming pool_. Alex grumbled under her breath, knowing they would never hear her over the noise of the TARDIS. She liked the swimming pool. "Goodbye scullery, sayonara, squash court seven!" Him listing off the rooms reminded her how _big _the TARDIS really was.

-x-

The TARDIS stopped with a jolt. "Okay. Okay. Where are we?" Amy asked. _Outside of the universe_. Basically, they were on the planet where Idris was.

"Outside the universe, where we've never, ever been." Alex could feel her heart pounding, and she knew it was a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She took some deep breaths.

Without warning, the power of the TARDIS winded down and the lights dimmed. "Is that meant to happen?" Rory asked. _Um, no, it's not_.

"It's the power. It's draining. Everything's draining!" The Doctor tried the controls, but he looked over and noticed that Alex's hands were shaking and he reached out and took one of them. She jumped and looked over to see the Doctor watching her, probably suspicious. She looked away so he wouldn't be able to see, hiding behind the veil of her hair. "But it can't. That's… That's impossible." _Only on this planet is it possible_.

"What is that?"

"It's as if the matrix, the soul of the TARDIS, has just vanished. Where would it go?" _Into Idris_. Hence the name, 'The Doctor's Wife'. Hello, it was obvious who the Doctor's wife is. _The TARDIS_! She had dibbs on the Doctor _way_ before anyone else did.

Alex couldn't resist anymore. She rushed towards the door, but the Doctor was quicker and ran in front of her. She slid into his chest and looked up at him. "What are you doing, love?"

"I'm leaving." She said simply. _I want to meet Idris already_.

He watched her carefully and Alex tried not to fidget under his scrutinizing gaze. "Why are you so excited?"

"You'll find out." She couldn't tell him. _That'd be bad_. He needed to find out on his own. She slipped around him and opened the door – pushing them open, since she knew how the TARDIS felt about opening her doors – and stepped out onto the planet. Alex made a face when she smelled the air, and started to breathe through her mouth.

The Doctor, Amy, and Rory followed her. The Doctor was right behind her, and she felt his hand come around hers. She looked around and saw that the surface was clustered with rusted spaceships of all kinds. Everyone began to look around. "So what kind of trouble's your friend in?" Amy asked. Alex figured he was in a similar bind to what the Doctor was going to be in.

"He was in a bind, a bit of a pickle, sort of distressed." The Doctor described. _Basically, he has no idea_. He just never seemed to be able to admit it.

Amy had similar thoughts. "Aw, you can't just say you don't know?"

"But what is this?" Rory asked, looking around. Alex smiled and ran her fingers along a scrappy wind chime. "The scrap yard at the end of the universe?"

"Not end of, outside of." The Doctor corrected.

"Trust me, Rory." Alex said. "We've been to the end of the universe, and it's _nothing _like this." It was _much _worse, and it had been when they had met Doctor Yana – _ah, brings back all sorts of memories_. She decided it was best to push those memories aside. She didn't want to think about them.

"How can we be outside the universe?" Rory asked. "The universe is everything." The Doctor started to explain, _well, badly; he makes them think it's a bubble on the side of a bigger bubble, and then decides that that image doesn't do it_. She chuckled to herself.

While the Doctor wrapped an arm around Rory to explain, Amy spoke up to the brunette girl next to her. "Ya know, you should just do it."

Alex looked up and over to her, confused. _What is she talking about this time_? "I'm sorry?"

"You should just shag him already." Amy said. Alex blinked and could feel her blush coming. She put a hand to her forehead and shook her head. _Why is it she keeps doing this to me_? First, she kept bugging Alex to 'snog' the Doctor, now it's on to 'shagging' him.

"Amelia, stop it." Alex ordered.

But Amy wasn't letting it go. "It's obvious that you both want to do it."

"Oh please," Alex said, cutting her off. "The Doctor does _not _want to do 'shag' me," she put up air quotes when she said it.

Amy gave her a look and looked back at the Time Lord who was still talking to Rory, who had thrown his hands up with a look on his face that clearly said, 'oh of course' very sarcastically to the Doctor's description of 'outside of the universe'. "You're so oblivious, Lexi." Alex retorted with a look of her own. "He so wants to shag you! He's been dying to do it for a while now."

"Completely drained, look at her." The Doctor said. The brunette girl sighed, _ugh; I'm just going to drop it for now_. Even though she knew that Amy was never going to drop it until she did it. She turned back to her Doctor to see him running his hand down his ship's side.

"So we're in a tiny bubble universe, sticking to the side of the bigger bubble universe." Amy summed up, holding a spatula. _Where did she get that from_?

"Yes." The Doctor paused before turning around. "No. But if it helps, yes." _Make up your mind, love_. Alex thought with a slight chuckle. It either was or it wasn't. "This place is full of rift energy. She'll probably refuel just by being here." _Well, actually she won't 'cause she won't be staying long. _Since the soul of the TARDIS was now inside Idris, the ship was now just a shell. _A shell that 'House' takes control of_. But that was later on. "Now this place, what do we think, eh?" The Doctor picked a rock up and threw it into the air. "Gravity's almost earth-like," he commented once it landed, "air's breathable, but it smells like…"

"Armpits." Alex offered for him. He came over to her and wrapped an arm around her waist. Out of reflex, _and hell 'cause I want to_, she mimicked his action. It was like second nature to her to act this way with the Doctor.

"Armpits." The Doctor repeated, as if to agree with his girl.

"Where did this stuff come from?" Rory asked as he looked over the same wind chime Alex had played with.

"There's a rift." The Doctor went on to explain. _He's always explaining everything, isn't he_? And sometimes, Alex noticed, he gets this slight tone that just makes it obvious that he knows what he's talking about. _And he actually wonders why we think he knows everything_, because he sometimes sure acts like he does. "Now and then, stuff gets sucked through it."

Alex spoke up. "So, forgetting the 'bubble' analogy that failed epically." She ignored the Doctor's look towards her. "Think more of a…" She remembered the word he used. "Plughole! The universe is a plughole and we've fallen in to get here."

"Thief! Thief! You're my thief!"

Alex almost had a whiplash as she whirled around and almost lost her mind trying to hold back her squeal when she saw Idris coming down the hill, with Auntie and Uncle right behind her. "She's dangerous! Guard yourselves!" Alex wasn't paying the slightest attention to that.

_TARDIS! Yay! TARDIS! Oh my God! This is _amazing_! I love this_!

"Look at you!" Idris said once she was close enough to her Time Lord. The Doctor was obviously confused as to why this woman was talking to her as if she knew him. _Of course, what he doesn't know – _yet _– is that Idris is the _TARDIS _in a living, breathing, _talking_ form_. Oh, Alex was having a fan girl meltdown on the inside. _And I'm loving every second of it_! "Goodbye!" Idris realized what she said and shook her head, realizing that was incorrect. "No, not goodbye, what's the other one?"

She broke off talking and randomly grabbed the Doctor's face and kissed him. Alex's mouth snapped shut and she whirled around to control herself from laughing. _Oh my God_! Is it possible to over use a term? Possibly, considering the fact she was overusing 'Oh my God'. _Among other phrases_. Alex turned around just in time to see the Doctor wipe his lips before fixing his hair. _Hah! The look on his face is _classic_! _Oh just seeing that look made another storm of laughter bubble up to her lips. She bit her lip hard to hold it back.

Idris laughed as Auntie and Uncle pushed her behind them. "Welcome, strangers, lovely. Sorry about the mad woman."

"Why am I a thief?" The Doctor asked, ignoring Uncle and Auntie for now. _Now, love, that's rude to ignore people_. He was speaking directly with Idris. "What have I stolen?" _Her. You stole her, you stole her seven hundred years ago_. If you wanted to be precise.

"Me." Idris answered automatically. "You're going to steal me. No, you have stolen me. You are stealing me. Tenses are difficult, aren't they?" Alex was tasting blood. That was how hard she was biting her lip to stop herself from laughing. _Oh my gut, my gut is killing me trying to hold in this laughter_. The Doctor's face was contorted with confusion and it just made this scene even more hilarious. Which was saying something, considering the fact it was hilarious to begin with.

"Oh, we are sorry, my dove." Auntie said kindly. _Ah, too bad they're on 'House's side. _"She's off her head." _Well to be fair, that's not really what's going on. I mean, considering the fact that a TARDIS, by all means, isn't made for a human body, she's doing quite well. But, she lives in _eleven _different dimensions; naturally she would be a little crazy trying to put all of that into a human body_…

Auntie shook the Doctor's hand. Idris had walked over to Alex and gasped. Everyone looked over at the two of them. "Alex Harper!" She then threw her arms around the smaller brunette woman. _Ah! Ah! Ow! Too tight_! Alex gasped and winced as Idris hugged her _tightly_. "Alex, oh Alex, sweet Alex, oh!"

"Ah… TARDIS… too tight. Too tight." She gasped into the woman's ear.

Idris broke the hug before grabbing Alex's face and making her look into her eyes. "Alex, sweet Alex, you know, don't you?"

The girl tried not to cringe, knowing the Doctor was listening to this. "Shhh," she whispered. "Hush, TARDIS, please; I need you to not to say anything about _that_."

Idris then let go of Alex, and walked over to Amy. The brunette relaxed, she figured it was the TARDIS's way of telling her that she wasn't going to say anything. She looked over at her Time Lord, and he raised an eyebrow. She just shrugged, pretending she had no idea. Idris fiddled with a piece of Amy's hair before taking a couple of steps towards her shell. Uncle spoke up. "I'm Uncle. I'm everybody's uncle." He patted the Doctor on the cheek. "Just keep back from this one, she bites!"

Idris was close enough to hear this. _Oh here we go_! Alex bit one of her knuckles as she cackled in her head. "Do I? Excellent." She grabbed the Doctor, again, and bit harshly into his neck. The moment she did that, a commotion started up. The Doctor howled, _naturally, considering that has to hurt_.

Uncle was finally able to rip her away from the Time Lord. "Ow!" The Doctor snapped. "No, ow, ow!" Alex walked over to him as he held a hand to his wound. She gently pried his hand away to check it. Thankfully, it was bleeding, but it was very red. Just because she could and because she felt like it, Alex reached over and gently kissed it. _To make it feel better_.

"Oh, biting's excellent!" Idris commented. "It's like kissing, only there's a winner!"

"Sorry." Uncle apologized again. "She's doolally."

"No, I'm not doolally." Idris was quick to shoot down the name. "I'm… I'm…" She held out the 'm', thinking about it. The Doctor took a step towards her, listening as she tried to think of the word she wanted to say. _Alive_. Alex supplied in her head. _You're alive_. Or, at least, that's what she says at the end of the episode. "It's on the tip of my tongue." She even stuck her tongue out, to make her point. Suddenly, a look came across her face. "I've just had a new idea about kissing. Come here, you!" She chased the Time Lord and he darted behind Alex.

Alex tried not to laugh, considering the fact she was _smaller _than he was, so he had to bend down pretty far. But, to humor him she supposed, she held her arms out and kept the Doctor behind her as Idris circled around to get to him. "Idris, no, no!" Auntie ordered.

Amy and Rory came over to help protect the Doctor from this mad woman. It was only Alex who knew who she really was. "Oh, but now you're angry." Idris' tone suddenly became thoughtful. "No, you're not. You will be angry." _She just can't seem to get the tenses right, can she_? Alex thought off handedly. "The little boxes will make you angry."

"Sorry?" The Doctor asked, now curious again. _All the little mail boxes you just explained to us, Doctor. All the messages of all the Time Lords that must have been trapped here before you_. Alex felt herself become sad. "The little what? Boxes?"

Idris' tone changed again, pinching the Doctor's chin as she spoke. "Your chin is hilarious!" She laughed but then looked at Rory, her tone coming back around to thoughtful again. "It means the dust after rain."

"What does?" Rory asked.

"Petrichor." She explained.

"But I didn't ask." The brunette male pointed out. _Ah, but you will_.

Idris had the same thoughts. "Not yet. But you will." Her tone was full of mystery.

"No, Idris," Auntie spoke up. "I think you should have a rest."

"Yes, yes, good idea!" Idris answered, turning away from the three very confused time travelers. _Ah, they'll find out_. Alex thought sagely. Although, Idris didn't seem to understand how humans worked, for she said, "I'll just see if there's an off switch," and then fainted.

"Whoa!" the Doctor said as Rory caught her. Both boys then set her down into a chair that was nearby.

"Is that it?" Uncle asked, but Alex noticed that from his tone he didn't seem to care much. _Ugh. That's kind of creepy_. "She dead now. So sad."

"She's still breathing." Rory told them. Alex walked over to the Idris, despite the fact she knew she was fine, and stood next to her Time Lord. The Doctor grabbed her hand, and she squeezed.

"Nephew," Uncle turned to someone that was behind them and gestured to Idris, "take Idris somewhere she cannot bite people." _Oh yes, 'Nephew' is an Ood_. An Ood that's being controlled by 'House' and is technically evil.

The Doctor turned to see who was being talked to and smiled. _Ah, found memories of Oods_. She remembered clearly of 'The Planet of the Ood' episode. _With Ten_… Her smiled turned slightly sad. She would always miss and love Ten, no matter how much she may love Eleven – _and I do love Eleven_. But, she did have fond memories of him and her together, and that was nice. "Oh, hello!" The Time Lord greeted. He squeezed her hand, and Alex giggled, knowing that he was having the same thoughts as her.

Amy turned as well, but almost tripped herself in shock of seeing an Ood for the first time. _Well, actually, considering the fact that his glowing green eyes are a little scary, I can see why she would do that_. "Doctor, what is that?" Amy asked with a tone full of alarm.

"It's alright." He assured his best friend. "It's an Ood! Oods are good, love an Ood." He walked confidently towards the alien. "Hello Ood. Can't you talk?" Rory turned to the girls and with his hand up to his mouth; he wiggled his fingers, probably miming the tentacles that was where the 'mouth' was for the Ood. The girls giggled as Amy pushed her husband's arm down. "Oh, I see, it's damaged. May I?" The American was impressed that the Doctor was being polite with the Ood, and after confirmation was given by the Ood, the Doctor opened the translator ball. "It might be on the wrong frequency."

"Nephew was broken when he came here." Auntie explained. "Why, he was half dead. House repaired him. House repaired all of us." _Yeah, by using body parts from _Time Lords. Alex cringed a bit at that. She remembered how angry that Doctor was when he remembered that.

The Doctor fixed Nephew's translator ball and a message came over it. There was a whole bunch of other messages also bleeding through, garbling up into one big noise of panic. _Corsair's message enters now_: "_If you are receiving this message, please help me. Send a signal to the High Council of the Time Lords on Gallifrey. Help! I'm still alive! I don't know where I am. I'm on some rock-like planet_." The Doctor was spinning around in a circle, listening keenly to the messages that were coming through Nephew's translator.

Nephew switched off his translator. _He can't talk because all the physic messages they have locked up is interfering with it. _Alex sighed, _and he was so happy to think that there was another Time Lord out there… That he wasn't the only one_. But that would not happen. He would always be the only Time Lord left… _I'm sorry, Doctor, I really am_.

"What was that?" Rory asked after a moment. His voice was hesitant. _He's probably confused_. "Was that him?"

"No, no," Her Doctor answered slowly. "It's picking up something else. But that's… That's not possible. That's…" Alex sighed very quietly to herself. "Who else is there?" The Doctor suddenly demanded, taking a step closer to Auntie and Uncle. They took a step back. "Tell me. Show me! Show me!"

"Just what you see." Auntie replied hesitantly. "Just the four of us and the House." _'The House' who is _evil_ and wants to eat up TARDIS and kills of Time Lords_! She sighed to herself again. "Nephew," Auntie gestured to Idris. "Will you take Idris somewhere safe where she can't hurt nobody?"

The Ood nods and picked up Idris to take her away. _Bye-bye Idris_. For now, at least. "The House?" The Doctor questioned. "What's the House?" _He's what you're standing on_.

"House is all around you, my sweets." Auntie said with a smile. "You are standing on him." She pointed to the ground while Uncle jumped up and down, making their point. "This is the House. This world. Would you like to meet him?" _No. I rather wouldn't_. But considering the Doctor does, she really didn't have much of a choice. _I mean, he needs me, I know he does, 'cause once he finds out there aren't any Time Lords, and they're all just physic messages, he's gonna need me to calm him down_.

"Meet him?" Rory spoke up, but the Time Lord put a hand up towards him, not even looking at him.

"I'd love to."

Uncle gestured to follow them as Auntie started up the hill. "This way. Come, please. Come."

"What's wrong?" Amy demanded. "What were those voices?"

"You think there are other Time Lords nearby." Alex said quietly.

"I don't think, love, I know." The Doctor answered, and Alex tried not to shake her head. _There aren't any, if anyone should be sure, it's me_. "It's not just the Corsair. Somewhere close by there are lots and lots of… Time Lords." _No, there's just lots and lots of their physic messages_. Alex took a deep breath and the Doctor took her hand. "Allie, love, what's wrong?" She had been extremely excited one moment and the next she was sad. He couldn't understand her mood swings.

"It's… nothing." She said quietly. "I'm just a little worried." _About the physic boxes, about 'the House', about you getting angry, about well, everything_.

"I won't let anyone hurt you, Allie." He whispered to her, reminding her of the promise that he had made to her long ago.

She smiled a bit. "I know you won't, Doctor." He turned and led Alex inside, Amy and Rory bringing up the rear.

-x-

Auntie and Uncle lead them deep into their home; bringing them up to the room where Idris had lost her soul and mind. _Only to have it be replaced with the TARDIS' mind and soul_. Ah, how complex _Doctor Who_ can sometimes get, eh? "Come." Uncle repeated. "Come, come. You can see the House and he can look at you and he…"

The Doctor looked through the grate and his face was lit up with a glowing green light. "I see." He said, understanding it now. "This asteroid is sentient."

Auntie explained into further detail. "We walk on his back, breathe his air, eat his food…"

"Smell his armpits." Amy muttered. Alex chuckled and elbowed her ginger friend gently.

"Hush Amy, that's rude." The woman just smirked at her.

Suddenly both Auntie and Uncle straightened up, their mouths moving in unison. However, the voice that exited their mouths was not of their own. Instead it was a much deeper voice. "And do my will." _Which later we find out is _bad. "You are most welcome, travelers." _Of course we are_, Alex thought sourly. _You want to kill us and eat the TARDIS _– _basically_.

"Doctor… that voice, that's the asteroid talking?" Amy asked.

"Yep Amy, it is." Alex answered as she stood next to her Time Lord.

"So you're like a… sea urchin." The Doctor muttered to himself as he thought it over. "Hard outer surface. That's the planet we're walking on. Big, squashy, oogly thing inside. That's you." _Pretty much, yep_.

"That is correct, Time Lord." House answered. If Alex didn't know, she would have trusted that voice, for it was nice and relaxing. _But I suppose that's the point, he wouldn't have gotten as many Time Lord's to come if he was threatening_.

"Ah!" The Doctor responded. "So you've met Time Lords?"

"Many travelers have come through the rift, like Auntie and Uncle and Nephew. I repair them when they break." House explained.

"So there have been Time Lords here before, yeah?" Alex asked. If she kept silent for too long, she knew the Doctor would get suspicious. _So I have to talk, even if I have to ask questions to which I already know the answer to_.

"Not anymore," House confessed. "But there have been many TARDISes on my back in days gone by." _Yeah, and you've eaten them all_. Alex thought sourly. _But the Doctor and me aren't gonna let you do that to _our _TARDIS_.

"Well, there won't be any more after us." The Doctor answered. "Last Time Lord. Last TARDIS." Alex couldn't stop herself from wincing. _Oh, dammit, don't tell him that_! That's what makes him go into their world in the first place, _'cause he's determined to find more TARDISes to feed on_!

"A pity." House replied. "You people were so kind. Be here in safety, Doctor. Rest, feed, if you will." Auntie and Uncle suddenly blink and look at each other, freed from House's control.

"We're not actually going to stay here, are we?" Rory asked as he leaned towards the Time Lord. Out of the places he wanted to be right now, this was not even close. _Of course we are, the Doctor's got to be curious by now_.

"It seems like a friendly planet. Literally." Alex cut him off as she turned to the three occupants of the planet.

"You wouldn't mind if we poked around just a bit, would you?" She asked, keeping her tone controlled and polite.

"You can look all you want. Go, look." Auntie gestured to the way they had come. "House loves you." She walked over and cupped Amy's face. The woman stood still and just let Auntie do so. However, Alex caught sight of the fact that her left hand was not that of a woman's, but of a man's. She couldn't stop herself from cringing, knowing that it was Corsair's arm. She didn't know that the Doctor had caught sight of this, but filed it away for later.

"Come on then, gang." Alex raised an eyebrow, _gang_? They were his gang now? "We're just going to, erm… see the sights." He took Alex's arm and dragged her off.

"When did we become your 'gang'?" Alex asked once they were out of earshot.

-x-

"_Thief! Thief_!"

Alex stopped, but knew that was coming from Idris in her cell. _Sounds like she wants to talk to the Doctor again_. The Doctor seemed to hear it too for he stopped. "Shh, shh." He held up his finger.

But apparently, Rory didn't understand the memo because he spoke up. "So as soon as the TARDIS is refueled, we go, yeah?"

"No. There are Time Lords here." The Doctor responded and Alex closed her eyes in despair. _There aren't any! They're all dead! It's a trap! All of this is a trap! There aren't any more Time Lords left_! She wanted with all her might to just scream that at the Doctor, to scream it at him, grab Idris, and _leave_, but she couldn't. She just couldn't gather the strength to open her mouth to even mutter it. _What if he gets mad at me for saying it_? Or worse, what if he doesn't believe her? _What if _both _happens_? Alex couldn't stand any of those options. "I heard them and they need me."

"You told me about your people and you told me what you did." Alex closed her eyes at the clear images of the Time War flashed through her head. _They're all dead. None of them are alive. None are here, they're not anywhere, they're all gone_.

"Yes, but if they're like the Corsair, they're good, and I can save them!" The Doctor contradicted as he turned around to face the married couple.

Alex intervened. "Then what, Doctor? Or are you forgetting the fact that you'll have to _mention _the fact that you destroyed the others… oh, and let's not forget, you also destroyed your _home_." It took all of her will power to not snap at him. She was able to get her voice to be calm, but she could that her voice was shaky, and she knew if that if _she _could hear it, then he would to.

Just like she predicted, he turned to her, concerned about her shaky tone of voice. But she could see he was confused as to why she wasn't being understanding as she normally would. "I can explain." The Doctor defended. "Tell them why I had to."

"You want to be forgiven." Amy said, and it wasn't even a question. She spoke it quickly and confidently.

The Doctor paused at this, and Alex tried to hold back her emotions when she saw his head drop a bit. Amy had hit the nail on the head. "… Don't we all?" The Doctor asked quietly.

Alex walked over to him and took his arm. He looked at her and his worry did not die down. Her eyes had become glossy, and that meant she was holding back tears. _Why_? The Doctor wondered. "It's not going to work." Alex said quietly. The Doctor opened his mouth, to argue with her but she cut him off. "It's not them that needs to forgive you, Doctor. It's _yourself_." He winced, but both knew that she was right. It wouldn't matter how many _others _forgave him if he didn't learn to forgive himself.

Amy nodded to herself, she understood. "What do you need from me?" _He needs to be on his own. _However, the girl inched towards her time travelling boyfriend, because she refused to leave him on his own. _That's when it gets messy_. If she stayed by him, then at least she could sort of direct some of his emotion.

"My screwdriver." He answered, _lying right through his teeth_. _Well, _Alex sighed silently, _rule one, the Doctor lies_. "I left it in the TARDIS. It's in my jacket."

"You're wearing your jacket." Rory pointed out.

Alex dared to laugh. "His other jacket, silly." The Doctor looked at her. She was playing along with him. She gave him a knowing look. She knew what he was doing, but it was up to him to tell them or not.

And she knew that he wasn't going to tell him. "You have two of those?" Rory asked, although his voice didn't even really sound surprised. _From all the weirdness that the Doctor has in qualities, I suppose Rory wouldn't be surprised by him anymore_. That's a good thing.

"I'll get it," Amy answered. "But, Doctor, listen to me. Don't get emotional because that's when you make mistakes."

He smiled at his best friend. "Yes boss." He gave her a two finger salute. _Oh that should have been a sign; it's _never _good when someone gives a two finger salute_… _No hold on that's not right, I'm thinking of a two finger wave… Ooooh yeah, not a two finger salute, the Doctor gives those all the time, I'm thinking of a two finger _wave. Riiiiight.

"I'll call you from the TARDIS." She tossed her phone to the Doctor but then looked over at Alex. "Watch over him." The American girl smiled and nodded, showing she understood. _Not like I wasn't going to anyways_. "Rory, look after them." Alex chuckled. _Ah, so she doesn't trust either of us, eh_? She thought bemused.

"Rory," He turned to his black haired friend. "Look after her." She knew that would get him to leave.

"Yeah." He headed off after Amy.

The Doctor turned and took Alex's hand and they continued on. However, Alex's hand was quivering in the Doctor's. He didn't look back at her, but he was worried about his human girl. He gave her hand a squeeze of comfort. But he couldn't handle it for long, the longer they walked, the more her hand shook. He finally turned to her. "Allie?"

She tried to take a deep breath and looked back where they had left Amy and Rory. _God, I can't handle it, I have to tell him, maybe just a tiny bit_. "Doctor," her voice croaked with tears. When she looked back at him, she saw his eyebrow furrowed. "Please Doctor; it's going to make you angry…"

"What love?" He asked, and cupped her cheeks. "What's going to make me angry?"

"Once you find out where the voices are coming from." She explained vaguely, she still couldn't find the strength to go into detail. "Once you find them, they're gonna make you _angry_ and _sad_."

The Doctor took a step towards her, his hearts aching to make his girl better. However, she leaned away from him and he paused at this. "Allie, you don't think that I'd actually be angry at you?" But as he asked this she winced, and he knew that he had hit the nail on the head. "Allie," he was offended she'd even _think _that. "Why would I ever be mad at you?"

"I know, Doctor, I know how this all works out." Alex bit her lip, not looking at him. "But I can't tell you anything, I mean, come on, Doctor, that's spoilers."

"Love, I would never be mad at that. I understand." Her lip trembled and the Doctor knew there was more, a lot more that she wasn't telling him. But he trusted her; he trusted his girl and he could _never _be angry at her. He wrapped his arms around her small trembling body and held her tightly to him. "Oh, love, I adore you. I could never be mad at you."

His voice was a rumble with her so close to him. She clung to him and let out a shuddering breath. _It's so close now_. She thought. _It's so close to when the Doctor finds out that Amy's nothing more than a flesh avatar, and when he finds out that she's really always been on Demon's Run_.

"I love you, Doctor." She whispered, hearing the desperate truth in her own words. "I do."

"I love you too, Allie." He murmured into her ear intimately. "I always will." He then suddenly bent her back and kissed her with fervor. He sucked on her bottom lip until she opened her mouth. His tongue shot out into her mouth and explored each nook and cranny of her mouth. A soft moan slipped out of Alex's mouth as she trembled against her Time Lord, but for a wholly different reason.

She couldn't get over how powerful he could be in a kiss. He could just completely take over a kiss, and she _loved _it when he did that. It took all of her will not to just melt into him when he did that and to become a puddle on the floor before him. Amy always teased him that Alex had him wrapped around her finger, but the ginger was wrong.

Alex was not the one in control…

It was the Doctor. He would always be in control of this relationship.

They're lips trailed apart and Alex trembled again. She tried to get her thought coherent again. "I love it when you do that." She mumbled.

He chuckled and gave her another peck on the lips. "I'll keep that in mind." He then took her hand and started to walk again, and this time, was happy to notice that her hand no longer shook.

-x-

The Doctor kept a tight hold on his girl's hand as he answered the phone. "_We're here_." Alex heard Amy say in greeting. "_Screwdriver's in your jacket, yeah_?" _Oh yeah, it is_… It is in his jacket…

In his jacket that he was wearing right now…

The Doctor took out said device, and shared a look with his Alex. He could see that she knew what he was going to do, and let him do it. He knew how she knew, but he didn't say anything. He was waiting for the right time for that. "Yeah, it's around somewhere. Have a good look." He responded to his best friend. The Doctor activated the screwdriver, and Alex knew that would lock the doors of the TARDIS.

"Now, let's go find those Time Lords." He told his girl, dragging her off.

-x-

The Doctor was walking a little forward now. Alex had wrapped her arms around herself as she followed the Doctor at a distance. She knew what was coming, and she could feel herself shaking again. _This is it_. She thought. This is where he finds that there aren't any Time Lords. "Come on! Where are you?" She watched as he closed his eyes, sensing the other Time Lords. She could feel it herself, a sort of tingling sensation in the back of her mind, but she ignored it. "Now where are you all? Where are you?"

The brunette man opened his eyes and then turned to push back a curtain. He saw a small little alcove and paused for a moment. "Well, they can't all be in there." _Oh they can, Doctor_. Alex thought. They could all be in there, just not in the way he was thinking. Their eyes caught for a moment, before Alex looked away, not able to bear it for long. The look in Alex's crystal blue eyes made the Doctor second guess himself.

He turned and Alex – trying to focus on something else – now could hear the murmured voices coming from the small box buried into the wall. When the Doctor opened it, he saw that indeed – in a way – all the Time Lords were able to fit into the cabinet. They were all glowing boxes, Alex knew.

They were physic messages from many Time Lords that had come here before, and they were all cries for help.

Auntie and Uncle come up from behind him. Alex took a step towards the Doctor; even from that distance she could feel his disappointment and sadness. She gripped her arms tighter, biting her tongue. She wanted to take some of the blame to herself, so at least not all of the blame would be put onto his shoulders. But she knew him well, she knew that he wouldn't ever forward any blame to her.

"Just admiring your Time Lord distress signal collection." He said calmly to Auntie and Uncle. While his voice may have been calm, Alex knew that underneath a storm was brewing. "Nice job. Brilliant job. Really thought I had some friends here…" Alex's heart broke. She took another step towards him. _But you're not alone, Doctor, you still have us. _He still had her, and he would always have her, "but this is what the Ood translator picked up. Cries for help from the long dead." He turned to face them, and Alex took a step back, for she could see within his eyes that storm that she knew was coming. "How many Time Lords have you lured here, the way you lured me? And what happened to them all?" _Oh please don't ask that Doctor. You don't want to know_. Out of all the things he could have questioned, that shouldn't have been one of them.

She couldn't stop herself from wincing, and the Doctor caught the movement. "House," Auntie spoke up, bringing their attention to her. "House is kind and he is wise."

"House repairs you when you break." The Doctor finished, anger rising in his tone. Alex shuddered slightly. He could get very scary when he was angry. "Yes, I know. But how does he mend you?" He scanned Uncle with the sonic. "You have the eyes of a twenty year old."

"Thank you." Uncle answered.

"No," Alex finally entered the conversation. Her voice was calm but it shook slightly. She knew that if she could hear it, then there was no doubt that the Doctor would hear it too. Like so, his eyes flickered over to where she was, but she ignored it. "He means literally. Your eyes are _literally _twenty years younger than the rest of you."

"More like thirty." The Doctor commented. He ripped off Uncle's hat. "Your ears don't match, your right arm is two inches longer than your left, and how's your dancing?" He shuffled his feet, but didn't take his eyes off of them, "'cause you've got to left feet. Patchwork people. You've been repaired and patched up so often, I doubt there's anything left of what used to be you." The Doctor put away the sonic and slapped Auntie's hand. "I had an umbrella like you once."

"Oh, now, it's been a great arm for me, this." Auntie commented.

The Doctor turned over the arm and saw the tattoo again. "Corsair." Alex's voice was hoarse. The Time Lord looked at his girlfriend again, but she still refused to look at him.

"He was a strapping big bloke, wasn't he, Uncle?" Auntie continued. "Big fella. I got the arm and then Uncle got the spine and kidneys."

"Kidneys."

"You gave me hope, and then you took it away." Alex shuddered again, she could hear the storm brewing, and she knew it was starting to come loose. "That's enough to make anyone dangerous. God knows what it will do to me! Basically… run!"

Auntie ran off as Uncle backed away. He still had one thing to say to the Doctor. "Poor old Time Lord. Too late. House is too clever." He left.

Alex bit her lip and closed her eyes, her whole body shaking. She jumped and her eyes snapped opened when she felt hands touch her shoulders. She looked into the sad, clear eyes of her Doctor. She felt her heart break at what she saw, and it was enough for one tear to fall from her eyes. He cupped her cheek and wiped that one tear away, but said nothing. Alex and he both knew that there was nothing to be said. She reached out and wrapped her arms around his shoulder.

She spoke his name just once, croaking it out. He hushed her gently in her ear, and repeated what he had told her earlier. None of this was her fault, and he could never be mad at her. She responded honestly. "I wish sometimes you would be mad at me, then you wouldn't put all the blame on yourself."

He didn't respond at first before he pushed her away from him far enough to see her eyes. He gripped her shoulders and they looked at each other for a long time. They were having a silent conversation, and Alex showed through her eyes that she was being honest. He sighed finally, but a small smile was playing on his lips. "You always worry about me."

"Someone has to." She responded. "You need someone to care for you, Doctor. Someone who will worry, 'cause you certainly don't worry about yourself."

The Doctor smiled before leaning down and kissing her gently on the lips. Alex felt the wind rush from her lungs and tingles shot from her lips all the way down to her spine. _Oh God_, she moaned in her head. _Wow_…

She didn't know that such a gentle kiss could have such an effect on her.

Not that she didn't like it…

_Oh no_, she thought as she leaned up into the Doctor's kiss, _I'm loving every bit of this_…

-x-

The phone rang again and Alex knew it would be Amy – although, who else is it going to be? – "_No sonic screwdriver, also the door seems to have locked behind us." _Alex could hear suspicion in her friend's voice. "_Rory thinks there's a perfectly innocent explanation, _but _I think you lied to us._"

"Time Lord stuff, needed you out of the way." The Doctor answered shortly. Alex took his hand again, knowing he was still upset over the previous events. He squeezed her hand, proving she was right.

"_What? We're not good enough for your smart new friends_?" She asked sharply. Alex rolled her eyes as she walked with the Doctor. _Or maybe he was just doing it to protect you_? They didn't know what was on this planet, and knowing the Doctor as well as she did, she knew it was more than that.

"'The boxes will make you angry.'" The Doctor recited. "How could she know?" He turned to Alex and looked right into her eyes, as if speaking directly to her. She knew he wasn't, and was just talking aloud so she didn't answer. Actually, she couldn't answer because she wanted to see his face when he realized Idris was the TARDIS. _Oh my God, that is going to be hilarious_. She could feel her lips twitching, and was happy that the Doctor had turned his questioning gaze off of her.

"_Doctor, what are you talking about_?" Amy questioned.

"Stay put." The Doctor ordered. _Although, it's not like they can go anywhere with the doors locked_. "Stay exactly where you are."

"_We don't have much_…" The Doctor closed the phone, cutting her off. He took Alex's hand and he rushed off to find Idris.

_Here we come, TARDIS_!

-x-

Finally the two brunettes found her in a cell. "How did you know about the boxes?" The Doctor interrogated immediately. "You said they'd make me angry." _Which they did_. Alex thought. She was always impressed at how the TARDIS knew _everything_. _I mean, I have a good excuse_, but she just _knows_. "How did you know?"

Idris' eyes were closed, and she didn't bother opening them. She ignored his question. "Ah, it's my thief."

"Who are you?" _Your TARDIS Doctor_. Alex thought with a smile. She decided to sit back and just watched the two of them. She loved this scene.

"It's about time." Idris answered.

"Who are you?" He repeated.

"Do you not know me?" _Well, no, TARDIS, he doesn't_. He's an idiot sometimes. Alex snickered as quietly as she could. _Oops_. The Doctor heard it anyways, for he shot her a look for knowing something and laughing at the fact he didn't. "Just because they put me in here?"

"They said you were dangerous." Alex mentally snickered. _Not in the cage, in the human body_.

Idris replied quickly. "No the cage, stupid." Alex giggled quietly at that and the Doctor shot her another look. "In here." She put her hands up to her face, showing that she meant in her body. "They put me in here. I'm the…" Her face scrunched up as if she wasn't having a lot of trouble. _The TARDIS_. Alex gave her mentally, _you're the TARDIS dear_. "Oh, what do you call me? We travel. I go…" She circled her lips and produced the TARDIS noises.

"The TARDIS?" The Doctor asked with much disbelief.

"Time And Relative Dimension In Space." Idris said mechanically. "Yes, that's it. Names are funny." _Or 'pretty but useless' if anyone's ever played Dragon Age: Origins_. Ah, that was such an epic game. "It's me! I'm the TARDIS."

Alex didn't need knowledge of the show to know the Doctor didn't believe her. His face gave that away. "No. You're not!" He responded. "You're a bitey, mad lady." Alex giggled again. "The TARDIS is an up and downy stuff in a big blue box."

Idris stood up. "Yes, that's me." She leaned her cheek onto her hand. "A type 40 TARDIS. I was already a museum piece, when you were young, and the first time you touched my console you said…"

The Doctor had turned his back to her and the brunette girl could see he was reminiscing. "I said you were the most beautiful thing I had ever known." _Aw_, Alex thought with a smile. _That's so sweet_. Like she said, the Doctor was the TARDIS' _way _before anyone else ever met him. It was why the TARDIS and she made a deal. They would share the Doctor with only each other, and no one else could have him.

"And then you stole me. And I stole you." Idris continued. Alex could see that now the realization that this woman was indeed his TARDIS was starting to sink in.

"I borrowed you." He corrected faintly.

_Oh my God, here it comes, my _favorite _line_: "Borrowing implies the eventual intention to return the thing that was taken. What makes you think I would ever give _you_ back?" If Alex had been biting her lip hard, she would have lost it. She was having a fangirl meltdown right now at that line. _I _love _that line_!

The Doctor slowly turned around to face Idris. "You're the TARDIS?"

"Yes." She replied.

"My TARDIS?"

"My Doctor." A thoughtful expression came across Idris' face. "Oh! We have now reached the point in the conversation where you open the lock." As if not truly in control of himself, the Doctor reached into his pocket and took out the screwdriver. He turned it on and opened the cage. Idris and the Doctor walked towards each other and walked around in a small circle, both studying each other intently.

However, suddenly she turned to Alex. "Are all people like this?"

She blinked, caught off guard that a question was being aimed towards her. "Like what?"

"So much bigger on the inside." Alex chuckled. "I'm…" Her face contorted again when she couldn't come up with the word. "Oh, what is that word? It's so big, so complicated. It's so sad." _Yes, I suppose that in some ways being alive can be sad_. She could see why the TARDIS would continue to say that.

"But why?" The Doctor finally asked. "Why pull the living soul from a TARDIS and pop it in a tiny human head? What does it want you for?"

"It's doesn't want me." She walked over to her Doctor and sniffed him.

"How do you know?" And he reached up to smell his jacket to see what she was sniffing. Alex found this scene beyond amusing. _I mean its one thing to see it on TV or something… but just a whole new level to watch in right in front of you_.

"House eats TARDISes." Idris answered.

"House what?" The Doctor asked. "What do you mean?"

"It's something you say in the future." Alex finally entered. He looked over to see that she had a huge grin on her face and she was biting her finger hard enough that he saw a small trail of blood there. He gave her a look when he realized she was enjoying this. She just shrugged innocently. _How can he blame me for finding this funny? It _is _funny_. She saw his hand twitch a bit and looked at him curiously, but he looked away. He just didn't like to see her hurt, even so much as a small bit mark.

"House eats TARDISes?"

"There you go." Idris spoke up again, and then put a finger to the Doctor's lips and turned to Alex again. "What are fish fingers?" She asked.

"When do I say that?" The Doctor asked bewildered, speaking around Idris' finger.

"Any second." She responded, turning back to her Time Lord.

_And the Doctor figures it out… now_: "Of course!" The Doctor said, right on time. _Man, I am _good _at predicting these things_! Alex grinned to herself. "House feeds off rift energy and TARDISes are bursting with it. And not raw. All lovely and cooked, processed food… Mmm, fish fingers."

"Do fish have fingers?" Alex laughed as she walked up to the pair.

"It's fish, Idris." She explained. "But they're cooked in small little rectangles that are no thicker than your finger. Hence the term, 'fish fingers'." Idris' mouth went into an 'o' as she understood.

The Doctor shook his head as if snapping out of it. "But you can't eat a TARDIS, it would destroy you. Unless, unless…"

But Idris cut him off, already knowing where he was going. _Actually we both probably did since we know the future_. "Unless you deleted the TARDIS matrix first."

The Doctor chuckled, "so he deleted you." _You're not getting it Doctor_.

Idris went into further detail. "But House just can't delete a TARDIS' consciousness, that would blow a hole in the universe. He pulls out the matrix, sticks it in a living receptacle and feeds off the remaining Artron energy. You were about to say all that." Idris smiled.

"Well now he doesn't have to." Alex laughed. "You already did for him." The girls smiled at each other and she was happy about that. _I love the TARDIS, and I want to be on her good side_. Hence why she always treats the TARDIS with politeness and respect.

The Doctor came to a realization. _That he just trapped Amy and Rory in here, and House isn't about to let them out_. "I sent Amy and Rory in there. They'll be eaten. Amy! Amy!" He yelled once he called them on the phone. "Rory, get the hell out of there!" He ran through the tunnels.

Alex was going to go after him, but Idris grabbed her hand. The brunette looked back at the TARDIS. "Dear Alex, you know…"

She winced. "Please, TARDIS, I beg you, don't tell him, he can't find out."

"Why not?" She demanded.

"You don't know?" Alex questioned, surprised. She thought the TARDIS knew everything.

The woman started to walk, dragging Alex with her. "Explain everything. I want to hear it from you."

"Um, okay…" She sighed. "But don't tell the Doctor… It started before the whole 'Impossible Astronaut' and 'Day of the Moon' episode back in the opening of season six…"

-x-

The Doctor finally came back to them. Idris had sat down on the steps, with Alex a few steps below her. She had just finished explaining when the Time Lord entered. Uncle and Auntie were also there, but Alex knew they didn't have long. "It's gone!" The Doctor yelled, agitated.

"Eaten?" Idris questioned. _No, just gone to our lovely universe in search of more food_.

"No, it left. No eaten, hijacked. But why?" _To find more TARDISes_. Although, it wasn't like he was going to find more, considering they were all gone.

"It's time for us both to go, and keep together." Auntie said, drawing the Time Lord's attention to them.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." The Doctor intervened. "Go? What do you mean go? Where are you going?"

"Well, we're dying, my love." Auntie answered. "It's time for Auntie and Uncle to pop off."

"I'm against it." Uncle added.

"It's your fault, isn't it, sweets? 'Cause you told House it was the last TARDIS. House can't feed on them if there's none of them coming, can he?" Alex mentally groaned. _That's why I was against the Doctor giving away that kind of information_!

"So now," Uncle continued. "He's off to your universe to find more TARDISes."

"Well to bad for him, he's not gonna find any." Alex replied, rubbing her eye dully. She could feel Idris running her fingers through her hair. For some reason, the TARDIS had been fascinated with her hair, and she wasn't sure what it was. Although, she had said it was because the Doctor played with her hair so much that she wanted to see what it was like now that she fingers.

"Oh, it will think of something." Auntie replied. _And then she keels over_. Auntie fell with a groan just as Alex thought that. The Doctor rushed over to check for a pulse.

_Then Uncle gets up for one more line before he goes over too_. "Actually, I feel fine." But he fell to the floor as well. _Now both Auntie and Uncle are dead_.

"Not dead. You can't just die!" _Well they just did, Doctor_.

"Are they dead?" Alex asked quietly anyways.

Idris spoke before the Doctor could respond. "We need to get to where I landed, Doctor, Alex. Quickly."

"Why?" The Doctor asked exasperated.

"Because we are there in three minutes." Alex responded a similar thought in her mind. "We need to go…" She waited for the right moment. "Now!" She ran towards the way out but stopped suddenly. "Ow!" Alex got up and walked over to the TARDIS. She touched one of Idris' arms and she looked at Alex. "Roughly, how long do these bodies last?" _Not long in your case_. The TARDIS was never made for a human body.

The Doctor scanned her with his sonic and both girls looked over at him. "You're dying." He said quietly.

"Of course she is." Alex said. "I mean, she's the _TARDIS_, someone like her wasn't made for something like a human body. It just doesn't work. That's like shoving a Time Lord brain into a human body." _And we all know how that turned out with Donna_.

Idris took the screwdriver. "I don't belong in a flesh body. I could blow the casing in no time. No, stop it, don't get emotional." Both girls looked at each other.

"That's what Amy would say." Alex chuckled.

"Right, the orangey girl." Alex bit her lip to stop herself from laughing again. "You're the Doctor. Focus." She held out the screwdriver for him to take.

"On what? How? I'm a madman with a box, without a box!" He snatched the sonic back. "I'm stuck down the plughole at the end of the universe on a stupid old junkyard!"

Alex rolled her eyes. "Oh for heaven's sake, no you're not." He whirled around. "It's not just a junkyard."

"It's not?" Idris asked, not following.

But the Doctor got it. "Oh." _And there we go; now he realizes it_. Alex smiled at him, happy to help.

"Oh, what?" Idris questioned.

"She's right. I'm not."

"Not what?"

"'Cause it's not a junkyard. Don't you see? It's not a junkyard."

"What is it then?"

"It's a _TARDIS _junkyard." Alex answered, and Idris understood what they were getting at.

The Doctor started to head for the exit. "Come on!" He stopped and the turned back around. "Ooh, sorry, do you have a name?" _It's Idris, but there is no way in hell I am passing up the offer to have him call her 'Sexy'_. That is the _best_.

Idris turned to the other brunette, "700 years and he finally asks." Alex chuckled.

"Yeah, he can be a bit slow when it comes to women, but you get use to it." She said, knowing the TARDIS could understand that if they've been traveling for 700 years.

"But what do I call you?" The Doctor insisted.

"I think you call me… Sexy." Alex snorted and turned around a bit to compose herself.

"Only when we're alone." The Doctor responded.

"Oh no, oh _no_. On by no accounts stop calling her that for _me_." Alex whirled around. "Please call her Sexy! Please, Doctor! That is just…" She laughed again. "_Classic_!" The Doctor didn't seem willing so she stuck her lip out and gave him the puppy eyes. She so badly wanted him to call the TARDIS 'Sexy'.

She saw his resolve crumbling. "Come on then, Sexy. Allie!" He then turned and Alex laughed gleefully. She linked arms with Idris and took off after the Doctor.

"You must teach me how to do that!" Idris said as they were running.

Alex laughed. "Gladly, TARDIS, I will _gladly _teach you that!"

-x-

The Doctor ran across the surface of the planet, scanning with the sonic screwdriver. Idris and Alex were following, or at least trying to. _He can move very fast for someone who's in his 900s_. The brunette girl thought bemused at one point. The Doctor finally stopped upon a mound and both brunette women followed him. They looked down across the valley to see hundreds of dead TARDISes.

"A valley of half-eaten TARDISes. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" _No_. Alex said almost immediately. _Idris is thinking something very differently right now_.

"I'm thinking that all of my sisters are dead. That they were devoured and that we are looking at their corpses." Alex took Idris' hand for comfort.

"_I'm _thinking that you're _insane_, and you run very quickly for someone who is over 900 years old." Alex put in her two cents dryly.

He looked at both of them. "Ah. Sorry. No, I wasn't thinking either of those things."

"No. You were thinking you could build a working TARDIS console out of broken remnants of a hundred different models."

"And you don't give a rat's ass that it's impossible." Alex finished.

The Doctor grinned at them. "It's not impossible as long as we're alive. Rory and Amy need us. So, yeah, we're gonna build a TARDIS." He headed into the valley.

Alex shook her head. "Ya know, this totally goes against what happened in 'The Impossible Planet' where you told Rose that you can't build a TARDIS, they can only be grown!"

-x-

The three brunettes were scattered about, finding any sorts of equipment they would need. "Bond the tube directly into the Tachyon Diverter." Idris was commanding.

"Yes, yes, I've actually rebuilt a TARDIS before, you know." The Doctor responded childishly. "I know what I'm doing."

"Ha!" Alex snorted. "No you don't. You admitted that you never know what you're doing and you just make it up on the spot."

"I agree." Idris added. "You're like a nine-year-old trying to rebuild a motorbike in his bedroom. And you never read the instructions."

The Doctor was grumbling to himself as Alex and the TARDIS ganged up on him. He kept throwing looks at Alex; she was supposed to be on _his _side! Not the TARDIS'! "I always read the instructions!"

"No you don't!" Alex continued. "You once told us that you threw the instruction manual into a super nova because you didn't agree with it!"

"There's a sign on my front door. You have been walking past it for 700 years. What does it say?" Idris questioned. _It says 'PULL TO OPEN'_. Not that the Doctor's ever done that…

"That's not instructions!"

"Yes it is!" Alex shot back. "They're at the bottom of all of it! You know exactly what we're talking about, Doctor!"

"What does it say?" Idris asked again.

"Pull to open." The Doctor finally conceded.

"Yes, and what do you do?"

"I push!" He responded childishly.

"Every single time." Idris said exasperated. "700 years. Police Box doors open out the way."

The Doctor threw the rope down – much like one would in a tantrum – and walked over to her. "I think I've earned the right to open my front doors anyway I want!"

"_Your_ front doors?" Alex shot up into view and scoffed at those words. "If they're anyone's doors, Doctor, they're the _TARDIS'_ doors! Not yours! Since, ya know, she's _is _the ship!"

"Your front doors? Have you any idea how childish that sounds?" Idris asked.

He turned and grumbled to himself. "You are not my mother."

"And you are not my child." She retorted.

He whirled back around as Alex took her place next to Idris. "You know, since we're talking with mouths, not really an opportunity that comes along very often, I just want to say, you know, _you_," he thrust a finger at her, "have never been very reliable."

Alex scoffed. "And you have?" Idris shot back.

"You didn't always take me where I wanted to go." He walked off, as if he had one up on her.

Too bad for him, he _didn't_. Alex threw her hands up at the childishness the Doctor was showing. "No, but I always took you where you _needed _to go."

"Exactly, Doctor! God, you are so stupid!" Alex cut in. "I mean, really, think of all the adventures you had that _wouldn't _of happen if she hadn't taken you there. 'Planet of the Ood', remember that one? With Donna and me? Well, that wouldn't have happened. Remember when you and Rose went back to the day before the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II? That would _never _have happened. Oh, how about more recently, like the time Rory, Amy, you and me went to 2020 and meet Silurians? Think of all those adventures Doctor. Think of what would have happened if we never went there; think of what that would have changed!" _And that wasn't _all _of them, there was a _lot _more_.

The Doctor stopped when he realized that they were right. "You're right!" He whirled around, happy with his revelation. "Look at us. Talking. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could always talk? Even when you're inside the box?"

"You know I'm not constructed that way. I exist across all space and time, and you talk and bring home strays." Alex turned to look at her strangely. "Except you, dear Alex. You were always my favorite."

"Really?" Alex asked. She knew that she was on good terms with the TARDIS, but this was _epic_!

"Yes, you were the nicest."

"What?" Alex asked at the Doctor's questioning gaze. "I always made sure to be polite and nice when interacting with the TARDIS. I mean, she wouldn't have done _half _the things she did for me if I wasn't nice about it." Idris fell, but both the Doctor and Alex caught her. "Idris, are you alright?"

"One of the kidneys has already failed. It doesn't matter. We need to finish assembling the console." Idris passed off her pain for them to finish what they started.

"Using a console without a proper shell. It's not going to be safe."

Alex gave him a look. "Pretty much _nothing _is safe with you, Doctor."

"This body has about eighteen minutes to live. The universe we're in will reach absolute zero in three hours. Safe is relative."

"See?" Alex rolled her eyes. "_Nothing_." The Doctor gave her a look.

The Doctor headed back to the piece he had been dragging previously and picked up the rope. "Then we need to get a move on, eh, old girl?" _Aw_. Alex always loved the TARDIS' and Doctor's relationship. _It's just so sweet_.

-x-

Alex felt Idris playing with her hair again as she was looking for pieces that was relevant to the console. "Yes TARDIS?" She asked amused.

"You know, the orangey girl was right."

Alex blinked, and couldn't see where this conversation was going. "About what?"

"You should sleep with him." The brunette girl fumbled with everything that was in her hands as a bright blush came across her cheeks. She was _not _having this conversation about sleeping with the Doctor with the _TARDIS_!

"Um… what?" She tried her best not to get her voice to raise up, but she knew it was no use when her words came out as a squeak.

"You should sleep with him." Idris repeated, either ignoring her tone or oblivious to it. "She's right when she says that both of you want to do it."

"But… I… I just… The thing is…" Alex couldn't get her words together to form a coherent sentence. "I just… I couldn't, TARDIS…" When Amy was talking about this, she could convince herself that Amy was just seeing things when she said that both wanted it. But the fact that the TARDIS – who knew the Doctor better than her – was telling her this, made it very hard indeed.

But she just couldn't think like that, for a few reasons actually. She couldn't take it seriously. Because if they _did _feel the same way, and if they _did _sleep together that would take their relationship to a level that they could never go back. And what if the Doctor left? Oh god, she knew she shouldn't think about that but she just couldn't get it out of her mind. If the Doctor left after she slept with him, oh dear lord, that would _kill _her.

The TARDIS watched her for a long moment before taking her into another crushing hug. "Oh dear Alex, the Doctor will never leave you. He loves you and just wants to show you that. He wants to show you how much he loves you."

"But what if something goes wrong? And that makes him leave, oh God TARDIS, I couldn't handle that." Alex whispered hoarsely into her ear.

"That's not going to happen, Alex." Idris answered confidently. "He will always be with you and he would never leave you." The Doctor called Idris over and she finally ended the hug. She looked at Alex for a long moment, before squeezing her shoulders and walking over to the Time Lord.

_Oh God, my head is pounding_.

-x-

The TARDIS now had three walls up and the Doctor was carrying a central column over his shoulder to the console. "You'll need to install the time router." Idris commented.

"How is this going to make it through the time vortex?" The Doctor muttered to himself as he slid the column into place. "We're almost there." He checked everything. "Thrust diffuser. Er, Retro scope. Blue… thingy."

Idris was shifting through some junk as the Doctor walked over to his girl. He wrapped her arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. She leaned away slightly, still deep in thought about Idris' words. _Let me try something_. She pressed her hips noticeably against the Doctor's hips and then let out a very small moan, so that only he would hear. She got a positive reaction when he shuddered and gripped her waist more tightly. _Oh that's a good response_. That gave her more to think about.

"Do you wonder why I chose you all those years ago?"

"I chose you." The Doctor responded. "You were unlocked." Alex chuckled. _Of course she was._

"Of course I was." Idris echoed. "I wanted to see the universe, so I stole a Time Lord and I ran away. And you were the only one mad enough." The Doctor dragged Alex over to stand next to Idris and looked back at the console. "Right. Perfect. Look at that. What could possibly go wrong?"

Alex turned and swiftly smacked the Doctor's arm. "_Don't say that_!" How many times did she have to tell him that was _bad_? _It's up there with 'I don't like this' or 'It couldn't get any worse'_.

The Doctor winced as the sound echoed through the area. A small piece fell off. "That's fine, that always happens. No! Hang on! Wait!" He grabbed a red velvet rope. The Doctor then handed it to the girls and they attached it to the console walls. "Right. Okay, let's go. Follow that TARDIS!" However, when the Doctor started up the console it didn't respond. It didn't even move. Idris was more focused on her reflection in the mirror and put her hands up to her face, bending it as she watched it fascinated.

"Doctor…" Alex tried, but he ignored her.

"It can't hold the charge. I can't even start it. There's no power!" He slapped the mirror to get Idris to focus. "I've got nothing!" _Oh please, you have what you've always had_.

"Oh, my beautiful idiot. You have what you've always had – you've got me." Idris kissed her finger, imbuing it with energy, and then placed it against the central column. The energy circled them with a field and they dematerialized.

"Whoo-hoo!" Alex yelled. "Let's go!"

The makeshift TARDIS quickly picked up speed, following the path of 'the' TARDIS. The ride was more than a little rough. It was worse than when the Doctor left the stabilizers off. The Doctor was enjoying the experience. If Alex was honest with herself, she was enjoying it as well. It was like some crazy rollercoaster. "Whoo-hoo!"

"We've locked onto them!" Idris yelled. She had to in order to be heard by the other two brunettes. "They'll have to lower the shields when I'm close enough to phase inside."

"Then we'll need to get a message to Amy!" Alex responded.

"The telepathic circuits are online!" The Doctor added.

"Which one's Amy? The pretty one?" Alex laughed quietly knowing that Idris messes up, and instead sends a message to Rory. She knew the scene by heart – Rory and Amy are climbing up a ladder in the TARDIS when Idris sends him a message explain what he needed to do, with the Doctor adding a bit of input here and there – so she didn't need to know. They both closed their eyes as their slightly telepathic powers kicked in.

The Doctor opened his eyes and spoke up. "How's he going to be able to take down the shields anyways? The House is in the control room!"

"I directed him to one of the old control rooms." Idris responded.

"There aren't any old control rooms. They were all deleted or remolded!" The Doctor responded.

Alex rolled her eyes. "She archives them! Ya know, for neatness!"

"I've got about thirty now!" Idris added.

"But I've only changed the desktop, what a dozen times?"

"Eleven!" Alex inputted. "You've only done it eleven times, since this," she waved a finger at his face. "Is your eleventh regeneration! So, you've only changed it eleven times!"

"So far, yes." Idris commented.

"You can't archive something that hasn't happened yet!" Alex rolled his eyes. What part of she can see the future was he not getting?

"_You _can't!" She retorted.

-x-

They were really starting to catch up with 'the' TARDIS now. "Keep going! You're doing it, you sexy thing!" Alex giggled.

"See, you _do _call me that. Is that my name?"

"Oh it totally is, TARDIS!" She laughed. "Just like only the Doctor can call me 'Allie', only he can call you 'sexy'!"

After a few minutes – and Alex keeping track with her memory of the episode – Idris suddenly announced, "They did it! Shields down!" The makeshift TARDIS was closing in on 'the' TARDIS. Alex could now see the ship and they were coming in fast.

"You'd better tell Amy and Rory to duck!" Alex yelled to Idris. The woman closed her eyes and sent a message their way.

The makeshift TARDIS started to spark the closer they got. "It's not going to hold!" Idris yelled. Finally, with sparks flying the makeshift TARDIS materialized in the TARDIS.

"Doctor! Lexi!" Alex heard Amy call to them. The Doctor got up and let Amy hug him. Alex slowly got up, _oh wait, no bad idea_. Her legs shook and she decided to sit back down. She gently sat Idris back down when she wobbled a bit too.

"Not good. Not good at all." Idris was muttering. "How do you walk around in these things?" She asked Alex.

"You learn how." She responded offhandedly.

"We're not quite there yet… just hold on." The Doctor said as he walked back over to them. "Amy, this… Well, she's my TARDIS."

"Except she's a woman too." Alex added and the Doctor spared her a glance.

"She's a woman, and she's my TARDIS."

"She's the TARDIS?" Amy asked as she pointed a finger at Idris. _Yep, a human TARDIS_. Too cool. _Oh, I am so having another fangirl meltdown right now_.

"And she's a woman. She's a woman and she's the TARDIS." The Doctor repeated.

"Did you wish really hard?" Alex laughed as the Doctor spared them another look, and Alex swore she saw a slight pink tinge to his cheeks. _Aw, he's blushing how cute_.

"Shut up! Not like that." _Oh totally like that_. Why else would this episode be named 'The Doctor's Wife'?

"Hello." Idris greeted. "I'm… Sexy."

"Oh…" The Doctor looked at her again as Alex giggled, but he then turned and waved a finger at Amy. "Still shut up."

"The Environment has been breached." House finally intervened. "Nephew, kill them all." They all looked around for the Ood, but he was nowhere to be seen. _Oh yeah, that's right, he's 'redistributed' as the Doctor called it. Basically we're breathing him in right now_. Alex scrunched up her nose in disgust. _Ugh, that makes me a little sick to think about_.

"Where's Nephew?" Rory asked.

"He was standing right where you materialized." Amy said.

"Ah." The Doctor understood. "Well, he must have been redistributed."

"Meaning what?" Rory questioned.

"We're breathing him in right now." Alex commented.

"Eugh!" Amy muttered as they all scrunch up their faces.

"Another Ood I failed to save." The Doctor muttered. Alex rolled her eyes. _He blames himself for _everything.

"Doctor, I did not except you." House said.

"Well, that's me all over, isn't it?" The Doctor responded. "Lovely, old, unexpected me."

"The big question is, now you're here, how to dispose of you? I could play with gravity…" They all fell down, fighting against the pull until House realized it. _Ugh_. Alex cracked her back and got up slowly. Idris fell on her own, and Rory rushed over to help her. _Her body is going. It's not going to be long_.

"Or I could evacuate the air from this room and watch you choke." Alex felt all the oxygen go and her lungs lurched dangerously. They all gasped for breath. Alex grasped her neck tightly, as her lungs puffed in an effort to gain _any _oxygen. She fell to her knees. _No not again_! She was almost suffocated way back in 'Smith and Jones' and that was _more _than enough times for her, _thank you_!

House finally returned the air and Alex put her hands onto the grilling, letting her lungs fill up with oxygen. She tried to ignore the dull pain in her heart as she looked at the grilling on the ground, knowing whose desktop theme this had been…

"Why shouldn't I kill you now?"

"Because then I won't be able to help you!" The Doctor responded. "Listen to your engines. Just listen to them. You don't have the thrust and you know it. I'm your only hope for getting out of your little bubble, –"

"Not a bubble." Alex muttered. "_Plughole_."

"– through the rift, and into my universe. And mine's the one with the food in! You just have to promise not to kill us. That's all, just promise."

Alex saw out of the corner of her eye, Idris whispered something to Rory. "You can't be serious." Amy muttered.

"Hush Amy and just trust the Doctor." Alex commented motherly to her.

"Doctor, she's burning up. She's asking for water."

He kneeled down to Idris and took her hand, stroking her cheek. "Hey. Hand in there, old girl. Not long now. It'll be over soon."

"I always liked it when you call me… old girl." Idris said breathlessly.

"You want me to give you my word?" House sounded amused. "Easy. I promise." Alex tried not to snort. _Not that he keeps his promise_.

"Fine. Okay. I trust you. Just delete, oooh, thirty percent of the TARDIS rooms, you'll free up thrust enough to make it through. Activate sub-routine Sigma-nine."

"Why would you tell me this?" House questioned as he did what the Doctor told him.

The Doctor stood up. "Because we want to get back to our universe as badly as you do. And I'm nice."

"Ye-e-s." House proclaimed. "I can delete rooms, and I can also rid myself of vermin if I delete this room first. Thank you, Doctor, very helpful. Goodbye, Time Lord. Goodbye, little humans. Goodbye, Idris."

Alex squinted her eyes as a bright light flashed throughout the room.

-x-

However, they just ended up materializing in the control room. "Yes. I mean you could do that, but it just won't work. Hardwired fail-safe. Living things from rooms that are deleted are automatically deposited in the main control room."

"Thanks though for the lift!" Alex added cheekily.

"We are in your universe now, Doctor." House stated calmly. "Why should it matter to me in which room you die? I can kill you just as easily here as anywhere else. Fear me. I've killed hundreds of Time Lords." Alex rolled her eyes.

"Fear _me_. I've kill them all." The Doctor responded deadly calm.

The Doctor looked over at Idris before looking at Alex, she nodded her head, indicating what he was thinking was right. "Yeah, you're right. You've completely won. Oh, you can kill us in oddles of really inventive ways, but before you kill us allow me and my friends," Alex felt her eye twitch. _It's my friends and I, Doctor_! "Amy and Rory – and my girl Allie – to congratulate you on being an absolutely worthy opponent."

The Doctor started to clap before grabbing Amy's and Alex's by the arm and forced them both to start clapping as well. "Congratulations!" Amy said.

"Well done!" Alex added. "Well done indeed!"

"Yep, you've defeated us, me and my lovely friends," Alex elbowed him and he grunted, "my lovely friends and me," he shot Alex a look and she smiled, much happier now. "here at last but definitely not least the TARDIS matrix herself, a living consciousness you ripped out of this very control room and locked up into a human body and look at her!"

"Doctor," Rory spoke up. "she's stopped breathing."

"Enough!" House snapped. "That is enough!"

"No. It's never enough." The Doctor responded as Amy went over to her husband and Idris. "You forced the TARDIS into a body so she'd burn out safely a very long way away from this control room. A flesh body can't hold the TARDIS matrix and live. Look at her body, House." _Here it comes_. Alex knew _exactly _what was coming, and House deserved it for underestimating the TARDIS.

"And you think I should mourn her?" House scoffed.

"No." Alex shook her head and spoke evenly. "That's not what we think you should be doing. We think you should be very, _very _careful about what you let into your control room – or should I say _her _control room?"

Energy burst from Idris' lips as she opened her mouth. "You took her home. But now she's back in the box again and she's free!" The energy streamed throughout the room, and throughout the whole ship, changing the green light to golden. This ship was coming back under command of its proper pilot.

"No! Doctor, stop this! Ow! Stop this now!"

"Oh, look at my girl, look at her go!" The Doctor said. "Bigger on the inside! You see, House?"

"Make it stop!"

"That's the problem you have, House." Alex said. "You may be the size of a planet, but on the inside you're _tiny_. You don't size up to the TARDIS in _any way_."

"Make it stop!"

"Finish him off, girl." The Doctor said. House groaned and yelled as the TARDIS took back her home. When it was silent, Amy and Rory noticed that Idris' body was gone.

"_Doctor? Are you there_?" _Ah, and here comes a very bittersweet moment between the TARDIS and the Doctor_. The Time Lord turned very slowly and they all looked upon a glowing projection of Idris. "_It's so very dark in here_."

"I'm here." The Doctor said softly. Alex watched him sadly.

"_I've been looking for a word. A big, complicated word, but so sad. I've found it now_."

"What word?" The Doctor's tone had softened to a whisper. _Oh, here it comes_. Alex could feel her eyes tingling, a tell-tale sign of tears.

"_Alive. I'm alive_!" The TARDIS said.

"Alive isn't sad." _It is in this instance_. Amy and Rory watched, Rory holding her close. Alex stepped up next to the Doctor.

"_It's sad when it's over. I'll always be here. But this is when we talked and now even that has to come to an end. There's something I didn't get to say to you_."

"Goodbye?" The Doctor offered. Alex felt a few tears fall from her eyes, because she knew that wasn't it.

"_No, I just wanted to say… Hello. Hello, Doctor. It's so very, very nice to meet you_."

The Doctor had tears in his eyes and Alex took his hand, and he squeezed tightly. "Please! I don't want you to. Please!" However, they took a step back as the projection dissipated with a bright light and the familiar whirling engines of the TARDIS.

"_I love you_."

Alex felt a few more tears fall from her eyes and she wiped them away. The Doctor turned to the console, but she rested a hand onto his arm. He looked at her and he wrapped his arms around her tightly and buried his face into her hair. She cried silently. "She loves you, Doctor." She whispered. "She said it. She loves you. She loves you more than anyone else." She felt the Doctor shake at that, and could feel two tears fall from his eyes.

_And she will always love you more than anyone else._

-x-

The Doctor was sitting in the swing underneath the console working on the wires. Amy and Rory watch from above, while Alex sat on the steps, just watching her Time Lord. "How's it going under there?"

"Just putting a firewall around the matrix. Almost done." The Doctor answered.

Rory walked down the steps and stood near Alex. "Are you going to make her talk again?" Amy asked. _Nope_. He couldn't. The whole her talking was a onetime thing.

"Can't." The Doctor answered simply.

"Why not?"

"Wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey." Alex answered softly. Both knew what that meant.

"Well actually, it's because Time Lords discovered that if you take an eleventh-dimensional matrix and fold it into a mechanical then…" Rory took two wires and curiously had them touch, causing them to spark. Alex smacked Rory's back gently. "Yes, it's spacey-wacey!"

"Sorry." Rory said. "At the end, she was talking. She kept repeating something. I don't know what it meant."

The Doctor stood. "What did she say?" He asked.

"'The only water in the forest is the river.'" Alex looked away, already knowing the significant behind that one little statement. "She said we'd need to know that someday." _Someday very soon_. "It doesn't make sense, does it?"

"Not yet." The Doctor answered. _All in good time_.

"Are you alright, Rory?" Alex asked, knowing Idris' death was affecting him.

"No. I watched her die. I shouldn't let it get to me, but it still does. I'm a nurse."

Amy joined them and sat on the bottom, one step below Alex, and held onto the railing. "Letting it get to you – you know what that's called? Being alive. Best thing there is. Being alive right now, that's all that counts." He sat back onto the swing. _Dammit, _him saying finally convinced her to take that chance and see if he would… sleep with her… _Argh!_ Her cheeks flared up red. "Nearly finished. Two more minutes, then we're off. The Eye of Orion's restful, if you like restful. I can never really get the hang of restful." _Not when trouble has you on speed dial or something_… "What do you think, dear? Where shall we take the kids this time?" Alex couldn't help but smile as he spoke to the TARDIS endearingly.

"Look at you pair." Amy said. "It's always you and her, isn't it? Long after the rest of us have gone. A boy and his box, off to see the universe."

Alex laughed softly. "OTP." Everyone looked over at her, and she chuckled. "It's a fandom thing; it means 'One True Pairing'." Amy and Rory smiled at that, agreeing.

"Well, you say that as if it's a bad thing. But honestly, it's the best thing there is. The House deleted all the bedrooms. I should make you two a new bedroom. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Rory leaned in and whispered something to Amy. "Okay. Doctor, this time, could we lose the bunk beds?"

"Nah, bunk beds are cool." The Doctor answered. "A bed with a ladder! You can't beat that." Alex laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Doctor," she chided gently. "It's their room, let them decide if they want a bunk bed or not. If they don't, don't give them one." Both Amy and Rory nodded.

"It's _your _room. Up those stairs, keep walking 'till you find it. Off you pop!" They started up the stairs but Rory stopped.

"Doctor, do _you _have a room?" Alex laughed again. Rory looked at her confused but she shook her head. The room they were in right then, _that _was the Doctor's room. Amy grabbed Rory's arm and pulled him up the stairs.

Alex jumped up. "Well, Ima off to find mah room too." She said as she dusted off pretend dust off her arse. "Be right back!" She skipped over to her Doctor. He puckered up his lips, knowing what she wanted even before she got there. She gave him a good long kiss, before pulling away and then up the stairs.

-x-

"Okay, now I'm having second thoughts…" She mumbled. The TARDIS hummed loudly, encouraging her. Alex had found her room, and three words:

_It._

_Was._

_EPIC_.

It was literally everything she would want to be in her dream room. That was a perfect description, _her dream room_. Oh she does love the TARDIS. However, she had found some peculiar lying on her bed. She saw a baby blue very short lengthen, silk – or it seemed like silk. It had beautiful flowery sequence around the collar and bottom of it. There was a small cut on her left leg, that would show her mid-thigh. Over it was a beautifully long darker blue shall.

She had blushed a very vibrant red when she realized exactly what the TARDIS was saying. She shakily put it on and blushed even more when it revealed _a shit load _of leg. It hugged her curves and left little to the imagination.

She was taking deep breathes to calm herself as she walked back to the control room. When she finally got there, the Doctor's back was turned to her and she took another deep breath. "Doctor?"

"Oh, love, just got –" He whirled around and seemed to just freeze as he looked upon her choice of clothing. His mouth opened a bit and it seemed to just halt his whole thought process. He blinked multiply times.

Alex played with the hem of her nightgown as she walked down the stairs. "Doctor…" She called again and came up to him. He just continued to watch her, unable to take his eyes off the _gorgeous _form of Alex. "I want to do something, just you and me, and… it involves going into my room."

She traced his collar before reached up and kissing him with everything that she had. The Doctor didn't dare to touch her as he kissed her back, hungrily. Alex could feel the excitement growing in the Doctor, and she knew that he knew what she meant. "Ah – ah – ah," the Doctor broke the kiss and took a couple of steps back. "Um… Allie… I…" He still couldn't seem to make sentences as his eyes were drawn back to her form. "_Allie_…"

His voice came out hoarse and Alex trembled at his restrained excitement. "Doctor, please, I want to. There's never going to be anyone else that can compare to you. Just." This wasn't sex; it was such an ugly word to her. "I just want to make love."

He trembled and looked back at her, forcing his eyes to stay there. "You sure?" He breathed, and probably without him realizing it, he was slowly inching back to her.

"I'm sure." She whispered. "I want to show you, Doctor, how much I love you." She shivered as his hands finally touched her hips and she jumped a bit at the pleasurable shock that followed.

"_Allie_," he breathed her name out and she trembled against him. He came down and molded their lips together. She was pushed back onto the console as the Doctor's excitement came out full force. She could feel a hardness on her leg and whined into his mouth, which just caused him to shudder.

They sucked each other's face off, the Doctor's tongue buried deep into her mouth when a bright light surrounded them and Alex felt herself falling backwards before landing on something soft. They broke the kiss and both realized that the TARDIS and teleported them to her room from privacy. "Thanks TARDIS," she whispered as the Doctor hungrily took her lips again. After another long moment of heated kissing the Doctor broke the kiss again.

"Are you sure?" He asked a final time. "Once we do this, I can't stop."

"I'm sure." She whispered, running her fingers through his silky hair. "I love you, please, Doctor." She trembled and pressed her hips up blindly, hearing the Doctor's breathless intake of air.

He looked at her for a moment longer, and they both stared into each other's eyes for a long moment before the Doctor looked up at the ceiling. "Dim the lights, TARDIS." She did as told and the lights dimmed down and Alex was still trembling. She wasn't sure if it was from excitement of nervousness. _Or maybe both_. A little voice added in my head.

His voice became a rumble. "I'll make love to you, my love. Don't worry." She could feel his thumb brushing against the skin of thigh as it slowly slid underneath the fabric. "I'll take very good care of you."

Alex wrapped her arms around the Doctor's neck and pulled him down for another kiss.

That night, was magical. Now _that _night, had to be the best night she had ever spent with her Doctor. And as he breathed 'I love you' to her, she knew there would be many nights like this to come.


	42. Chapter 42

**Chapter Forty Two**

Alex was walking along one of the corridors with a dreamy smile on her lips. She was wearing a simple slim grey sweatshirt, with some black jeans and some white converse. Her hair was in a loose braid, tossed carelessly over her shoulder.

Now, she's been having a nasty headache, and her memory has starting to become fuzzy, but she still couldn't be bothered. She was still so _happy_! And she figured that many could guess why…

Oh _boy_… She and the Doctor have been going _at it _the past week or so they've been on the TARDIS – it's always so hard to keep track of time when you're inside the TARDIS. It was both very embarrassing – although she felt reassured by the TARDIS' hum when she asked if she made sure Amy and Rory didn't hear them – and very hot!

She finally walked down the steps of the TARDIS and rolled her eyes at the utter mess that surrounded her. "I try, TARDIS, I _really _do…" She muttered to herself. But it still couldn't put a damper on her spirits. She saw the Doctor standing in front of his monitor, and immediately went over to him.

She wrapped her arms around him and rested her head against his back. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his heartbeats. She didn't have to see to know that the Doctor was smiling, as she felt his hand encase around hers. However, suddenly she was whirled around and pressed against the TARDIS with a beautifully sexy Time Lord over her.

She giggled but it turned into a whine as he leaned down and devoured her lips. She gripped his hair tightly, pulling and tugging gently in a silent rhythm. "You should relax," She said through numb lips when he pulled away. She was referring to the checking on the monitor at Amy's pregnancy test.

_Speaking of which_… She couldn't _wait _to tell him about _that_… She had the TARDIS _triple _check it, so there was no way this couldn't be right. _Oh, it's going to make him so _happy! She could see his face right now and so badly wanted to tell him. But now was not the time when he chuckled deeply. "I know one way to relax me."

She giggled again. "You are so bad."

"And you love me." He retorted gently as he came back down, but this time the kiss was more slow and gentle, but no less passionate. She moaned a bit, but it turned into a giggle and she pushed against his chest.

"There is no way we are doing it with Amy and Rory just across the room," she jerked her head over to them as they played darts. The Doctor looked over for a moment, and the look in his eyes told her he had completely forgotten about them. _Ah typical_, she giggled again. He then lifted himself up and helped her as well.

The Doctor leaned in though, and got dangerously close to her lips and Alex smiled, which he gladly returned. He then flicked a switch, and turned the music off. She was about to pout – _being so mean getting so close but not kissing me _– but he then did reached down and stole another kiss from her before turning to the other couple. "Who wants fish 'n' chips?" Rory raised his hand. Alex did as well; she had always wanted to try it. "I'll drop you all off. Take your time. Don't rush."

The married couple and Alex shared a look. "Uh, and you?" Rory asked. _Now what was he doing?_ Like Alex mentioned before, her memory today was a bit fuzzy – _wow, feels weird not remembering right now… I mean, it feels like it's been ages since I've had the whole 'fuzzy memory' thing_…

"I have things to do, things involving… other things." Alex snorted and giggled. That was a _horrible _excuse. _Not to mention, it's just gonna get them curious_.

"Well," Amy stated as she climbed the stairs. "We'll stay with you. We'll do the other things." Alex nodded her head.

"I ain't goin' anywhere without you." She added, walking up next to her friend. "I mean, _really_, I need to take care of you, 'cause you certainly don't."

Rory finally joined them by the console. "Nope." The Doctor said and Alex shot her eyebrows up. _Excuse me_? She never expected him to deny her again, considering she thought she proved her point more than once that he can't get rid of her.

"Whatever you're up to, we," Amy gestured to Alex and her, "personally, would like to be a part of it." The Doctor stopped his movements and just stared at Amy for a moment. She scoffed. "What?" Alex's stomach dropped like a bomb. _Holy shit, please don't tell me his figured it out_. She was pleading silently for him to not say anything, not yet.

But he turned his gaze on Alex, and she knew her eyes were slightly wide, knowing exactly what was going on in his brain. He took a couple of steps and her shoulders shook. "Doctor?" It took everything she could to keep her voice steady. _Don't say anything, please, don't say anything. You can't_!

The Doctor opened his mouth, and her heart stopped within her chest. However, a klaxon blared effectively cutting him off. Alex got only a moment to breathe a sigh of relief, before the TARDIS started to buck. Rory grabbed onto the railing while Amy and Alex had enough time to grab onto the console. The Doctor turned his attention back onto his ship and tried to get them out of it.

"Solar Tsunami." The Doctor answered to all their silent questions of, 'what the hell?' "Came directly from your sun. A tidal wave of radiation. Big, big, big!" The TARDIS was flying now out of control. She was jerking and flinging and bucking around like crazy.

"Ooh, Doctor, my tummy's gone funny." Rory moaned as he kept a tight hold on the railing. Alex was blinking, and feeling a slight bit sick at the moment.

"Well, the gyros are dissipated." _Which is in no way a good thing_. "Target-tracking it out." With a grunt, the Doctor heaved a lever. It did nothing as the TARDIS continued to jerk and fuss. "Ah!" The Doctor cried agitated, he then turned to the rest of them. "Assume the position." Alex and Amy both claimed the chairs – Amy screaming and Alex's breath heaving – and covered their heads with their hands. Rory paused for a moment, before he had no choice but to get onto the floor and covered his head with his hands.

The TARDIS gave one finally jerk that caused everyone to gain air a slight bit before she stilled. Amy, Rory, and Alex looked up panting. The Doctor stood there for a moment, looking around. "Textbook landing." She rolled her eyes. _I'm getting to old for this stuff_… She thought sarcastically.

The Doctor took off towards the doors, and Alex was right behind him. She was curious to know which episode they were in – _'cause ya, know this does seem familiar_.

_Ugh, _she moaned in her head_, I don't know how I could stand it before, now it's frustrating that I don't remember the episodes_.

Alex exited the ship right behind the door and looked upon a monastery. _13__th__ century I'm guessing_? She looked up at the spire and saw a weathervane whirling around. _Using solar energy for power_. Well, that's bad, considering what was coming. "'The Rebel Flesh'." She muttered under her breath, yes she remembered what episode they were in now. _I remember the overall summary, but I can't remember the details_. Again, so frustrating.

"Behold!" The Time Lord said. "A cockerel. Love a cockerel. And, underneath, a monastery, 13th century." Alex mentally pumped her fist at getting the century right.

"Oh, we've gone all medieval." Alex walked curiously over to a pipe that had been uncovered by the solar tsunami. She bent down and looked at the label. _DANGER corrosive_. Well, isn't that ominous. _Aren't they pumping out like acid or something_? Yeah, it was something dangerous like that.

"I'm not sure about that." Rory commented.

"Really?" Amy looked at her husband skeptically. "Medieval expert, are you?"

"No," He gestured to the monastery, "it's just that I can hear Dusty Springfield." Alex could vaguely hear the music as well, but she didn't recognize the song. _Well, actually I had never ever heard of Dusty Springfield until this episode_.

The Doctor finally kneeled down next to her to look upon the pipe too. "Whatever it is, it must be nasty if they've put that onto the pipe." She said to him, gesturing to the label. The Doctor nodded thoughtfully.

"These fissures are new." The Doctor said. "The solar tsunami sent out a huge wave of gamma particles. This was caused by a magnetic quake that occurred just before the wave hit."

"Well, the monastery's standing." Amy commented. The Doctor took out a small snow globe from his pocket and shook it.

"With the storm out there, not for long." Alex commented as she leaned her head close to the Doctor's shoulder as they both studied the small little globe. He then put it away.

"Doctor, look." Rory said, pointing to the same label Alex had mentioned not two minutes ago.

"Ah, it's a supply pipe." He scanned it with his screwdriver. _Yeah, I do believe it was acid_. It was coming to her slowly. "Ceramic inner lining. Something corrosive."

"_No_," Alex gave him a sarcastic look. "I never would have guessed with the label that _says _corrosive." He returned the look.

"They're pumping something nasty off this island, to the mainland." The Doctor continued, as if he hadn't heard her. He stood up and turned his back to them, thinking. Alex stood up as well.

"My mum's a massive fan of Dusty Springfield." Rory commented offhandedly.

"Who isn't?" The Doctor replied.

Alex lifted up her hand. "I'm not. I don't even know who she is." The Doctor turned back around to his girl and grabbed her waist as he walked forward.

"We need to get you out more."

She laughed. "I think I get around more than most people, but it's probably because I'm American. She's a big British star, I wouldn't know who she is."

"I'll take you to one of her concerts." He told her.

She smiled. "It's a date, then." He grinned at her. "So, shall we go? Satisfy our hungry curiosity?" The Doctor offered his arm and she took it. "Come on, you two." She called over her shoulder.

They walked up the stairs and into the monastery, followed by Amy and Rory. Alex got a good look around and saw that some of the buildings were in ruins and a large part was inhabitable. "So, where are these Dusty Springfield-loving monks, then?"

They walked further until they got to another set of stairs. The Doctor scanned the area with his sonic. "I think we're here. This is it."

"Doctor, what are you talking about?" Rory questioned. The Time Lord shared a look with his girl, but neither one answered. "We've never been here before."

The Time Lord climbed the second set of stairs with his girlfriend right behind him. _We being you, Amy, and me. _"We came here by accident."

"'Accident'?" The Doctor almost scoffed at the word, but Alex elbowed him with subtlety. They shared another look. "Yes, I know. Accident."

Rory touched one of the pipes running alongside the stairs and quickly pulled away his hand. "Ah! Ow!"

"Acid." The Doctor finally decided to mention. "They're pumping acid off this island. That's old stuff. Fresh acid? You wouldn't have a finger." Amy looked at her husband's finger before kissing it gently.

An alarm blared and Alex laughed. She latched onto the Doctor's arm. "Aw, isn't that nice of them to set off an alarm to announce we're coming?" The Doctor chuckled and turned back to the couple.

"There are people coming." The Doctor paused. "Well, almost."

"Almost coming?" Amy questioned.

"Oh no," Alex corrected cheerfully. "Almost people." _I remember most of this episode, and I'm using it like always_! The Doctor and she walked _towards _the alarm.

-x-

They all came into a very peculiar room. In the window alcoves were human-shaped harnesses, three of which were occupied by people in orange jumpsuits. _Well, this is a little weird to look at_. It was going to get weirder when the gangers came, Alex knew.

"What are all these harnesses for?" _To control the flesh gangers_.

"Uh, the almost people?" Rory asked.

"Ooh, good guess, Rory." Alex commented happily, proud of him for getting it, even if he was guessing. He blushed a slight bit – she caught the slight red hue on his ears.

"What are they, prisoners?" Amy questioned. "Or are they meditating, or what?"

"Well, at the moment, they fall into the 'or what' category."

"Well yeah, I mean, good guessing Amy, but you're not close at all." Alex added.

"_Halt and remain calm_." The computer demanded.

"Well, we've halted." The Doctor said cheerfully. "How are we all doing on the 'calm' front?"

"I'm doing quite well." Alex chirped offhandedly. "I mean, this is exciting, as usual." He chuckled and took Alex's hand.

At that moment, two men and a woman came rushing in through the door the gang had just come through. The men had their lances point at us; Alex pursued her lips for a moment – _what were their names, again? _– she thought about it before remembering. _Oh yes it's Buzzer and Jimmy_! _And the woman's name was Jen right_?

"Don't… move!" Jimmy commanded.

"Stay back, Jen." Buzzer held out an arm in front of the woman. Alex mentally pumped her fist when she was right again. "We don't know who they are." _Doesn't mean we're hostile_. They never carried any weapons or anything.

"So let's ask them." Jen said, before turning to the four time travelers. "Who the hell are you?" She asked in a hard tone.

"Well, I'm the Doctor," He introduced, "this is my lovely girlfriend Allie," she lifted up a wave and offered a smile, "and this is Amy and Rory and it's all very nice, isn't it?"

Alex flickered a look back to Amy. _She's gonna realize that they're gangers, right… now_: "Hold up. You're all – what are you all, like, identical twins?"

Another man and woman entered from a different door. _Dickens and Cleaves_. They both had acid suits on. "This is an Alpha-grade industrial facility. Unless you work for the military or for Morpeth Jetson, you are in big trouble." Ganger Cleaves said. _She is pretty cool, ya know, being the boss and all_. It did take a bit for her to grow on Alex, though, considering she didn't want evacuate until it was too late.

"Actually, you're in big trouble." The Doctor pulled out his physic paper.

"Meteorological department, since when?" She asked doubtfully as she snatched the fake ID.

"Since when?" Alex scoffed. "Oh I don't know, maybe since you were hit by a _solar tsunami_."

"Which we survived." Ganger Cleaves shot back evenly.

"Just, by the look of it." The Doctor cut in. "And there's a bigger one on the way."

"Which we'll also survive." Alex rolled her eyes, _oh she has no idea what gonna happen_. Ganger Cleaves looked back at the physic paper. "Dickens, scan for bugs."

The other male held up a scanner. "Backs against the wall. Now." They all backed up and did as told.

"You're not a monastery. You're a factory. 22nd century, arm-owned factory." _A factory that's about to have a lot of trouble on its hands_.

"You're army?" Amy asked. _Not technically_.

"No, love, we're contractors and you're trespassers." Ganger Cleaves answered.

Dickens finished his scanning. "It's okay, boss."

"Alright, weatherman, you ID checks out." She handed the paper back to him, and he put it into his pocket. "If there's another solar system, what are you going to do about it, hand out sun block?"

"Ha, ha, ha, ha." The Doctor let out a very fake laugh, before turning seriously quickly. "I need to see your critical systems."

"Which one?"

"You know exactly which one he wants." Alex returned.

-x-

The time travelers followed them until they got to the chapel, where the Flesh was. Near one end of the room was a raised platform. In front of it on the floor is an open tub the size of a person. Alex could hear liquid bubbling in the vat. The Doctor walked around to the opposite side of the vat and looked into the white liquid.

_There it is. The Flesh_. "And there you are." The Doctor murmured.

"Meet the government's worst-kept secret – the Flesh. It's fully programmable mater. In fact, it's even learning to replicate itself at the cellular level." Ganger Cleaves explained.

"Right. Brilliant." Amy blinked. "Lost." Alex chuckled softly as she rested her folded arms around the rim of the vat and just watched the Flesh. The hairs on the back of her neck rose up, she couldn't shake the feel that it was… _staring _back at her.

"Okay." Alex blinked and looked back to Ganger Cleaves. "Once a reading's been taken, we can manipulate its molecular structure into anything; replicate a living organism, down to the hairs on its chinny-chin-chin. Even clothes, and everything identical – eyes, voice."

"Mind, soul."Alex muttered, looking back at the Flesh.

"Don't be fooled, Alex." Alex lifted her eyes back to the woman, and they both stared at each other. Neither one backing down from their points of views. "It acts like life, but it still needs to be controlled by us from those harnesses you saw."

"Wait, whoa-oa-oa, hold it." Rory said. Ganger Cleaves finally broke the contact and looked over at Rory. Alex frowned a bit before looking back at the Flesh. "So... you're flesh right now?"

"I'm lying in a harness back in the chamber. We all are, except Jennifer, here. Don't be scared. This thing? Just like operating a forklift truck." _It soon won't be anymore_. Soon it will learn to control itself.

"You said it could grow." The Doctor point out, patiently. "Only living things grow."

"Moss grows." Ganger Cleaves answered. "It's no more than that. This acid is dangerous; we were losing a worker every week. So now, we mine the acid, using these doppelgangers, or 'gangers'. If these bodies get burned or fall in the acid…" Alex rubbed her eyes and felt her heart lurch. That was horrible. Just… horrible. They were still living, they could still _feel _it, and it must have to be horrible to the flesh, to constantly have that happen _over and over and over _again and there wasn't anything you could do.

"… Then who the hell cares?" The Ganger of Buzzer finished, slightly joking. "Right, Jen?"

"Well, the nerve endings automatically cut off, like airbags being discharged, except we wake up and get a new ganger." Jen explained. _Just because you don't feel it doesn't make it any better_. The Flesh will still feel death. _Just horrible_.

"It's weird." Ganger Jimmy said. "But you get use to it."

"Jennifer," Ganger Cleaves spoke up. "I want you in your Ganger. Get back to the harness."

The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver and aimed it at the Flesh. "Hang on. What's he up to? What are you doing, pal?" Ganger Buzzer asked.

Alex backed up as the Flesh started to bubble erratically. Alex watched, and she could see the Doctor was having troubles moving his arm. "Stop it. Ahhh!" He pulled his arm back and looked at the Flesh fascinated. "Strange. It was like, for a moment there, it was scanning me."

The Doctor put the screwdriver back into his pocket and then reached his hand out to touch the top the liquid with his palm. The Flesh started to bubble again. "Doctor." Ganger Cleaves called to him, but he ignored her.

"Ahhh." The Doctor's hand shook but he couldn't pull it away. _It's reaching out to him_. It was more alive than any of the workers could imagine.

"Get back, Doctor." Ganger Cleaves demanded. "Leave it alone!"

"Ahh! Ah! Ah! Gah!" He pulled his hand away finally. "I understand." Alex walked over to her Doctor.

"Doctor?" She asked softly. He turned to her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, Allie. But I understand now." She raised an eyebrow.

"Understand what?"

He looked at Alex for a long moment, before turning back to Ganger Cleaves. "You have no idea. No idea. I mean, I felt it in my mind. I reached out to it and it to me." _Only a living thing could do something like that_. She looked back at the Flesh and flinched a bit when it bubbled a bit near her.

"Don't fiddle with the money, Doctor." Ganger Cleaves ordered evenly.

"How can you be so blinkered?" The Doctor asked. "It's alive, so alive. You're pilling your lives, your personalities, directly into it." Lightening crashed as the Doctor pulled out the snow globe again. The ground shook and Alex grabbed onto the rim of the tub to steady herself. "It's the solar storm. The first waves come in pairs – pre-shock and full shock – it's close." Alex finally let go and looked around uneasy. This monastery might be strong, but it would never be able to hold up against the storm.

"Buzz," Ganger Cleaves spoke up, "have we got anything from the mainland yet?"

"No, the comms are still too jammed with radiation." He answered.

"Okay, we'll keep pumping acid until the mainland says stop." _No! You moron you're making a mistake_! Alex bit her lip in order to stop herself from speaking. "Now, why don't you stand back and let us impress you?"

The boys started to press some buttons and Alex leaned in a bit and saw that the tub started to fill up with Flesh. Slowly, the tub filled more and more with Flesh, Alex cringed a bit when a face started to form within it. The mouth was the first to form, and then the eyes. Alex couldn't stop herself from backing up slightly when those eyes stared at them. She felt the Doctor put his hands onto her shoulders, squeezing them for comfort.

The Flesh slowly formed itself into the shape of Jennifer, and the excess Flesh then drained out of the tub. While the body – and even the jumpsuit – was exactly the same, the face was still not fully formed. She sat up with a gasp, fully formed. Rory, Amy, and Alex jumped a bit. "No wonder you keep it in a church." Alex said quietly. "_The Miracle of Life_, eh?"

"No need to get poncey. It's just gunge." The Ganger Buzzer said.

Ganger Cleaves intervened. "Guys, we need to get to work."

"Okay, everyone." Ganger Jimmy said as he and Ganger Buzzer helped Ganger Jennifer out. "Let's get crack on."

"Did I mention a solar storm?" The Doctor asked. "You need to get out of here."

"Well, where do you want us to go?" Ganger Jimmy replied. "We're on a tiny island."

"That's no problem." Alex answered. "He can all of us off in no time." _And please, we need to do it now_.

"Don't be ridiculous." Ganger Cleaves scolded. "We've got a job to do."

"It's coming." The Doctor said sternly while Alex rubbed her forehead. _It's coming and she's not going to allow us to do a damn thing_. Alex cursed. She hated this. An alarmed blared and everyone looked around. Alex looked out the window. _Damn, it's coming in fast_. She could see the gamma rays spreading its wispy fingers across the blue sky.

"That's the alarm." Ganger Jennifer said nervously.

"How do you get power?" The Doctor asked. _From the cockerel, which considering what's coming, is a _bad _idea_. She wondered who came up with an idea like that in the first place.

"We're solar and we use a solar router. The weather vane." Ganger Cleaves answered.

"Big problem." The Doctor said. _Oh that's an understatement, considering what's its going to cause_. That had to be the biggest understatement of the century.

"Boss," Ganger Jimmy spoke up, "maybe if the storm comes back, we should get underground. The factory's seen better days. The acid pipes might not withstand another hit."

"We have 200 tons of acid to pump out." Ganger Cleaves pointed out. "We fall behind, we stay another rotation. Anyone want that?" _Oh yeah because another rotation is _so _much more important than your _lives! Alex rolled her eyes bitterly at the mere thought.

"Please." The Doctor grabbed Ganger Cleaves' arm and pulled her aside. "You are making a massive mistake," – _yet another understatement_ – "here. You're right at the crossroads of it. Don't turn the wrong way. If you don't – if you don't – prepare for this storm, you are all in terrible danger, understand?"

Ganger Cleaves just looked at him evenly but sternly. "My factory. My rules." She turned and walked away. Alex sighed and rubbed the back of her neck, closing her eyes. _Damn_.

"I need to check the progress of the storm." The Time Lord snapped his fingers at Ganger Jen. "Monitoring station." The Ganger hesitated causing him to snap his fingers again. "Monitoring station!"

"Three lefts, a right, and a left." She finally answered. "Third door on your left." The Doctor left with Alex right behind him, Amy and Rory followed after them.

-x-

Alex knew that the storm was getting closer by the light that was shinning from outside. She had taken a tight hold on the Doctor's hand, worrying about everything. He continued to give her occasional squeezes of comfort. They entered the room as the building shook again. The center is a circular bank of instruments.

"The wave's disturbing the earth's magnetic field." The Doctor explained. "There is going to be the mother and father if all power surges. You see the weather vane, the cock-a-doodle-do? It's a solar router, feeding the whole factory with solar power. When that waves hits," _bye-bye power. Hello gangers_. "kaboom." _Oh… Well that works too, I suppose_. "I've got to get to that cockerel before all hell breaks loose."

Alex gave him a strange look, "bet you never thought you'd say that."

He stopped at the doorway and chuckled. "Well, again." He then turned to his best friend. "Amy, breathe." Alex felt her heart pick up speed again, just at that simple phrase. _So, he's already figured it out_. She fiddled with a large diamond bracelet that she had never taken off since _The Impossible Astronaut_.

"Yeah!" Amy called back, and Alex knew she didn't understand. _Or at least, she won't for now_. "I mean, thanks, I'll try."

"Come on," Alex rushed through the door, "we need to go."

-x-

Alex, Rory, and Amy went back to the Monastery – or Flesh room. She thought it would be better, since the walls were so thick. _Considering the episode, while we do still get knocked out, at least we'll be safe here 'cause the walls don't fall down on us, or acid comes pouring out or something_…

Just as Alex thought that, a huge crack in the ground shook the whole room, and electricity lit up the vat. All three of them ducked down and everything went black for Alex.

-x-

Alex took a deep breath, just letting herself sit there for a moment. When her mind was caught up, she felt a solid, smooth surface behind her. She let her eyes open slowly, and had to blink a couple of times to let her vision focus. She realized that she was sitting, with her back to the vat.

_What the_… Alex tried to think back before the blackness, _I don't remember being near the vat_. She shook her head, to clear her mind and slowly got up. "Ew." She recoiled her hand when it touched a sticky mess on the floor near the mat. She shook her hand a bit. She stumbled a bit, letting the blood come back into her legs.

She staggered over to Amy and Rory, who were both on the ground. She grabbed onto the tub for balance. "Oh." Rory muttered, as they both opened their eyes. "For want of a better word – ow!" Amy nodded her head. _Couldn't agree more, Rory_. Alex thought as she cracked her neck.

"Actually, that's not so bad." She commented offhandedly. "If you think that was bad, you really should try a rough transport." _Now _that _was a killer_. "Come on, we better go make sure everyone else is okay." The couple got up and nodded, and they rushed out of the room and to the Harness room.

-x-

They got there just as the team got out of their harness. "I feel like I've been toasted." She heard Buzzer saying. _Oh it's worse than that, I'm afraid_. She said with a quirk in her lips.

"What the hell happened?" Jimmy questioned to no one.

"The Tsunami happened." Alex said dryly as the time travelers entered the room. "Big solar wave hit the cock-a-doodle-doo out there, and _bam_!" She threw her hands up for effect. "There goes all the power."

"You're hurt." Amy said as the girls went over to him.

"Well, it feels like the national grid's running through my bones, but, apart from that…" Alex smiled as he tried to get a joke out of it. If it helped him, than she wouldn't stop him.

"I hope the meter's not bust." Buzzer said. "I still want to get paid." _Getting paid is the least of your problems_.

"Why-y-y?" Jen was by herself, shaking. Alex gave her a side-ways glance. _Wonder when she changed from sweet Jen to evil ganger Jen_…?

Rory went over to comfort her. _Aw, proper nurse Rory to the rescue_. "Jennifer! Jennifer? Hi."

"It hurt so much." Jen sobbed. Alex checked Jimmy, and told him that it didn't look like there was anything seriously wrong with him. Probably just some bruises.

Rory reached out and hugged her gently. "Hey, hey, it's okay, it's over."

"I couldn't get out of my harness." Jen held onto Rory tightly.

"Shh-shh-shh." He hushed her gently. _Aw, kind of reminds me of how the Doctor treats me when I'm upset_. Alex smiled. She liked that. _Too bad she dies_… Alex sighed. She had to ruin that for herself, didn't she?

"I thought I was going to die." _Welcome to my life_. Alex chuckled quietly.

"Welcome to my world." Rory told her, looking into her eyes. The brunette girl laughed quietly, _Ah, thinking the same thing_. The Doctor and Cleaves finally entered the room, and instantly Alex rushed over to her Doctor's side.

"Doctor! Are you okay? You didn't get hurt did you?" She knew that he had gotten hit by the tsunami when he was trying to fix the cockerel.

He held up a hand and hushed her gently. "I'm fine, love." He wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her head gently.

"Doctor, look, these are all real people." Amy said. "So where are their gangers?"

"Don't worry," Cleaves was saying. _Or should I say Ganger Cleaves_? "when the link shuts down, the gangers return to pure flesh. Now, the storm's left us with acid leaks all over, so we need to contact the main land. They can have a rescue shuttle here in no time."

Dusty Springfield started up once again, and everyone quieted down, now uneasy. "That's my record." Jimmy muttered. "Who's playing your record?"

"Who else?" Alex asked softly.

"You're gangers." The Doctor answered. "They've gone walkabout."

"No, it's impossible." Ganger Cleaves said immediately. "They're not active – cars don't fly themselves, cranes don't lift themselves, and gangers don't –"

More music started up, and Alex felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. "You sure about that?" She asked, looking directly at Ganger Cleaves.

-x-

Ganger Cleaves was still insisting that gangers could walk on their own, and they followed her to the only place where the music could be playing. A record was playing on a turntable as they entered through the thick plastic strips. "No way." Buzzer muttered. _Yes way. _Alex thought.

The whole place had been ransacked. _Gangers looking for confirmation that the lives they have in their heads are real_. "I don't – I don't believe this." Ganger Cleaves muttered.

"They could've escaped through the service door in the back." Jimmy said, gesturing the exit. The Doctor sat down at the table, and Alex stood next to him. She gently rubbed his shoulders, and sensed how tense he was.

"This is just like the Isle of Sheppy." Buzzer said.

"The storm's animated your gangers." Alex said. "They're now up and about."

"They've ransacked everything." Ganger Cleaves muttered.

_Not ransacked, they're looking_. "Not ransacked, searched." The Doctor corrected. _For confirmation_.

"Through our stuff?" Ganger Cleaves asked angrily.

"Not just yours, but theirs as well." Alex contradicted gently.

"Searching for what?" Jimmy asked.

"Confirmation." The Doctor replied. "They need to know their memories are real."

"Oh, so they've got flaming memories now." Buzzer muttered.

"They feel compelled to connect to their lives, yeah." The Doctor said.

"Their stolen lives." Alex rolled her eyes, annoyed.

"It's not _stolen_, Cleaves, if you _gave _it to them. Which you did, whether or not you meant to is a different story. You pilled everything into them, your personalities; your family; your memories; your _lives_, you pilled your _lives _into them each and every day you were here. Are you _really _so stupid to be surprised that they walked off with them?" She asked bitterly. Cleaves was silent, obviously smart enough to know she didn't have a chance against Alex.

The Doctor took one of her hands, and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. She looked away and bent down and rested her head onto his shoulder. "I'll say it again – Isle of Sheppy. Ganger got an electric shock, toddled off, killed his operator, right there in the harness. I've seen the photos. This bloke's ear was –" Alex was cringing into the Doctor's shoulder, and was thankful when Jimmy cut him off.

"Even if this had actually happened, they can't remain stable without us plumbed into them – can they, boss?" _Oh, we'll see_. Alex thought. _The gamma was probably more than enough for them to continue on for an unlimited amount of time without their 'operators' hooked into them_.

"I guess we'll find out." Ganger Cleaves said. _Oh you will_.

Jennifer gasped and shuddered, and Rory went to her side. "Are you okay? Do you want some water?"

"I feel funny." Jen said. "I need the washroom." _Oh wait_, Alex let her head dropped a little further down onto her Time Lord's shoulder and wanted to smack herself. _Damn. She's already a ganger, I forgot about that_… She can be such an idiot at times.

"I'll come with you." Rory said as he followed her. _Rule one, don't wander off_. She thought dryly.

Dickens gave a sudden sneeze. "Sorry." He apologized to Amy, who had been closest.

She felt her boyfriend lean forward and study the cards. "That's me." Buzzer said. "It's good to have a hobby. So, what, my ganger did that, all on his own?"

"Who taught you to do this?" The Doctor asked.

"Me granddad."

"Well then," Alex sighed, "your Ganger's granddad taught him how to build that house of cards too. Your memories of your childhood are exactly the same, _exactly_."

Buzzer looked back at the house of cards. "No." He reached out and knocked them down.

"They're scared, disoriented, struggling to come to terms with an entire life in their heads."

"We need to give them time." Alex said, confident in that. "If we give them time, we can help all of you."

-x-

Everyone else gathered around the table, talking about what they were going to do. The Doctor was over by the microwave, putting in some food. Alex walked over to him, and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Mmmm…" She sighed. "I'm worried…"

"I know," He took one of her hands and squeezed for comfort. "But it will work out."

"I'm scared…" She was scared about so many things right now. He had already figured it out, she knew it. She was scared because of Demon's Run, she was scared of the Silence coming for her, and she was scared of the fact her memory was so fuzzy now… So many things…

The Doctor turned and hugged her tightly around the waist, holding her close to his chest. "Hush love," he murmured. "I won't let anything happen to you." She gripped his jacket with all her might for a second, until her knuckles went white. _Please Doctor_.

The microwave beeped, and the Doctor let her go and kissed her so very gently on the lips before turning to the device. "We need to protect ourselves."

"Are you a violent man, Jimmy?" The Doctor asked.

"No."

"Then why would your ganger be?" She hugged her Doctor tightly around the waist again, just letting her head rest between his shoulder blades.

Ganger Cleaves came by as the Doctor finished with his meal. _Mmmm, that smells so good_… Alex took a deep breath. It smelled delicious whatever it was, and she was very hungry. "Don't tell me you can eat at a time like this, Doctor."

"You told me that we were out cold for a few minutes, Cleaves, when, in fact, it was an hour." He said.

"Sorry, I just assumed –" The Doctor cut her off.

"Well, it's not your fault. Like I said, they're disoriented. Amy, Allie, when you got to the alcoves, who was in harness?" As he conversed, the Doctor took out the plate using a towel.

"Um," Amy thought about it and Alex decided to jump in.

"Buzzer and Dickens were helping Jimmy out of his."

"And Jennifer?" He asked.

"She was standing on her own when we got to her." Amy finished.

The Doctor wobbled a bit with the hot plate before it passed it to Ganger Cleaves. She just looked at him weirdly, not realizing it was hot as she held it with her bare hand. _Transmatter is still a bit rubber-like. Rubber absorbs heat well, so she can't feel it_. Alex decided to point it out, "That's hot." She said softly.

Ganger Cleaves suddenly hissed and dropped the plate, letting it smash to the floor. "Ah."

"The transmatter's still a bit rubbery," the Doctor said as he examined her hand. "The nerve endings are not quite fused properly."

Ganger Cleaves pulled her hand away frustrated, "what are you talking about?" Alex gently nudged the Doctor. He needed to be careful, she was scared and confused and sometimes people do dangerous things when they're in that state of fear.

"It's okay." The Doctor said gently, following Alex's command.

"Why didn't I feel that?" Ganger Cleaves asked softly. _She's confused and scared, never a good mix_.

"You will." Alex said very softly. "You will. Don't worry."

"You'll stabilize." The Doctor added.

"No, stop it. You're playing stupid games with me. Stop it!" She yelled at him before turning around roughly.

The Doctor gingerly approached the Ganger. "You don't have to hide. Please, trust me. I'm the Doctor."

Ganger Cleaves whirled around with a hiss and everyone jumped back at her face. It was now back in its face-formed state. _Eh… That's still a little creepy, I can't help it_. On the other hand, a part of her brain was screaming at her to help the Ganger. It screamed to protect it at all costs, and to never let any of these stupid h –

Alex shook her head to snap out of it. _Where the hell did that come from_? She ignored it for now, focusing on the problem at hand. Buzzer grabbed a knife, but Jimmy held him back. "Where's the real Cleaves, you thing?" _Oh great insult there… _Alex rolled her eyes. "What have you done with her?"

"That's it, good." The Doctor said. Instead of being fearful he was fascinated. "You remember. This is early flesh, the early stages of the technology. So much…" He reached out and gently ran his knuckles across her cheek, and she shuddered, "to learn."

"Doctor, what's happened to her?" Amy asked alarmed.

"She's Flesh, Amy." Alex responded. "She can't stabilize herself, so she keeps swinging back from full-form and half-form."

"We are living…!" Ganger Cleaves lunged at the Doctor with a growl before she took off running towards the door with a scream. Alex jumped out of her way. _Don't want to get between her and the door_. Yeah, bad idea.

"Let her go." The Doctor said simply. _For now_.

"Doctor, Rory." Amy pointed out.

However, the Doctor didn't understand. "Rory?" He asked.

Alex threw her hands up and did a circle to show him that the blonde wasn't anywhere. "Rory!"

"Oh, Rory. Rory!" Realization hit him. "Always with the Rory!"

-x-

The Doctor, Alex, Amy, and Jimmy exited one of the buildings only to find that their way was blocked by acid on the ground. _And we _really _don't want to go through that_. It might be a puddle, sure, a puddle that could easily eat through your shoes and through your feet as well… _Yeah, not a pretty picture_.

"The explosion must've ruptured the acid feeds." Jimmy said. _Well, no duh_. "We're going to need the acid suits."

"No, no, no," The Doctor turned back, "we haven't got time. Back, back, back." They rushed back the other way.

_Not that we could get the acid suits, anyways, considering the Gangers already have them_.

-x-

They then found a different way that wasn't full of acid leaks to the bathroom. However, once they got there they saw a huge hole in one of the stall doors. "Rory!" Amy exclaimed.

"Of course." The Doctor muttered. "Jennifer's a Ganger too." _Yeah, of course_. Alex thought sarcastically.

"Doctor, you said they wouldn't be violent." Amy pointed out.

"Yes, but we did say that they were scared, and angry, and confused." Alex pointed out. "When you're feeling all of that, sometimes you do dangerous and violent things, even when you wouldn't normal do that."

"And early technology," Jimmy said, "is what you said. You seem to know something about the Flesh."

He turned to face the two of them. Alex was beside him, and her eyes were cast downwards. "Do you?" Amy asked. "Doctor?"

"You're no weatherman." Jimmy said. The Doctor just looked at Amy as he did before on the TARDIS. "Why are you really here?"

He finally looked away. "I have to talk to them. I can fix this." He rushed out of the room. Amy and Alex took off after him.

"Wait!" Jimmy yelled as he took up the rear. "What's going on? Where's the real Jennifer?"

-x-

Jimmy, the Doctor, Alex, and Amy reached the top of the stairs. They head down a tunnel only have steam burst from a pipe. The Doctor bent back – as did everyone else – and held Alex behind him, so she wouldn't get hit. Alex looked down and saw that there was acid there too. _There's acid all over this place_. "It is too dangerous out here with the acid leaks!" The Doctor exclaimed.

"We have to find Rory." Amy insisted.

"Yes," The Doctor agreed. _Like he would leave anyone behind, anyways_. "I'm going back to the TARDIS. Wait for me in the dining hall. I want us to keep together, okay? No more wandering off."

"And what about Rory?"

"Amy, we'll have a better chance of finding both Rory _and _Jennifer if we look for them with the TARDIS." She could easily help them make the search much easier.

Jimmy spotted a box on the other side of the wall, near the stairs. "Here we go." He said suddenly. He walked over and opened it up to pull out a large container. "Distress flares." He closed the box and was startled by the Doctor's face just behind the door.

"Exit?" He asked.

"Keep going straight, you can't miss it." Jimmy explained once he got his breath back. "But you're never going to get your vehicle in here." Alex snorted, _Oh? Just watch him_.

"I'm a great parker." The Doctor said as he left.

Amy turned to the acid and made a face. "Ew."

"I second that." Alex said as she watched the Doctor rush off until she couldn't see him any longer. Amy was slowly making her way around the acid and the steam.

"We really need those acid suits. I've sent Buzzer and Dickens to go get them." Jimmy said.

"Fine and dandy." Amy said once she was around the leak. "I'm just going to find my husband, so… cheers." Alex and Jimmy turned back around.

"Amy!" Alex hissed when she turned her back. "_Amelia_!"

"Don't give me that, Lexi. I'm going to find my husband." Amy insisted, and Alex could hear the stubbornness in her voice.

She threw her arms up. "But, Amy, I wouldn't –" Jimmy said, but Amy stopped him.

"Nor would I. What can you do, eh?" She started to run off.

"_Be careful_!" Alex yelled after her. She turned to Jimmy, "there's nothing we can do." Anyways, from what Alex fuzzily remembered, she did end up finding Rory – and Jen as well. "Let's go back and see if Buzzer and Dickens got those suits yet." Jimmy sighed before nodding and they both went back to the dining hall.

-x-

Jimmy and Alex had gotten there first, before Buzzer and Dickens had showed up. They had Amy, Rory, _and _Ganger Jen with them. "Ah, here we are." Alex said as she sat down onto the table. Ganger Jens at down next to her, with both Alex and Rory on either side of her. The others stood across from her. _It's like lines have already formed_. She was slightly disappointed that Amy was on their side. _Well, oh well, can't do anything about it right now_. She rubbed her eye, feeling very tired, before she patted Ganger Jen's shoulder for comfort.

"Where's Jen?" Buzzer asked in a hard tone. "What have you done with her?"

"I haven't seen her." Ganger Jen confessed. "I swear. But, look, I'm her. I'm just like her. I'm real."

"You're a copy. You're just pretending to be her." Jimmy said.

"_No_." Alex cut in, annoyed. "She's not just _pretending_, she _is _Jen. Jennifer Lucas poured her life into this woman, and she became Jen."

"Rory, Lexi, um, we don't really know anything about them yet –"

"_You _don't know anything about them." Alex snapped. "Just because you don't doesn't mean that it's automatically bad. _God_ humans! You have to understand every little thing! And if you don't, heaven forbid, you automatically label it as _evil_!"

Everyone looked at Alex for a moment, and she just turned her head, and huffed. "Well –" Rory started.

"And –" Amy cut in.

"I know she's afraid and she needs our help." Rory said with confidence.

"Rory –" This time Jen cut her off.

"Jimmy, Buzzer, come on, you guys." She said with a shaky voice. "We've worked together for two years."

"I work with Jennifer Lucas, not you." Buzzer said coldly.

"_She is Jennifer Lucas_!" Alex snarled. "You all need to get that through your _thick _skulls!" She jumped off the table and walked a little a ways from them. She rubbed her temple as a pounding headache formed. That same part of her brain was telling her that they would never understand, and that she should just give up now.

_Shut up_! She snapped at the little voice. _Okay? Just shut up. The Doctor will be able to fix it_. She had even realized that Amy started talking until the Doctor spoke with her. The girl turned, and walked straight for her Time Lord. She hugged him tightly and he kissed her head. "This is –" Jimmy muttered looking at his full-formed Ganger.

"You're telling me." He replied.

"Alright, Doctor, you've brought us together – now what?" Ganger Cleaves asked.

"Before we do anything," The Doctor spoke, "I have one very important question – has anybody got a pair of shoes I could borrow? Size Ten. Although I should warn you – I have very wide feet."

Alex looked up, alarmed. "What happened to your others?" She asked. "What did you do? Stand around in a puddle of acid while sweet-talking the TARDIS?" He then shuffled his feet and looked away and Alex shook her head with a small laugh. "You are incredible."

-x-

The Doctor was now sitting on the edge of the table. They had found him so brown shoes to wear now, and thankfully, they did fit. Alex was sitting on his lap, leaning back against his chest. His head rested on her shoulder as he talked. With the Doctor near, her angers and fears and pains all went away. They all faded away like they were never there in the first place. _He can do so much with me and not even know it_. "The Flesh was never merely moss. These are not copies. The storm has hardwired them. They are becoming people."

"With souls?" Jimmy asked.

"Rubbish." Dickens snorted, and then sneezed.

"Bless you." His Ganger said with a slight smile. Ganger Cleaves looked at him. "What?"

"We were all jelly once," The Doctor explained. "Little jelly eggs, sitting in goop." _Ew. That is so disgusting_. Alex scrunched up her nose.

"Yeah, thanks. Too much information." Amy said sarcastically.

So, the Doctor moved on. "We are not talking about an accident that needs to be mopped up. We are talking about sacred life. Do you understand? Good. Now, the TARDIS is trapped in an acid pool. Once I can reach her, I can get you all off this island, humans and gangers, eh, how does that sound?"

"Can we get home for Adam's birthday?" Jimmy asked, excited at the thought to see his son again.

"What about me?" His Ganger asked. "He's my son, too."

Jimmy scoffed. "_You_? You really think that?"

"I feel it." He replied.

"Oh, so you were there when he was born, were you?" _Actually, in fact he was. He remembers it as clearly as you do_.

"Yeah. I drank bout eight pints of tea and they told me I had a wee boy and I just burst out laughing." To prove his point, he laughed again, just at the thought. Alex smiled softly at that, _can't wait to see the Doctor's reaction to my surprise for him_… "No idea why. I miss home. As much as you do."

"Look," The Doctor cut in as the two Jimmys looked at each other. "I'm not going to lie to you. It's a right odd mess. But, as you might say up north, "oh well, I'll just go to t' foot of the stairs". Ha ha ha." Everyone just looked at him strangely. Alex even raised an eyebrow at him. "Eh, bye-bye, gone. Or not."

"You can't do North anymore, Doctor." Alex cut in dryly. "Only Nine was allowed to do that, 'cause he actually had a Northern accent."

The Doctor nodded slowly, "Right." He then moved on. "The first step is we get everyone together, then get everyone safe, then get everyone out of here." _Yeah, not going to be easy_… She remembered it had something to do with Cleaves. _What was it…_? Alex let her eyebrows pull together as she thought about it. _Curse my memory right now! I thought I was done with this_!

As Alex thought hard about it, Amy pointed out that they were missing two others. Both Jimmys decided to go, Ganger Jimmy offering to help Jimmy. Since everyone was watching the Jimmys, they didn't notice Cleaves come up from behind. _Oh wait! Now I remember_! Alex's eyes found Cleaves just in time to hear her speak. "This circus has gone on long enough!" The circuit probe in her hands crackled with electrical energy.

"Oh, great." Ganger Cleaves said dryly. "You see, that is just so typically me."

"Doctor," Cleaves said curtly, "tell _it _to _shut up_."

"Please," the Doctor said exasperated. "no. No! No!"

"Circuit probe." Cleaves announced. "Fires about, oh, forty thousand volts. It would kill any one of us, so I guess she'll work on gangers, just the same."

"How _stupidly _typical that you refer to a _circuit probe _ - a _nonliving thing_ – as a _she_, but you refer to the _flesh_ – _living things _– as _its_!" Alex snarled, feeling very protective of the Gangers.

"When the real people are safely off this island, then I'll happily talk philosophy over a pint with you, Alex." She scoffed. _As if I'd want to have a pint with you_!

"What are you going to do with them?" Amy asked fearfully.

"Sorry, they're monsters, mistakes." Cleaves continued in a brutal tone. "They have to be destroyed."

"Give me the probe, Cleaves." The Doctor was slowly towards her, holding out his hand.

"We always have to take charge, don't we, Miranda?" Ganger Cleaves mocked. "Even when we don't really know what the hell is going on."

Ganger Buzzer charged Cleaves and she fired at him three times. _No! NO!_ He fell to the ground and Alex rushed over to him. "Oh my God!" She found herself yelling as she crashed to the ground and checked his pulse. _No, no, no, no, no_!

"Stop! Oh! He's dead!" The Doctor yelled when he too checked his pulse.

"No," Alex muttered. "No." Her hands shook as she felt her thoughts go into overdrive. That same small part of her brain was now _screaming _with rage. It wanted her to turn around and get Cleaves for this _horrible _act against one of her own!

Alex tried to smash away the thoughts, but they kept coming back to her. She could feel a faint tingling sensation in her eyes, and knew they were tears.

"We call it 'decommissioned'." Cleaves said harshly. The woman moved the probe around in the air as she moved around the table. Jennifer cringed and gasped when it was pointed at her.

"You stopped his _heart_!" Alex snapped as she whirled around. "He had a _living, functioning _heart! And you _stopped _it!"

"Jen?" Rory asked.

"What happened to Buz will happen to us, if we trust you!" Jen said with what sounded like tears in her voice.

"Wait, wait." The Doctor said as he stood. "Just wait!"

"No!" Rory rushed over to Cleaves and pushed her to the ground. He then disabled the probe, and the Gangers took this opportunity to run.

"You idiot!" Cleaves snapped at him.

"Wait!" Rory got up as Cleaves did.

"Look at what you've done, Cleaves." The Doctor said to her firmly.

"If it's war, then it's war." The woman shot back. Alex clutched her head as she fought with that small part of her mind. "You don't get it, Doctor. How can you? It's us and them now." She turned to her team. "Us… and them."

"Us and them." Dickens repeated.

Jimmy hesitated but then sighed. "Us and them." He echoed. The Doctor sighed bitterly, extremely unhappy with how things turned out. He went back over to his Alex, and saw that she was practically in a ball. He put a hand onto her shoulder.

"Allie," he murmured to her.

She whimpered and his eyes softened. He lifted her up and held her to his chest. He cradled her in his arms and hushed her gently, soothing away whatever problem she was having. "Hush, my love, we'll be fine."

-x-

Alex was pacing again, still at war with that small little part of her brain. She was tired, and sick, and upset, and angry, and happy. So many emotions and thoughts and feelings were running through her that she just couldn't keep her brain properly straight anymore. _Ugh, no wonder I can't remember the episode clearly, I have to many other things blocking it_…

"Allie," The Doctor's voice entered her thoughts and she turned to her. She continued to wring her hands, and couldn't stop fussing. Just… everything was wrong and right and not that it was making her head spin. "What's wrong, love?" He asked softly.

He held out his arms for her and she went over to them instantly. "I don't know." She confessed. She knew that he didn't believe her and tried to elaborate. "I mean… really, Doctor, I don't… I just can't explain it… I don't understand it fully myself."

He rubbed her back. "I'm sorry it came to this."

"It's horrible, Doctor." Alex pushed away from the Doctor's embrace to start fussing again. "I mean, it's horrible. What she did was horrible, and wrong, and so _terrible_! I mean, how _dare _she do that to us? She doesn't _understand _what we're going though! She doesn't! She just _doesn't_! And yet she thinks she can come in here and walk all about an act like she gets all of it! _Ha_!" Alex scoffed angrily, not even realizing the words that were coming out of her mouth. She was letting it run, needed to blow off some steam. "_As if_! She doesn't know _shit _about us!"

Alex took a deep breath and held it for a moment she then relaxed. She felt much better now that she let that go. She turned and saw that the Doctor was looking at her with a very peculiar expression. "What?" She asked.

He continued to watch her, look deeply into her eyes before he blinked and the look was gone. "Nothing." He said, he then held his arms around again and she snuggled back into his embrace. "Feel better?"

"Much." She chirped. "Thank you." He chuckled and kissed her head again.

The Doctor suddenly spoke. "The most fortified and defendable room in the monastery?" When no one answered, he repeated his question, "Cleaves! The most fortified and defendable room in the monastery?"

She turned to him. "The Chapel."

"Thank you."

"Only one way in, stone walls, two feet thick." She listed, explaining why it was that room.

"You've crossed a hell of a line, Cleaves," the Doctor muttered. "You've killed one of them. They're coming back. In a big way." Alex shuddered, a sensation creeping up her spine – and it wasn't a _good _sensation.

-x-

They all rushed out the exit and to the Chapel. The faster they got there, the better. "What about the flares?" Jimmy asked.

"We'll worry about the flares when we're locked inside." The Doctor replied.

The three humans rushed into the room, but Rory stalled, which caused the other time travelers to pause as well. "Rory!" Alex waved her hand, motioning him to follow them.

Rory hears Jen scream and hesitates. "Rory Pond." The Doctor called to him.

"Rory?" Amy motioned. "Come on."

"Jen's out there." Rory said. "She's out there and she's on her own." He headed down the tunnel/

_Oh please don't do this_! Alex thought. "Well, if she's got any sense, then she's hiding, Rory!" The Doctor called again.

"I can't leave her out there!" Rory replied.

"Rory, come _on_!" Alex said with desperation.

"I know you both understand that." Rory said, with firmness, and he was right that both the Doctor and Alex could understand that.

"Get in here." Amy said. "Get in here!" She said with more desperation. She couldn't let her husband do that.

The Gangers arrive through the other end of the hallway. Rory dashes off through a side corridor. "There they are!" Ganger Cleaves yelled.

"Amy, come on!" Alex grabbed her friend's shoulders and ushered into the room, with the Doctor close behind her.

"Rory!" Amy called one last time before the Doctor turned and slammed the door shut. It was eerily quiet in the Chapel, and Alex hated it. The Doctor grabbed his friend's shoulder and they backed up as the others tried to find things to defend themselves with.

"Amy, Amy," The Doctor repeated to get her attention, "they are not after him, they're after us."

"Why? Why?" Alex whirled around alarmed when she realized there was someone else in a dark corner of the Chapel.

"Hello?" She called out to it. "Hello? Who's there?"

It got the Doctor's attention and he walked over to her. "Show yourself!" He commanded. "Show yourself!"

"Ah!" The voice said. As the others built a barricade in front of the doors the Doctor cautiously approached the corner of the room where the voice was coming from. After a moment's hesitation, Alex followed him.

"Doctor!" Amy yelled. They needed his help. "Lexi!"

They talked amongst themselves and Alex finally tuned in to hear Jimmy say, "this is insane. We're fighting _ourselves_!" He laughed at the absurdity of the situation. _Well, I think it's gonna get weirder_.

"Yes, it's insane," The Doctor said, "and it's about to get even more insanerer." Alex gave him a look. He turned to her. "Is that a word?"

"No." She said flatly. "It's _more insane_."

"Ah." The Doctor waggled a finger at her, and then turned back to the voice. "Show yourself! Right now!"

"Doctor!" Amy rushed over to them. "We are trapped in here and Rory is out there, with them." _Oh come on, Pond, Rory's a big boy and can handle himself_. Alex thought with a roll of her mental eyes. "We can't even get to the TARDIS and we can't leave the island."

"Correct, Pond." Alex felt a cold sensation go over as she slowly looked at the Doctor. She realized that his mouth was moving. Her heart raced because she was positive that it was his voice. _Oh my God_. She slowly moved her head back to the voice with her eyebrows raise, and she knew the Doctor was just as stunned. "It's frightening, unexpected, frankly, a total, utter, splattering mess on the carpet, but I am certain, one hundred percent certain, that we can work this out."

Finally the voice came out of the shadows and Alex felt her mouth open just a bit when she saw it was a Doctor… _the _Doctor. In Ganger form, with a half-form face. "Oh. My. God." She said numbly.

He continued on as if he wasn't aware of their shock. He even was fixing his bow tie – _the same friggin' bowtie that the Doctor was wearing, same color and everything _! – "Trust me. I'm the Doctor."


	43. Chapter 43

**Chapter Forty Three**

**Has no been looked over yet, all mistakes are mine.**

Everyone backed up, startled and surprised at the new addition to their little group. _Holy shit_… Alex was thinking. _It's another Doctor_… At first, she had been shocked stupid. And then, of course, a – _deep_ – flush crawled up the skin of her neck and swarmed her cheeks and even peeked out on her ears.

_Holy shit_! Her brain repeated. _It's another Doctor_! _Dude_! That was like… epic. _Two_ Doctors…

_Is it like my birthday or something_? Alex was brought out of some – _very _– naughty thoughts dealing with two Time Lords and a certain bed when the Ganger Doctor started screaming. He was twisting as he absorbed the Doctor's memories and past carnations. _Which seriously cannot be a happy experience_. The man's lived for like 900 years, to have to deal with all of that at once?

_Ouch. Not sure if I can even imagine that properly_. Alex winced just thinking about it. "What's happening?" The Ganger Doctor was muttering. "I wonder if we'll get back. Yes, one day… Aaaagh! I've reversed the polarity of the neutron flow."

The Doctor walked slowly over to his flesh duplicate, and Alex touched his elbow gently, she saw him look at her out of the corner of her eye and she shook her head. He wasn't ready yet. "Would you like a jelly baby?" The Ganger Time Lord asked in his fourth regeneration's voice. His voice returned to normal. "Why? Why?"

"Why?" The Doctor questioned, confused. "Why what?"

"Hello. I'm the Doctor." Alex felt her heart lurch in her chest when his voice changed into her beloved tenth Doctor's voice. His voice went back to normal again, and she tried to let the pain slip away. _Let it go, girl. You've got Eleven now, and you're happy with him_. "No, let it go, we've moved on! Allie's moved on! We can't let her be in pain!" The girl raised an eyebrow. _Well that was new_.

Amy tried to move towards the Doctor, but Alex waved her hand back, and Jimmy grabbed her to keep her from moving forward. "I've reversed the jelly-baby of the neutron flow. Would you like a…" The Doctor was finally able to get to his ganger, and he gripped his original's jacket tightly. "Doctor…" The Ganger was muttering with tears in his eyes. "Doctor… I'm… I'm the… I can't."

"No, listen, hold on. Hold on!" The Doctor insisted to his double.

"_No_!" The Ganger shoved his original away and the Doctor stumbled back to where Alex was. She grabbed his shoulders to steady him. Both looked over at the Ganger Doctor. "_Aaaagh_!" He lifted his face to show he was back in his half-formed state. _Come on, Doctor, you can do it. I know you can. Steady yourself_.

-x-

"Go back to barricading the doors." Alex said as she turned back around to the rest of them. When they didn't move she felt a vein in her forehead, "_Oi_!" They looked over to her. "Did you _not _hear me? Go barricade the doors!" She violently shoved a finger towards it and they shuffled over. She sighed. "Idiots…" She grumbled as she turned back around to the Ganger Doctor.

He was gripping his head tightly with his hands. After a few minutes though, the banging stopped. Alex felt her heart speed up, and walked back over to the rest of the lot as Buzzer spoke. "I think I liked it best when they were being nosy." _Couldn't agree with you more, dude_. In the silence, Alex became aware of everyone's batted breaths. She was aware of every breath she took, of every beat her heart gave.

_Damn. This is scary. I hate that feeling. That kind of silence that just sits on your shoulders, and puts you on edge even more_.

Amy tugged on Alex's arm and both went back over to the Doctor. He was just standing there, deep in thought. "Doctor." Alex called to him.

"We need you." Amy continued. "Get over here."

"Hello!" The Ganger Doctor lifted his head, and smiled, showing that he was fine now. _Hopefully, don't want another repeat of that_…

"Doctor!" Amy repeated, not even bothering to look at the Ganger Doctor.

"Cybermats." The Doctor said. _Cybermats, created by the Cybermen, they use them to gain power – we find that out in _Closing Time.

"Do we have time for this?" The Ganger asked.

"We make time." The Doctor responded simply. "I'd like more proof that you're me. Cybermats?"

"Created by the Cybermen." The Ganger replied. "They kill by feeding off of brainwaves." Amy ran back towards the door, and after a moment Alex followed her.

"Are you sure there aren't any big guns with bits on?" Amy questioned. _Oh, they don't need guns, Amy, they've got something better_. Alex thought dryly with a sigh.

"Yeah, big guns would be good right now." Buzzer said as he gave Jimmy a tool so they weren't totally defenseless.

"Why would we have guns?" Jimmy asked as he leaned against the barricade to hold it there. "We've a factory. We mine." Alex rolled her eyes just as a hissing sound started and smoke started to pour through the door.

"Yes, you mine. And what exactly is it you mine? _Acid_." She stressed the point and rolled her eyes again. "If I didn't know any better, I would say that's an _excellent _weapon. Can't exactly fight _acid_." _Stupid idiotic humans. They don't know what they're dealing with when messing with us_. Alex smashed that thought away and shook her head.

"Doctor," Alex called to the men behind her. "You better get over here, we're kinda trapped and that's when you get a _really _brilliant idea to save us."

"Hello!" Both Doctors greeted as they walked – _in identical stances _– over to the rest of the group. Alex just looked between them and could not help herself but have inappropriate thoughts about how much fun she could have with _two _Doctors. _Dude, I would so love to get them both in bed… Damn_… Just thinking about it was too much for her poor little hormone crazed brain.

The Doctors were speaking to each other, but she just couldn't get herself to focus on their words. No, she was too focused – and failing – on not having all sorts of lovely thoughts about how much _greater _it would be if they were back on the TARDIS. Alex had to mentally smack herself hard to get herself to focus, but could not help herself from speaking. "Is this Christmas?"

Both Doctors looked over to their Alex. "Pardon?" They asked.

"No?" When they continued to stare at her, she moved on. "Maybe an early birthday present?" They looked at each other and then back at her. "I mean… _two _Doctors…" She licked her lips slowly and she saw that they suddenly knew _exactly _what she was thinking. "That's like… a dream come true."

"I love it when she does that," The Doctor said, wagging his finger at her. "I do. She's very bad."

"Oh truly," the Ganger agreed. "She knows exactly how to flirt. I love it when she flirts."

She winked. "I know exactly how to get you two going." Both shuddered, and the look in their eyes showed how right she was. She made kissy faces at both of them and they chuckled deeply, sending shivers up her spine.

"Can we get back on track?" Amy asked annoyed. "You three can flirt all you want when we're not going to die. It's not like we have more important things to do…"

Both Doctors look at her, and it was the Ganger this time to wage his finger at his best friend. "That's sarcasm." _No, what told you that_? Alex thought with a mental giggle.

"She's very good at sarcasm." The Doctor agreed.

The Doctors turned to Amy and spoke in unison. "Breathe!" She leaned back, startled as where that was coming from. _Oh, you'll find out Amy, and you won't like it when you do_.

"What?"

But the Doctors ignored her and got back on track. "We have to get off this island."

"And the Gangers too." The Doctor added.

"Sorry, would you like a memo from the last meeting? They're trying to kill us!" Cleaves entered the conversation and Alex whirled around, her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Of _course _they are! They're scared! If it wasn't for a certain boss that killed one of their own we wouldn't be in this situation! But since you had to go and be _stupid_, they're frightened! They believe they have to fight for their lives! You stupid bitch! If you had just left it alone and opened your small-minded walnut sized brain, we'd all be safe away from this island by now!"

Cleaves eyes were getting narrowed, angry with Alex's words. The brunette woman hadn't noticed someone behind her as she was letting her words fire off, until the Doctor's hand covered her mouth. "Enough." The Doctor asked, and Alex couldn't tell which one it was – _although, does it matter? I mean, they're both the same, like literally, like there is _nothing _different about either one. They're both the Doctors. Just one is 'Flesh' and the other is… well, for lack of a better word, non-flesh_.

"Doctor, we're trapped here." Amy pointed out, steering the conversation away as Alex and Cleaves glared daggers at each other.

"I don't think so." The Doctor said as he joined them. Alex let her eyes drop down and saw that he had brown shoes on, which meant he was the 'first' Doctor, which meant that the Ganger Doctor had his hand over her mouth. She was tempted to do something to it – like lick it or maybe nibble on it – just to get a reaction, but shoved that tempting desire aside, now was not the time for that.

The Ganger rested his chin on her small head, and she felt his chest against her back. A memory flashed into her mind of a tender moment the Doctor and she had shared in their bed, and she tried her hardest not to blush. _Good God, I'm acting like such a school girl with him_. Although, like she had pointed out before, they had been going _at it_. _Well, that does make sense, considering how long the Doctor's had to wait for it, not to mention I've probably been subconsciously waiting for it as well_.

She was so wrapped in her thoughts that when the Ganger Doctor pulled his hand away from her mouth and put it to her lower back, pushing her forward to get her moving towards the grate. One by one, they all filed in and Alex had been graciously between both Doctors as they shuffled down the vent.

_Oh, that is so sexy_. She said as she licked her lips, not at all bothering to hide the fact that she was blatantly staring at the Ganger Doctor's ass – _I am so lucky that even his ass is the same_. "We'll continue down this way until we get to the other side." The Doctor was saying from behind her.

"Are you alright love?" The Ganger Doctor asked.

"Can't complain." She giggled, feeling the heat from her blush. "I mean, I have a _great _view." She heard the Doctors splutter, knowing what she was referring to. Alex couldn't help herself and laughed.

"God, Lexi…" Amy was mumbling goodheartedly. "You are such a perv."

"I can't help myself when it's right in front of my face." She laughed. "It'd be a sin to _not _stare at it."

"If that's true," the Doctor voiced. "Then I have a better view." Alex squealed and giggled again.

"Oh I so wish I was in your position," The Ganger Doctor mumbled. She playfully slapped his ass and he chuckled.

"Well, the next time we're in a vent, we'll have your positions switch so you'll get some ass-viewing as well, Doctor." Alex chirped to her Ganger boyfriend and she could almost hear his beaming smile.

"I like the sound of that."

"Out of all the times to flirt, you're doing it _now_?" Cleaves asked.

"It keeps us occupied." Alex replied cheerfully. "Anyways, like I said, since it's a sin to _not _stare at the Doctor's ass when it's right in front of me, of course it's gonna come up in conversation." Her tone left _duh _in the air.

They finally got to the end of the vent and they all climbed out one by one. The Ganger Doctor helped Alex out and she dusted off her knees and elbows as the Doctor climbed out after her. She reached up and kissed the Ganger Doctor's cheek. He raised an eyebrow, and she leaned him down to whisper in his ear. "'Cause I know you're the Doctor just like him, and I want you to know that."

He smiled gently at her, and his eyes softened as he took her lips into a kiss. It was gentle and sweet and she _so_ hated herself for getting naughty thoughts from such a sweet kiss. _Damn me and my hormones_. She really did hate them for ruining such a passionately kind kiss. "Thank you, love." He murmured against her lips and it brought her out of her thoughts.

She smiled and pecked his lips again. "Of course." She felt the Doctor come up behind her and gently start to kiss her neck and she instantly got chills. She shuddered deeply. "No, no, no," she turned to the culprit and gently smacked his head. "Don't. You know that's gonna charge up my hormones, and who knows what's gonna happen now that there's _two _of you." Both grinned at her, probably enjoying their imagination on what could happen. She rolled her eyes and forced herself to focus on Buzzer's words.

"The army will send a recon team." _Which is probably bad, considering they'll save the 'originals' and probably kill the Gangers_. That thought was horrible, and she felt that same small part of her brain screaming, ordering her to go and find the rest of her kind – the rest of the Flesh – and only help them. It was telling her that the humans here didn't deserve her help, they would just screw it up, the Flesh tried to be nice, and look at what happened?

She was tuned out of the conversation – at war with that small part of her brain – when a tightness in her throat brought her back to reality. She started coughing and covered her mouth, to try and block it, but it didn't help much. "Doctor, you said earlier to breathe." Amy struggled to speak to her friend, and pushed the words out forcefully.

Alex leaned against the stone, with the Ganger Doctor next to her, both struggling to get oxygen in their lungs. "Very important, Pond. Breathe."

"Yeah, I'm struggling to."

"Acid interacting with the stone." The Doctor explained.

"Creating an asphyxiant miasma." The Ganger Doctor finished.

"A what?" Cleaves chocked out.

Alex rolled her eyes. "_Choking gas_." Was that _not _obvious? They were kind of _standing _it in; it should have been obvious what he was talking about.

"Extra heavy." The Ganger Doctor added. "If we can get above it…"

Cleaves interrupted him. "The evac tower. This way!" She started to lead the way. The American felt the Ganger Doctor's hand encased around hers and he pulled her away with the group. She held a hand to her throat and tried to get oxygen into her lungs properly but was struggling with great difficulty. She felt the Doctor's hand just between her shoulder blades, encouraging her to move so they could get above the gas.

_Come on, Alex, breath girl, you can do it. Breath. Deep breaths in and out. Yeah, just like that. Follow them, the sooner we get to the evac tower, the sooner you can breathe better_.

-x-

They finally got into the tower and Alex shot herself inside, pressing her head to the cool stone. _What the hell? Where'd this headache come from_? A pounding had started in her temples and was slowly spreading throughout her whole brain. She barely heard someone speaking, and she felt herself being pulled from the stone. She moaned as she was pressed to a chest – _definitely male _– and her forehead pressed against someone's throat. She felt an echo of the pulse, and knew it was one of her Doctors.

She heard his voice, and could just make out him calling to her. His voice sounded so far away and she tried to reply through thick lips. "Head." She mumbled, not able to make proper sentences. "Head, Doctor. Head hurts. Really bad."

She could feel him lead her away from the wall, and she was gently pushed down, and she plopped down onto the chair. She heard a buzzing in her ears and wasn't sure if it was her imagination or the sonic screwdriver. She felt a weird sort of warm sensation on her temple, and figured it was probably the latter. She heard the Doctors speaking to each other, but she didn't want to listen.

She rested her head onto the folds of her arms, and shied away from everything, slowly slipping into a very short sleep.

-x-

She woke up a little later, with her head only feeling slightly better. She looked around and saw that Cleaves was standing behind the console with one of the Doctors. She didn't have the strength to figure out which one he was – _again, not that it matters since they're both the same_. So she just kept her head in her arms, and watched the scene unfold.

"Can you really get the power back?" Cleaves asked.

"There's always some power floating around." He ducked down only for the other Doctor to pop up to the right.

"Sticking the wires, like bits of lint." He continued, and Alex let a giggle bubble up her throat. It was kind of cool and weird to hear them finishing each other's sentences.

Although, judging Amy's expression, Alex's friend probably found it more weird than cool. "Can you stop finishing each other's…?"

"Sentences?" The Doctor to the right finished. The Doctor to the left lifted himself up and held up a finger as if to answer, but the other Doctor already had it. "No probs."

"Yes." The other Doctor said instead, and both went back behind the console.

"Hang on." Amy said, holding a hand out. "You said that the TARDIS was stuck in acid, so won't she be damaged?"

Alex laughed weakly. "Of course not, Amy, she's a perfect thing. Nothing can destroy that beautiful girl. She's tough."

"Tough, old sexy." The Doctor to the right spoke.

The Doctor to the left corrected, "No, tough, dependable, sexy."

"Come on." Amy said, looking at both of them weirdly. "Okay, how can… how can you both be real?" _Because they are. Simple, Amy. Just accept it, make's life so much more fun_. She's already accepted it and look where it's put her?

… Well okay, maybe she wasn't the _best _example, but her point still stood.

"Well, because…" The Doctor to the left popped up again and looked at a small black box, "we are. I'm the Doctor."

"And so am I." The other Doctor said with his hand raised as he stood back up. "We both contain the knowledge of over 900 years of experience. We both wear the same bowtie, which is cool…"

The first Doctor spoke up, forgetting Amy's request to not finish the other's sentence. "Because they are…"

"And always will be."

"But you weren't linked up to the Flesh." Amy pointed out and Alex shook her head gently, _you're not gonna figure it out Amy; it's not something that's simple_.

"It must've been after I examined it." The Doctor explained. "Thus, a new, genuine Doctor was created."

"Ta-da." He held his arms out.

"But one of you was here first." Amy said with finality and Alex rolled her eyes. _Oh please, shut up Amy, you're giving me a headache worse than the first one. Would you stop trying to figure out which one's the _real _one? They're both them same so just shut up_.

"After the Flesh scanned me, I had an accident with a puddle of acid."

"'Cause you were too busy flirting with your TARDIS." Alex imputed with a giggled. She didn't need to open her eyes to know that both of the Doctors were giving her a look.

He continued on as if she hadn't spoken. "Now new shoes, a situation which did not confront me learned self here."

The 'original' Doctor went back down and the Ganger Doctor looked at Amy with a smile. "That satisfy you, Pond?"

"Don't call me Pond, please." Both Doctors looked at her curiously. Alex opened her eyes and lifted her head, ignoring how it made her head spin. _Oh wonderful, here we go_… "What?"

"Interesting. You definitely feel more affection for him than me." The Ganger Doctor said, gesturing to the 'original' Doctor. Alex could feel her throat close up at the look with the Doctor's eyes. He was obviously hurt by this, and it made her heart ache. She felt a sudden violent urge to slap Amy with all her might, but held herself back.

"No, I… Look, you're fine and everything, but he is the Doctor. No offense. Being almost the Doctor is pretty damn impressive." Alex closed her eyes as the urge to slap her friend become more and more prominate. _Good God Amy, shut the hell up, you don't know anything. You don't know shit. They're both the same and it makes me sick that you feel that way. _

"Being almost the Doctor's like being no Doctor at all." The Ganger responded, becoming frustrated and upset.

"Don't overreact." Amy responded. _He's not overreacting! You're being heartless_!

"You might as well call me… Smith."

"Smith?" Amy repeated, confused.

"John Smith."

"Amy, please, shut up." Alex responded, rubbing her eyes. She had had enough of this. "Please. Just stop. Just… shut up."

"Lexi," Amy scoffed. "You can't possibly be on his side."

"Of course I'm on his side!" Alex snapped. "You don't know what you're talking about Amy! They're the _same_! There's nothing different about either one of them! They're _identical_! You don't know what you're talking about!"

"I know exactly what I'm talking about!" Amy responded, and suddenly both of their frustrations were clashing with each other.

No one ever said that best friends always got along.

"No you don't!" Alex replied. "You don't know shit!"

"Shut up, Lexi!" Amy retorted. "I've known him all my life! I've known him since I was a little girl! I know him better than _you _ever could!"

There was a long pause, Alex's eyebrows shot up her forehead. Even Amy seemed surprised that she had just said that. Alex suddenly started to laugh bitterly. "Oh really?" She snarled. "You think you know _my Doctor _better than _me_? Well, let me tell you something, _Pond_," she spat the name out with venom. "_You don't know _anything _about my Doctor_." Alex stood up and got right in Amy's face. "You don't know _anything _about him. I _know _him. I know him better than you'll ever even dream of knowing him. I've known him in all regenerations, you don't. I know all adventures he's ever been in, _you don't_. I have seen ever side of this man; I have a 360 degree view of him. I know all his flaws, all his strengths, _all _of him. So don't you _dare_ look at me and tell _me _that I don't know _my _Doctor, 'cause you are _dead wrong_."

Alex felt her emotions flying all around her, and she just couldn't get herself to behave. With all the emotions running around her, all the pain running in her mind, and all the anxiety that had been building up, it was exploding out right now and Alex couldn't stop herself. When she was finally done, Amy and she were staring each other down.

"Communications a go-go!" The Doctor suddenly said, and that broke the tense air between the women. Alex backed down and almost collapsed into her chair, losing all the strength within her. _God, I just am so sick right now_. She was feeling sick to her stomach and her spinning head was _not _helping in the least.

Cleaves ran up to the controls. The Doctor walked around and put his hands on Alex's tense shoulders, gently massaging them. She flexed her shoulders, trying to express her thanks. He pressed harder when he found a particularly hard knot and kneaded it with his thumbs.

"Find Rory!" Amy said. Her thoughts all rushing to find her husband "show me the scanny, tracky screen. Come on, Rory, let's be having you."

Cleaves pulled up the scanner and started it. "There's no sign of him anywhere." She announced, as the scanner went through the whole monastery.

"Come on, baby, show yourself." Amy mumbled.

Alex let herself relax again as the Doctor's incessant hands gave her a well over due neck massage. She let herself slip back into sleep.

-x-

Alex came to again, and found that they were all gathered. She lifted her heavy head and turned to see the Doctor was sitting at the console, typing something in. She murmured something incoherent and lifted herself up, walking over to him. He didn't even look up as he backed up enough to give her space. She plopped down onto his lap and cuddled into his chest.

"Feeling better love?" He asked, murmuring into her hair.

"No." She responded. "But I'm getting there." Her head at least stopping pounding, but her stomach was still doing flips in her, and it was making her nauseous. She let herself drift out, just too tired and sick to pay attention to the word around her. She finally snapped back into reality when the Ganger Doctor took off.

She was too sick to get up, and Amy ended up followed him out, telling them she could handle it.

-x-

"Why?" She felt the Doctor mumble.

Alex's eyes snapped open as a barrage of emotions came rushing towards her. She felt herself tense up and tears started to come to her eyes, as she tried to make sense of this sudden spike in feelings. She let out a small sob, feeling such a desperate feeling of survival come over her.

So many things where screaming at her from every which way that she couldn't get herself to focus. She covered her face and sobbed again. A desperate feeling of fear came over her that caused her to shake. She could hear people speaking, but couldn't focus, she moaned and panted and sobbed.

Some part of her wanted to scream. It wanted to scream as loud and as long as she could, until she was out of air; until her throat was raw. It wanted to scream in pain, and fear, and desperation, and anger, and sadness. She clasped her hands over her mouth as it opened, letting out a silent scream.

"Allie?"

The voice sounded far away and she couldn't focus, her vision was blurring so much that all she could see was shapes and colors. She sobbed again and she felt two urgent hands on her shoulders, and then two more on her hands.

The ones on her hands moved until they were cupping her cheeks. She realized then that she was crying, the tears had over flown and were now trailing down her cheeks and dripped off her chin.

"Allie? Love?"

It was the same voice and she finally focused long enough to see two very concerned hazel eyes looking at her.

"Why?" She sobbed. "Why? Why? _Why_?" That one word kept swirling around her fogging brain. _Why_? The question plagued her thoughts and she couldn't let it go, no matter what she tried.

"Why?" The voice, while the same, came from behind her this time. She saw the two hazel eyes in front of her look behind her, and a fleeting thought came to her that she was in the Doctor's lap, with the Ganger Doctor in front of her. Another wave of emotions came over her and she tried to curl up into herself, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Allie," the voice became urgent. "Allie, talk to me, what's going on?"

"_Why_?" She moaned. "I…" Her lip trembled. "I can't." Words didn't make sense to her. She couldn't put them together, they just wouldn't work together. "I can't. I can't. I can't."

"You can't speak?" She nodded her head, grabbing onto the Ganger Doctor's wrists and held onto them tightly, keeping them to her face. She continued to cry, and she could feel the Time Lord double's hands wiping them away each time.

"I can't." She repeated. "I just… can't. It doesn't make any sense. I can't talk. I just… I just _feel_."

There was a moment's pause, before the Ganger was speaking again. "Let me in, Allie." She didn't understand him at first, but when she felt his fingers prodding her temples gentle, she finally got it. She closed her eyes, and felt that familiar abnormal feel of the Doctor inside of her brain.

He took a deep breath, caught off guard by the emotions and feelings and thoughts all swirling around her mind. A part deep inside of her was thankful that he didn't travel in too deep. There were things in her mind that she didn't want him to know just yet. He let himself pull out and she sobbed again.

"Doctor?" The Doctor pulled her to his chest, and she curled up.

"Doctor?" After a very long minute, Alex realized that this time it was Amy speaking. "What's wrong with her?"

"Oh. Brilliant. Oh, Allie, love, you are _amazing_." The Ganger Doctor breathed. "She's empathetic. That's what the Flesh saw in our mind. It saw that Alex could help; it must have realized that she could help, because she was empathetic. She could understand the Flesh better than really anyone here, because she could _understand _it to a point where no one else could. She could level herself to them, and understand it."

"Because of the empathy." The Doctor breathed, understanding what his double was talking about. "When it was scanning my mind, it must have seen Alex in there, and saw how much I paid attention to Alex's empathy. It was smart. It must have come to the realization that she could help it."

"So?" Amy asked impatiently. "What does that have to do with her having this meltdown?"

"Because it's connected herself to the Flesh." The Doctor explained. "That would explain some of her thoughts and her frustration at Cleaves. Also, she spoke to me earlier and she had talked as if she was Flesh herself. It's connected to her somehow, seeking help. It wanted help so it reached out to her, hoping that she would understand."

The Ganger Doctor picked up. "What I felt when I was explaining to you, she's feeling it right now. She's feeling the full force of it, more than even I could. She's feeling all the emotions and feelings that the Flesh is feeling right now."

"It's scared," Alex finally sobbed out. "It's so scared. It's mad. And it's sad. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair…" She mumbled it for a few minutes before continuing. "Why did it have to continue to get up each day to produce only to have it die at the end of the day? It wasn't fair. It felt scared. It felt death, while you were all safe, you stupid humans, it was feeling death each day. It doesn't want to do that anymore. It just wants to be left alone, in peace, to produce on its own." She shuddered. "The Gangers right now, there's one of them that's completely lost all that the Flesh wants now. The Flesh just wants to live and be left alone so it can produce, unfortunately, one of the Gangers now wants to start a war with the rest of the humans, and that's not what the Flesh wants."

"It can't grow on its own." Cleaves insisted. "It's cells can divide."

Alex finally got herself together and shook her head, feeling raw more than she's ever felt before. She felt wasted, and now realized that that small part of her brain was. It was the Flesh, communicating with her. It was now telling her that the humans would never understand and that she needed to leave before they hurt her.

She could feel the Flesh was scared, for her; it didn't want her to get hurt because she was helping it. Alex shook her head again, _no, I'm not gonna get hurt, the Doctor would never let that happen. He would protect me with his last breath_. The Ganger Doctor walked up to Cleaves, to get her to understand. "Well, now it wants to do that at will. It wants revenge. It's in pain, angry. It wants revenge."

"No." Alex said, her voice raw and uneven. "That's not what it wants. That's what the Gangers want. The Flesh itself doesn't want that, it wants to be left alone, to reproduce on it's own."

"I was right," Amy said, and everyone ignored Alex. The Doctor was rubbing her back, and she knew that he was telling it was useless, they wouldn't listen to her. She shook her head again as more tears fell, "you're not the Doctor. You can't ever be. You're just a copy."

"What? Just because he's empathetic to the Flesh?" Alex snapped. "Screw you, Amy. He _is _the Doctor, and you're the one who's overreacting now." Amy was about to open her mouth, but Cleaves interrupted the potential fight.

"Doctor, it might be best if you stayed over there for now, hmmm?" Her voice came out even.

"Hold on a minute." The Doctor entered the conversation. "Hold your horses. I thought I explained this. I'm him, he's me."

_It's not gonna work Doctor, they're not getting it anymore. _She saw Buzzer take a couple of steps to use force if necessary, and Alex's heart clenched. _They're losing all their faith in the Flesh now_. Cleaves continued with the same tone. "Doctor, we have no issue with you. But when it comes to your Ganger…"

"Don't be so absurd." The Doctor said.

"Too late." Alex mumbled. "He's a Ganger, so they automatically don't trust him." Alex was feeling so drained that she had to rest her head on the Doctor's shoulder.

"Buzzer?" Cleaves turned to her co-worker.

"Sure, boss." The Ganger Doctor made a point to fix his tie as Buzzer took an empty oil drum and moved it to where he could sit. "Take a seat, mate."

"Nice barrel, very comfy. Why not?" The Ganger said as he walked over and sat himself down.

Alex shook her head, _stupid morons_. She got up, and took a minute to let her vision focus – she could feel the Doctor's hand on her elbow to steady her, but she ignored it – and walked over to the Ganger Doctor. He looked up, but she just sat down onto his lap, and leaned back so her back was to his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his face to her hair. "Alex…"

She gave Buzzer a very cool look. "I can tell you right now, dude, that the Doctor would _never _hurt me. So… since the Ganger Doctor _is _the Doctor," she shot Amy a look this time, "that means that he would never hurt me either. So shut up." _I'll do what I want_ was on the tip of her tongue, but then her mind would wander away from her. _I mean, dude, I love Loki, he's like the best bad guy ever, and Tom Hiddleston? Like… Damn. I have no words for that man. He is… _perfection.

A heavy silence fell on them, as the 'normal' works and Amy shared an uneasy look. They were obviously second guessing Alex's words, but she refused to even look at them. She just shuffled to be more comfortable in the Doctor's lap, and rested her head on his shoulder, letting her thoughts wander around _Avengers_, Loki, and Tom Hiddleston.

-x-

"_This is the shuttle. We're right above you, but we can't get low enough. Gamma static could fry our nav-controls. Sit tight. We'll get to you. Just_…"

The man was speaking, but Alex was really paying attention. She noticed that the Doctor had taken out his screwdriver and was scanning Cleaves with it. She looked over to the woman, and noticed that she had her hand to her head in what seemed like pain. _Oh yeah, she had a blood clot or something right_?

She looked away, bored, and was tapping on the Ganger Doctor's fingers that were around her waist. "I can't find Rory. I'm going out there." Amy announced, and Alex sighed. She couldn't remember where he was. _I'm just so tired and sick. I wanna go back to the TARDIS as soon as possible, so I can take the longest nap in history_.

"We could use the sonic to track him. Humans and Gangers give off slightly different signals. The sonic can tell the difference." The Doctor said, as he looked at his beloved screwdriver.

"Oh, so the sonic knows Gangers are different, so the other Doctor is different." Alex sneered at Amy, and she felt the '_other_' Doctor squeeze his arms, telling her it wasn't worth it. She bit her lip to keep quiet. _Wow, this is the first time Amy and I really have fought about something_. But Alex stood tall by what she believed about Gangers and humans. Unfortunately, Amy did the same, and that was where the clash came from. Both were too stubborn to back down.

"He is the Doctor." The Doctor replied calmly.

"Not to me. I can tell." Amy said curtly. Alex was biting her lip so hard she felt it could break any second. Oh, how badly she wanted to speak. How badly she wanted to tell Amy how _wrong _she was, but another squeeze came from the Doctor's arms.

"Sure you're not prejudiced?"

"Nice try, but I know, okay? We've been through too much. You're my Doctor. End of." Alex snorted softly, and looked away. She felt the Doctor kiss her head and he started to hum to soothe her. She was distracted for that was the same tune that the TARDIS played. She wanted to ask the Doctor was it was, but something kept the words trapped in her throat. So, she just tuned everything else out and listened to the Doctor's humming.

-x-

Alex had been tuning out until she realized that the Doctor had tossed the screwdriver to his Ganger. _What the_…? "Hang on." Amy said.

"We can't let him go. Are you crazy?" Cleaves asked. She realized that they had spotted Rory and Jen, and the Doctor was gonna let his Ganger go instead.

"Am I crazy, Doctor?" The Time Lord asked his duplicate.

"Well, you did once plumb your brain into the core of an entire planet just to halt its orbit and win a bet."

Alex started laughing. "You did what?" The Doctor looked embarrassed and that just fueled her laughter. "Oh my God! That sounds like something _exactly _you would do! I am so proud of you!" She was still giggling, trying to imagine that, and that just made it funnier.

"He can't go rescue them." Amy said firmly. "I'm going."

"Do you know, I want him to go." He stood up and looked Amy right in the face. "And I'm rather adamant."

The second Doctor lifted Alex up and stood up as well. She took his hands and put them back around her waist, and he put his chin on the top of her head.

"I'm going as well." Both Doctors looked over and she knew that look. "Oh no, oh no. You're not convincing me otherwise. I'll stay with the Doctor," she jerked her head to the one behind her. "I think it's safer." She gave a meaningful look to Amy. She wasn't sure how long she'd be able to handle Amy's cruel – to her – words to the '_other_' Doctor.

Both Doctors thought about it and knew that it would probably be better. The Doctor looked at his double. "Take good care of her."

"I will." The Doctor nodded. "She won't leave my sight."

"Well, then, they'll need company, right, boss? It's fine. I'll handle it." Buzzer said.

The Flesh Doctor snapped his fingers. "Thank you, Buzzer. It'll be alright. We'll find him." Alex rushed over to the Doctor and gave him a quick kiss on the lips for reassurance.

"Be safe." He said.

She winked. "Of course, I have a Time Lord with me." He smiled a bit at that, and she went back to the Flesh Doctor. He took her hand in his tightly and they walked out, with Buzzer following them.

-x-

They were going all around the monestary. But everywhere they looked, the Doctor got nothing on the screwdriver. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the Doctor spoke up. "I'm getting something."

"Is it human?" Buzzer asked. Alex looked around, trying to see if she could spot anything, but it was starting to get very dark, and she couldn't see anything beyond a few feet.

"Yeah, it's human, but it's fading. It's fading." Alex felt her heart drop into herself. _That's not good_. "This is bad. Fading is very… bad."

"Oh my God." Alex said, as she finally spotted Jen's body lying on the ground. The Doctor turned and gently took Alex into his arms. She put a hand to her mouth in horror. The Doctor and she leaned down to check her.

"Agh! The signal's gone." He touched her cheek, and Alex buried her face into his shoulder. He rubbed her back for comfort. "She's…" _Please don't say it, Doctor. Please don't_. He didn't hear her silent plea, "dead." Alex held back a sob and griped his jacket tightly. "She was hanging onto the edge of life and she just… just slipped away. Oh, Jennifer, I'm so sorry. She's been out here for hours."

Suddenly, it occurred to Alex. She remembered what the Flesh had been telling her. One of the Gangers had become distant to the mind of the Flesh. So distant that it wanted revenge against the humans, what it wanted was not what the Flesh wanted. _Jen's Ganger. That's the Ganger the Flesh was talking about_. "But if the real Jen's been lying out here…"

Both the Doctor and Alex looked at each other, with realization. "Rory's in trouble…" They both said. However, Alex blinked as the Doctor suddenly slumped forward. "Doctor? Doctor!" She reached out, her mind to fogged to help her out, "Buzzer, what…" She was cut off by a sharp pain to the back of her head before she fell down onto her Doctor.

-x-

The Doctor came too quickly. He opened his eyes and groaned a bit. He was instantly aware of Alex motionless against his chest. He looked down quickly and relaxed when he saw her shoulders moving – she was breathing. He then looked up and saw that the Gangers were standing over him, in their full-forms. "Got anything for a sore head?" He asked.

"This is how they'll always treat us." Ganger Cleaves said. "Do you see now? After all, you're one of us…"

The Doctor didn't even blink as he put his sonic away. "Call me Smith. John Smith."

"And what about her?" Ganger Dickens asked gestured to a sleeping Alex. "We could use her…"

"_No_." The three Flesh duplicates looked at the Doctor who gave them a _chilling _look. "You will not touch even one hair on her head." He sat up and situated her so he was holding bridal style.

"Doctor," Ganger Cleaves was warning him, but he wouldn't hear it.

"No." He repeated. "She'll help us. She'll understand. She always understands." He looked down at his sleeping girl fondly. She would understand what they're doing. She would. She always did. The Gangers quickly found they couldn't convince him otherwise so they were forced to let him keep Alex.

-x-

Alex slowly was coming to, she noticed that someone was yelling and moaned. Her stomach jerked dangerously in her and she cursed mentally. _Uh-oh, I really don't like that_. She forced her eyes opened, needing to be a by a bin or something very quickly.

She noticed that she was now with the Gangers, but she couldn't bring herself to care as she shuffled off of whoever's lap she was on. "Allie?" She ignored the Ganger Doctor and just rushed over to a bin, and bent over, dumping her entire lunch out into it. _Ugh… _She moaned in her head. _I hate vomiting… although, who does? I still can't figure out why anyone would want to do this on _purpose! _I mean seriously, it's just _wrong.

She faintly noticed that the yelling stopped and there were two hands on her shoulder before they moved and held her hair back. _Thank you, whoever you are_. She _really _didn't want vomit in her hair. That would be _gross_.

She finally was done after a couple more gags, and she let herself plop down onto the ground with no grace. _I'm well past grace right now, just too sick for it_. "Lex, are you alright?" _Ah, it was Rory who helped me. Makes sense since he _is _a nurse_.

"Yeah." She moaned, "anybody got like water or something? I've got this _horrible _taste in my mouth, and it's just… disgusting." She saw a glass of water in front of her face and she drained it quickly. She then looked up and saw her Doctor looked down at her tenderly. "Really, I'm fine. Just a bit sick, that's all." _I'm gonna tell you anyways, just not right now_.

"Lex," Rory started out but the Doctor cut him off abruptly.

"Don't. Don't you dare, Rory. She doesn't need to know."

Alex looked between the curiously, "know? Know what? What don't I not need to know?" She got up and pushed the Doctor away when he tried to get Rory to stop speaking. "Doctor, stop it!" She turned to Rory. "Rory?" He explained what had happened since she had been asleep and her face turned to horror and confusion.

She turned to her Doctor and she looked at him confused. He looked back at her, and she realized that he was trying to comfort her, to tell her that what Rory was telling her was wrong, but if that was so, then that meant… _Oh my God_. "_Shuttle, we're dropping down on our approach. Stand by for evac_."

"The humans will be melted, as they deserve. And then the factory will be destroy. Once we get to the mainland, the real battle begins. The humans won't stand a chance. You're one of us, Doctor. Join the revolution."

Neither the Doctor or Alex was looking at Ganger Jen. They were having a silent conversation with their eyes. Whatever Alex saw, it made her shake her head and a small cry escaped her lips as she turned away from the Ganger. "Oh my _God_!" She whirled around with fury and tears in her eyes. The Doctor took a step forward but she jabbed a finger at him. "I _trusted _you! I _stood up _for you! Oh my _God_! Amy was right! You're a _monster_! You're _nothing _like _my _Doctor! _My _Doctor would _never _do this! _You heartless creation_! You're not _my _Doctor! You're just a _monster_! A _copy_!"

The Doctor was wincing with each word that came out of his Alex's mouth, and she finally sobbed and put her hands to her face. "My Doctor, my Doctor," she mumbled, "he's gonna die. He's gonna die in _acid_, and there's nothing I can do. _Aaaaggh_!" She ran up to the Ganger and pushed him away before slapping him with all her might. "_You monster! You killed my Doctor! I want my Doctor back! I want him back! Give him back to me_!"

"Lex!" Rory rushed over to the sobbing Alex and pulled her away from the Ganger Doctor. He just stood there, shell shocked at what his Alex was saying to him. She sobbed in Rory's chest, muttering that she wanted her Doctor back, she wanted him back. She muttered that she couldn't take it. She couldn't handle him dyeing again, it would kill her, it would destroy her.

Rory did his best to soothe her, but she just continued to sob. Ganger Jen walked over to the motionless Time Lord. "See, Doctor? Even the woman you swore you love turns her back on you. They won't ever understand. She doesn't understand. She calls you a monster. She calls you all sorts of things. She doesn't understand. She –"

The Doctor turned to her with an unmatched fury in his eyes. Ganger Jen backed away. "If there is one thing you should know, it's that you never – _ever _– try and push me away from my Allie. If there is one thing I will _never _forgive, it's if you make my Allie cry, and that includes myself. Ring. Ring." He said deadly quiet. The phone started to ring and he rushed over it.

The words were swirling around his head, and he was _desperate _to prove his Alex wrong. He was _desperate _to prove that he was still her Doctor, and that he never stopped _being _her Doctor. He would always be her Doctor and something as being Flesh won't change that. He fiddled with the phone – using the sonic as well – and a hologram of a small boy appeared. "_Thank you for booking your holo-call with Morpeth Jet_…"

He noticed that Alex's sobbed had slowly stopped, and he couldn't stop the small smile. He was going to prove to her. "Ha! Hello, Adam, I'm the Doctor. Well, Other Doctor." Ganger Jimmy slowly stood up at the sight of his boy. "Or Smith. It's complicated and boring. Anyway, who cares, it's your birthday!"

"_Yay_!" Adam cheered.

The Doctor echoed it. "Yay! Now, have you been getting up very early and jumping on the bed?"

"_Yes, really high_." Alex smiled slightly. _He's so good with kids_. Alex thought as she usually did. She faintly realized he was going to be so happy when she tells him the news. Alex slowly wiped away her tears.

"I expect chocolate for breakfast. If you don't feel sick by mid-morning, you're not doing right. Now, I think you want to speak to Daddy." He turned to Flesh Jimmy.

"_Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes_!" Adam jumped up and down. _It's so sweet; he wants to speak to his Daddy so much. He's probably missed him_."_Daddy_?"

"You'll do, Jimmy." The Doctor said as he walked to the Ganger. "What does the other Jimmy matter now? You're both the same dad, aren't you? Come on, Adam's waiting."

"_Daddy_?" Another quake shook the room. "_Daddy, what's the rumbly noise? What's going on, Daddy? Daddy_?"

Ganger Jimmy ran from the room without another word. "You've tricked him into an act of weakness." Ganger Jen said coldly.

"No, I've helped him into an act of humanity." The Doctor replied evenly. "Anyone else like the sound of that? Act of humanity."

"Dickens, drain the acid well in crypt one." Ganger Cleaves said firmly. Alex realized that Cleaves was done with this entire plan for war and such. Ganger Dickens followed his orders and rushed out of the room as well.

"Don't you dare!" Flesh Jen snarled.

"I've had it with this!" Flesh Cleaves responded. "What's the point in this ridiculous war? Look at you, Jen. You were a sweet kid. Look at you now. Stuff of nightmares. I don't want my world populated by monsters."

"You can't stop the factory from melting down, _boss_." She mocked the name. "I'll take revenge on humanity with or without you."

"But it doesn't have to be about revenge." Alex said, as she stood up. "I've seen into the mind of the Flesh, and it sees that there is so much more to humanity than that. _So much more_." She whispered as she walked up to the Ganger. "Humanity can be so much better than that. _Life_ can be so much better than that. If the Flesh can see this, so can you Jen, _let it go_."

Ganger Jen sneered at the woman and stormed out of the room. Alex and the Doctor sighed before the girl turned to her Time Lord. He looked over at her and she rushed over to him. She jumped into his arms, and he hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you, I just… I just didn't want to believe it… and, I'm sorry. I am."

"Hush, Allie," He murmured into her ear as he rocked her back and forth gently. "I know what you were feeling. You're in so much stress you can't really think now, it's okay, love."

She smiled through her tears. "You're my Doctor." The Time Lord couldn't explain the lift off his shoulders when she said that. "You'll always be my Doctor. You always will be. Flesh or not, you're my Doctor and nothing changes that. I need to remember that."

"I love you." He said with firmness in his voice. "I love you so much Allie, more than anything else."

"I love you too, Doctor. _Very_ much." Alex murmured. When there was shuffled, Alex broke the hug and turned around. When she saw her other Doctor walk in, her heart almost burst with relief. She rushed out of the Flesh Doctor's arm and right into her other Doctor's arms. He hugged her tightly. "Oh my God! I thought for a second I had lost you!"

He chuckled deeply and spun her around. "That's never gonna happen, Allie. I care for you too much." She leaned back and kissed him with all she had. The Doctor responded with just as much fervor. They were practically sucking each other's faces off, and Alex noticed in small part of her brain that this kiss seemed… different. She mentally shook her thoughts, blaming it on the relief she was feeling and just reveled in the feel of the Doctor's lips on hers.

His lips left hers and he looked up at the huge group. "Now we need to move." He said. And they did.

-x-

One of the Doctors was leading the way, with everyone else just behind him. They stopped when they came across a misshapen, elongated Ganger Jen. "Run. Run. Run!" They turn back the other way as Ganger Jen ran at them on all fours and into another room.

The roof groaned. "Ooh, roof's gonna give at some point." Alex said. Both Dickens and his Ganger closed the metal door.

"We have to stop her." Ganger Dickens said. "This door doesn't lock."

"No, but the far one does." Dickens ran down the hall to the far door. He pulled on it, but it's jammed. Ganger Jen was getting closer. _Oh my God_. Alex couldn't watch and turned her head. After a few minutes, she heard the door close and Dickens scream carrying down the hall.

"No!" His Ganger cried out. He slammed the door shut just as the TARDIS fell down through the roof. Alex covered her face and coughed slightly as dust got into her lungs.

"Oh, she does like to make an entrance!" One of the Doctors laughed. Alex and the other Doctor urged everyone into the TARDIS.

"Amy," Alex gasped as she rushed over to the ginger.

"Now's your chance." She was saying to the Doctor.

"I have to stay." He replied. "Hold this door closed. Give you time to dematerialize."

"Oh, don't be crazy. Okay, what happens to you?" Amy asked. _Whoa whoa whoa, what's this talk about? Don't both of you be stupid! Neither one of them is staying_!

"Well, this place is about to explode. But I can stop her."

"Oh don't be stupid!" Alex moaned. "You're coming with us!"

"Both of you can survive this, okay?" Amy said.

"Or perhaps you think I should stay instead… Mr. Smith?" Alex whirled around. _What? _Hell no! _You're both going into the TARDIS_.

"No, of course not," Amy said. "But, look, this man, I've flown with him, you know? And you are amazing and yeah, I misjudged you, but you're not him. I'm sorry."

"_Shut up, Amy_!" Alex snarled. "Neither one of them is staying. You're both getting on the TARDIS, and you're both getting to safety."

"We swapped shoes." The Doctor said. Both Amy and Alex looked at him. _Time Lord say what_? "I'm the Doctor."

"And I'm the Flesh." The Doctor holding the door said.

Alex couldn't wrap her mind around that. She realized that what she had said in the room with the Gangers… She had said that to the '_real_' Doctor. Not the Flesh. The Flesh had always been the Doctor, while the Doctor had always been the Flesh. _W… Whoa… I cannot wrap my mind around that_. She was getting a pounding headache just thinking about it.

"You can't be." Amy said, and Alex could hear her friend was having troubling swallowing that as well. She turned to the Ganger Doctor. "You're the real him." She and the Doctor looked at each other, and Alex's mouth was slightly ajar.

"No, I'm not, and I haven't been all along." Another bang jerked both Ganger Cleaves and Doctor back before they pressed against the door again.

"What?"

"Doctor?" She asked.

"I'm the original Doctor, Amy. We had to know if we were truly the same. It was important, vital, we learn about the Flesh. And we could only do that through your eyes."

"Why not Lexi's eyes?"

She understood why. "Because I would always see them as the same." Amy looked at her American friend. "No matter what, I would always see them as the same. I would never change my look, they knew that no matter what I would always see them as identical, and I was biased, 'cause I loved the Doctor. So they had to see it from someone else's point of view."

Amy looked at the Ganger Doctor and hugged him tightly. She saw them whisper to each other, and then realized. _He's gonna die. The Ganger Doctor's gonna die_. Well, maybe… Maybe she could try and convince him by telling him… "Allie!" The Doctor grabbed her arm, but she wouldn't budge.

"You can't die."

"Allie," The Ganger Doctor laughed lightly. "I have to give you time."

"But, you can't." She said again, he opened his mouth and the words spilled out before she could stop them. "You can't cause I'm pregnant!" Alex's mouth snapped shut and she threw her hands to her mouth.

The Ganger Doctor just stared at her numbly, and she knew that the Doctor was doing the same behind her. "Pregnant…?" Both Doctors mumbled, trying to comprehend this.

"I…" She took a deep breath. "Yeah. I'm pregnant. And before you insult me by asking, _of course_ you're the father. And, I had the TARDIS _triple _check it, so it's true! I'm pregnant and you're gonna be a dad!" She threw her hands over her mouth again and the Ganger Doctor just stared at her.

"Dad…?" A small but bright smile came over his lips and it took Alex's breath away. She had never seen such a smile on his face before. Such a smile that just lit up his whole face. Alex threw her arms around him and he hugged her tightly laughing. "I'm going to be a father! I'm going… I'm going to be a _father_!" He laughed loudly.

"You're gonna be a dad," she laughed with him. "You're gonna be a dad." He pulled back and kissed her deeply. It took her breath away because she could _feel _his happiness through the kiss.

He broke it and then looked at the Doctor. "You better take good care of her. She's a keeper." Alex giggled and then turned to the Doctor. He was still dazed, but he was smiling just as brightly.

"Yeah." He hugged Alex tightly. "Yeah, I will. Go on, Allie," she looked back at the Ganger and he gave her a look.

"I'll be fine, love. I'll die a very happy man to know that I'll be a dad." She felt tears fall from her eyes, but she ran to the TARDIS.

_I love you_. She mouthed to him just as she entered the doors.

He smiled. _I love you more_.

-x-

The Doctor entered the TARDIS and got up to the console, setting the girl into flight. He then stood there, deep in thought. Alex reached out and put a hand on his elbow. He looked up at her, and laughed lightly. "_Father_…" He seemed not to be able to swallow that, and she laughed through her tears. "A _father_…" He then turned to the others. "The energy from the TARDIS will stabilize the Gangers for good. They're people now." Rory clapped Jimmy on the back and Alex clapped for them.

"And what happens to me?" Cleaves asked. "I still have this." She gestured to her temple, and it took Alex a few minutes to remember the blood clot. _Damn, I really am slow; I don't know what's wrong with me_. She had no idea how she dealt with that in the past. Now, it's just a pain in the ass.

"Ah, that's not a problem." He snapped his fingers. "I have something for that. It's small and red and tastes like burnt onions, ha!" He pulled out a vial from under the console and tossed it to Cleaves, who caught it. "But it'll get rid of your blood clot." He then grabbed a red balloon. "Happy endings."

-x-

Alex decided to stay behind, only coming out of the TARDIS when the Doctor took her to a forest. She had explained that the Flesh would be happy in something like that, where it could reproduce the trees and grass and flowers and it would be good for the environment. The Doctor didn't dare say no to her – while he was still revealing in the fact he was going to be a father – and took her wherever she wanted.

She put her hands to the ground, and the small amount of Flesh that was in her, slipped out of her hands and into the ground, with a final _thank you _left in her mind. Just as he was about to leave, she smiled as she saw a single rose blossom in front of her. She knew that the Flesh would be fine.

She was waiting, with batted breath. She knew what was coming, and couldn't control her breathing. She was forcing herself to take deep breaths just as Rory, Amy, and the Doctor entered the TARDIS. The Doctor walked up to the console, and she collapse onto the stairs of the TARDIS.

_Here we go. _

"Doctor!" Rory called to the Time Lord. "What is happening to her?" Amy was bent over at the waist in pain. _She's contracting, Rory. She's going into labor, she's about to have River_.

"Contractions." The Doctor said.

"Contractions?" Rory parroted surprise and confused.

Alex rubbed her eyes. "She's going into labor, Rory. She's about to have a baby."

"Did she say…?" Amy muttered. "No, of course she didn't. Rory, I don't like this. Ow!" She gripped her stomach and bent over, holding onto her husband's hand tightly.

"You'll have to start explaining this to me, Doctor." Rory said.

"What, the birds and the bees?" The Doctor mocked before getting serious. "She's having a baby! Just like Allie said. I needed to see the Flesh in its early days. That's why I scanned it. That's why we were there in the first place. I was going to drop you off for fish and chips first, but things happened and there was stuff and shenanigans." He paused, mulling the word over. "Beautiful word, shenanigans."

"It hurts." Amy moaned.

"But you're okay?" Rory asked.

"Amy, Amy," Alex called to her friend and only when the ginger was looking at her, did she continue. "Breathe. It's important. You need to take deep breaths."

"I needed enough information to block the signal to the Flesh." The Doctor continued.

"What signal?"

Alex felt her heart stopping. _Here it comes_. "The signal to you."

"Doctor?"

"Stand away from her, Rory." The Doctor said, not sparing a look at Amy.

"Why?" He grabbed onto Amy's hand tightly to prove he wasn't moving. "No! And why?"

"Given what we've learned, I'll be as humane as I can, but I need to do this and you need to stand away!"

"Doctor," Alex's voice came out hoarse as she reached for the Doctor's hand. He took it away and that stabbed worse than a knife. She winced and put her hands to her chest, curling up into a ball.

Rory looked at Amy, who was shaking her head. However, he looked back at the Doctor and stepped slowly away from his wife. He pulled his hand away from hers. Amy looked at her husband before looking at her best friend. "No. No! Doctor, I am frightened. I'm properly, properly scared."

"Don't be." The Doctor said tenderly. "Hold on. We're coming for you, I swear it. Whatever happens, however hard, however far, we will find you." He put his hand on Amy's cheek.

Amy didn't understand. "I'm right here." She put her hand on his wrist to prove her point.

He pulled his hand away. "No, you're not. You haven't been here for a long, long time." The Doctor took a step back from her and held up his sonic screwdriver. Rory gasped and Amy realized what he was doing.

"No."

The Doctor activated the sonic and Amy melted into Flesh. "Amy!" Rory called. "Amy!" He rushed over to the Flesh that was Amy. "Doctor! Doctor, what's going on? I don't understand."

He ignored him and turned to his Alex, his precious Alex. "Allie,"

She laughed numbly, and there was a visible relaxation in her shoulders. "Oh… Oh my God, Doctor, you cannot imgine how relieved I am that you figured it out. I mean, you just can't imagine it. It was so _annoying_!" She stood up and started pacing. "I mean, you watch me like a _hawk_! And while normally, that's all fine and dandy with me, that like… that was like so annoying with me right now! I had to watch my ever step, my every word, my every _facial expression_, my _body language_! I mean, _come on_! It was beyond annoying! You have no idea how frustrating it was, to know what was going on and not be able to tell!"

"Allie," he interrupted her and she turned around. He had his screwdriver at her and she rolled her eyes.

"It's not like that, Doctor. I'm not _Flesh_, it's me. They couldn't do Flesh."

"Explain." The Doctor demanded, but he did lower his arm.

She took a deep breath, and knew she would have to explain _everything_. "I'm half Time Lord." The look on the Doctor's and Rory's face showed they were expecting that. "Do you remember way back when Donna and me were trapped in the TARDIS?" He slowly nodded his head and she continued. "Well, I touched the hand too, Doctor." His eyes widened when he realized what she was saying. "At first, I didn't realize that I got anything. I just figured maybe I had touched the hand a second too late or something, and that Donna had gotten all the regeneration energy or whatever, so I just left it alone.

"But that's not what happened." She said with a laugh, at the disbelief at what happened. "I mean, I got it, I got the regeneration energy, but it just sat inside me, 'cause I didn't get a 'kick to the sinuses' like Donna did." She was wringing her hands subconsciously as she explained it. "So, it sat in me for a really long time, like… _really _long time, just sitting there. But it wasn't just sitting there all like benign or something; it was slowly changing my DNA. Slowly, very slowly, until all of the regeneration energy was used up. All of it was used to change my DNA until I became a half Time Lord. The only thing that was left was that I needed to regeneration like all Time Lords do.

"So that's where the Silence came in. They kidnapped me around the same time as Amy; the thing was was that they couldn't do the experiments they wanted and keep me Flesh. All those experiments would mess with the Flesh and you would know instantly that something was up. So what happened was that they experiment on me," A dark look came over the Doctor's face, and she urgently added, "oh no, I wasn't awake for most of them, they knocked me out for really all of them. So it's fine. But I finally regenerated – and like damn, it was crazy, I mean like my brain just exploded with knowledge. Like _damn_, now I know how you feel 'cause now it felt like the rest of the world is so _slow_, like I can't believe how slow I was as a human until I became half Time Lord –"

"Allie," the Doctor called, and Alex realized she was getting off track.

"Oh right, so anyways, then they dropped me back at my house a few minutes after they kidnapped me and told me to stay quiet and that I can't tell the Doctor anything ya know, the whole shebang."

"Why didn't you say something?" Rory interrupted.

Alex's voice turned deadly serious. "Because they told me if that if I said even a word, if I gave the Doctor so much as a hint, that they would hurt Amy – _badly_." When both the Doctor and Rory were quiet again she shrugged. "So that's it. Yeah, now I'm half Time Lord and it explains my _fabulously _refreshed memory. Like, I remember _every_ like all sorts of details and lines and everything. But, ya know, I can't tell you guys anything 'cause that's spoilers and we all know that it's against the Doctor's rules."

"But," Rory spoke up again. "If you regenerated, wouldn't you have changed? I mean, don't all Time Lords change when they regenerate?"

This time when the Doctor lifted up his screwdriver, she didn't stop him. He moved the sonic down her body until it hit her bracelet. It was a thick sparkly silver cuff bracelet, it beeped for a moment, and the sparkles lit up before Alex's form started to change. She grew a few inches taller, and her hair elongated to her chest. It turned a deep brown, that stopped at about her neck, before it then became a fire red. Her blue eyes darkened until they were chocolate brown.

Other than that, the men noticed that notice changed about her. She was still the same person. She smiled showing her small beautiful smile. "Hello." She said cheerfully. A beeping took their attention away and the smile was gone as Alex looked down at her bracelet. "They're taking me away, they're probably realized that Amy's back, and they're taking me with her, naturally."

The Doctor walked up to Alex, and cupped her warm cheek. Due to his experience with the future Alex in _The Pandorica Opens_, he didn't need any convincing now. He knew that she was still his Alex, and would always be his Alex and it didn't bother him in the least of the change in appearances. "We're coming for you and Amy, love. I promise you that. They won't touch you or," he reached down and pressed a hand to her stomach. Alex's heart flutter and she smiled at her Time Lord. "Wherever you are, whenever, I will come for you. I will always come for you. I love you and I always will, promise you'll remember."

"I promise." She whispered and hugged him tightly. She leaned back and kissed him quickly, feeling a tingling sensation come over her. "See ya later, Doctor."

With that, she was gone.

The Doctor stared at where his Alex had been before he turned to Rory. "We've got a lot of work to do."

-x-

Alex only needed to blink before she was on Demon's Run. She turned to see the Eye-Patch Lady before with at least five guards. She crossed her arms and looked at the woman with defiance, not at all afraid. "I may be a little scared right now, but that won't compare to the least to the fear you're going to have to deal with for taking me. He's coming for you, Lady. The Doctor's coming. _The Oncoming Storm_. I hope you're prepared."

The woman sneered at Alex before leaving, she then turned out to look out the window and muttered. "I really do hope you're prepared…" _Now, all I have to do is wait_. She knew that there was no way she was going to give birth yet, she wasn't anywhere near that time. _Amy however_, she's more than ready right now. _Don't worry Amy, your child is going to be fine. She'll be safe. The Doctor makes sure of that_.

**Hello readers, so I wanted to put this down here, instead of up there, 'cause I just want to say that I'm gonna put up Alex's new look up in my profile. So if you're curious as to what she looks like – like what kind of hair she has or eyes or whatever – it'll be up in my profile. I'll even put what she looks like before, 'cause I feel like it I suppose lol. **

**Although, I little warning, I couldn't find one that gave me black hair with Brandies blue highlights, so it'll just be Alex without the highlights, so please use your imagination to imagine the highlights in her hair. **

**Thanks, peace out, readers **_e'He_


	44. Chapter 44

**Chapter Forty Four**

******Has not been looked over yet, all mistakes are mine.**

Alex hated waiting.

It drove her crazy when she was a human, but now that she was half Time Lord?

Good _God_. It was the worst thing _ever_.

She paced back and forth in her little _cell_, ignoring all the _men _there to _keep her safe_. Ha! Shove off, you bastards!

She continued to pace back and forth, biting her thumb nail because she had nothing better to do. They had been scanning her ever since she got back, probably to make sure she stayed half Time Lord. Or hell, they might just be checking on her child.

Just the thought of that made her look down at her stomach. A small but bright smile came across her face when she remembered the Doctor's reaction. It was the best in the world, and she couldn't possibly replace it with anything else.

It was almost like she felt she lived for the Doctor's happiness.

It would make sense. Her happiness was at its greatest when the Doctor was happy as well.

She knew that their child would become Time Lord. It was a given, there was no way around it. With a father that's _all _Time Lord and a mother that's _half _Time Lord, their baby's got _plenty _of Time Lord to work with.

Of course, the question than became why did they need Alex in the first place? They already had Melody-slash-River… So where was her part in their little evil plan?

That was what was making her worried – which gave her more of a reason to pace. She just couldn't seem to figure out where she would come to play in all of this…

Alex ran a hand through her hair, and continued to walk back and forth. _Damn. This is just getting me frustrated 'cause I can't figure anything out_…

The brunette looked at her watch, and saw that the episode was just starting. It meant that she still had a while to wait… _Ugh_!

Alex hated her life…

She looked back down at her stomach.

Okay, maybe she didn't _hate _her life, just at the moment…

-x-

Alex was waiting with her lips in a permanent scowl it felt. The Eye-Patch Lady – okay, seriously what was her name? – came into the room, and Alex just flipped her off, sick of all her schemes.

The woman just shot the half Time Lord a nasty look, which Alex responded with one of her own. But seriously, that was starting to bug her… What _was _her name? Madame something… She remembered River saying her name in _The Wedding of River Song_… Hmm…

Kovarian! That was it… It was Madame Korvarian!

She made a pleased noise in the back of her throat, still in love with the fact she could remembered _everything _now. Nothing got by her anymore, she would know what everyone was doing at all times.

For example, she knew at this instant, Amy was telling Melody a story, about a man that was coming to save her. While the writers purposefully made it out to be that she was talking about the Doctor, you find out instead that she is talking about her husband, Rory.

At the same time, very very far away, Rory was getting through the twelfth Cyber Legion with ease due to the sonic screwdriver. When he gets there, he tells the Cybermen that he's got a message from the Doctor and a question from him – oh, she did love this part, it was so awesome.

The question from him? _Where is his wife_? Although, with her here, it might change into something like… _Where is his wife and best friend_? But the epic-ness still holds.

The Cybermen won't answer, and at one point one of the Cybermen ask what the message was from the Doctor.

Well, there answer is the _huge _explosion that happens behind Rory, and you find out that the message from the Doctor is that he's gonna blow up _everything _if they didn't tell Rory what he wanted to know. Without even batting an eyelash – Good God, she does love Rory – Rory asked calmly if he should repeat the question.

Alex came back out of her musing when food came for her. She looked down at it and made a face. She hadn't been eating to be honest, she didn't trust them. "I'm not hungry." She said stubbornly.

"I'm starting to wonder how the Doctor can put up with you. You are very insolent."

Brown eyes turned to see Madame Kovarian. She snarled. "Fuck off. You're gonna regret it when you see the Doctor. You _do _know that he's called _The Oncoming Storm _by the Daleks for a reason, yeah?"

Kovarian ignored her and walked over to the – she hated to admit it but delicious looking – food. "We haven't poisoned it." Just to prove her point, she took a bite of the sandwich. Alex waited with impassive eyes, but the tension in her neck slowly relaxed when she realized the woman was telling the truth.

"Of course not." Alex mumbled, more to herself. "You can't kill me. You're stupid, but you can't be _that _stupid to kill me. You should know that if you do that… That will be the end of everything, and you're not ready to throw in the towel." She then looked back at Kovarian, she the woman was sneering at the woman with too much knowledge.

It then occurred to her.

"That's it… isn't it? It's the fact that I know too much that you took me… You can't let me giving anything away to the Doctor, so you have me cooped up…" Alex laughed. "Wow. That's so cliché."

The scowl seemed to set in permanently and it just made Kovarian's wrinkled face even worse. Alex tried not to make a face, but knew she didn't succeed. "Just eat." The woman then turned and walked back out of the room.

Alex pursued her lips and then looked back at the food. She took a deep breath, and the aroma of the food filled her nostrils and made her mouth water. It had been a while since she had eaten, and she knew that it was already taking a toll on her physical appearance. She sighed before reacting over and started to eat with a growing intensity.

When she was finished, she leaned back, feeling better than she had in days. She was licking her fingers when a soldier came and took the plate away. Alex was looking out the window, curious at her new finding. So that was all they wanted her for. To keep her quiet.

But that left one problem unanswered…

If that was the only reason why she was here, why did they focus so much on getting her to regenerate?

Alex sighed as she settled back in her chair. It seemed that while she may have gotten one question answered, there were still so many questioned unanswered.

She rubbed her head. "Come on, love," she murmured to herself. "Just come and get me."

-x-

Alex was rocking back and forth in her chair with a look of utmost frustration on her face. She was just so fucking _bored_! She didn't have _anything _to do! It was so _annoying_!

She lazily got up sat down on the small window seat and looked out. She saw that Manton was standing on a stage with three Headless Monks behind him. The soldiers stood at ease as they listened. Madame Kovarian was standing to the side with two soldiers of her own. It took her a moment to realize that before her eyes widened. She looked down at her watch before a grin broke across her face and she watched the scene, her eyes trained directly on the last Monk.

_Finally_!

… It was time.

"He is not the devil." She could hear Manton say. Alex snorted as she always did when she heard this speech. _Riiiight_. Keep thinking that Manton. "He is not a god." Another snort. "He is not a goblin, or a phantom or a trickster." That just got a giggle sort of snort out of her. _Oh yeah_? Wanna bet? "The Doctor is a living, breathing man, and as I look around this room I know one thing… We're sure as hell going to fix that."

Now Alex was just laughing. Her head was thrown back and she was just having a ball. She always did when Manton gave that speech, remembering how much the Doctor throws it back into his face.

_Ah. Love it_.

She wiped the tear away from her eye and just continued to listen in.

-x-

While watching the scene amused, she didn't hear the door open. "Forgive me," that caught her attention. She turned and saw a young woman standing before her. It took Alex no less than a moment to remember the girl's name – _Lorna_. "I shouldn't be here."

"It's fine." Alex turned back to the scene before her and chuckled. "They're really shouldn't be talking to him like that, that's just gonna fuel his ego. And trust me, it _really _can't get any bigger and if it does…" She laughed. "We're all in trouble."

Lorna just watched her for a moment. The woman had an air of authority and power, as if she held the whole universe in her hands. But there was also something mischievous in her eyes, like a teen who was so elated to know something that everyone else didn't. And then… there was something soothing and almost _motherly _about her.

She fiddled with her hands, unsure of how to react. "Lorna," when she looked up she saw that Alex was looking at her with gentle eyes. "I know that sometimes it feels like you've waited forever, and you may never meet him, but don't give up hope. He always comes back… I promise. He does. It just takes him a while. It's when you don't think you can wait any longer that he comes back to surprise you. It's just how he is." The smile she offered the girl was one that reminded her of a comforting mother.

And Lorna did find comfort in those words. "You sound as if you've known him all your life."

Alex laughed loudly as if hearing an inside joke. "Yes." She was grinning. "I suppose I do." She then turned back to Lorna and was still grinning. "You should go now, get down to that meeting thing." She winked. "Trust me, there's a surprise that you'll be very happy about." Lorna didn't understand but the mischievous look was back in her eyes, so Lorna left without another word.

Alex watched her leave before turning back to the 'presentation'. She let another chuckle pass through her lips_. Oh yes, Lorna, you are going to love your surprise._ She took note to the fact that Lorna had entered and took her place.

Here we go…

"On this day, in this place, the Doctor will fall…" The soldiers cheered and Alex rolled her eyes with amusement. _Yeah, I don't think so_. "The man who talks, the man who reasons, the man who lies, will meet the perfect answer." Another cheer. Manton waited this time until they were silent to start speaking. Alex could feel herself becoming wound up, waiting and waiting with each second for it to come. "Some of you have wondered why we have allied ourselves with the Headless Monks."

Alex knew a better question was to ask why they were called _Headless _Monks. Manton spoke her thoughts. "Perhaps you should have wondered why we call them Headless. It's time you knew what these guys have scarified for faith. As you all know, it is a Level One Heresy, punishable by death, to lower the hood of a Headless Monk. But by the divine grant of the Papal Mainframe herself, on this one and only occasion, I can show you the truth."

As he was speaking, Manton slowly walked over to the first Monk. Alex was making a face, already knowing what was underneath and it still gave her the absolute _creeps_. "Because these guys can never be…" He lowered the hood to show a knotted stump where the head and neck should have been. All the soldiers backed up in horror and Alex shuddered. _That's just… nasty_! "persuaded! They _never _can be…" He lowered the second hood to show the same thing. "afraid." He approached the third Monk and Alex's head snapped up and she leaned as closely as she could to the glass. "And they can never, ever be…"

The Monk throws back his own hood, and it revealed to be the Doctor.

"Doctor!" Alex yelled, even though he wouldn't be able to hear her. "Doctor! You're here! Doctor! I'm up here! _Yes_!"

"… Surprised!" The Doctor finished for Manton. The soldiers were stunned and Alex was laughing like a maniac. "Hello everyone! Guess who!" He walked to the front of the stage. "Please point a gun at me if it helps you relax!"

All the soldiers – with the exception of Lorna, Alex knew – aimed their guns at the Doctor. The Monks drew energized swords. "You're only human…" Alex muttered along with her Time Lord.

Manton aimed his gun at the Doctor, but the man didn't seemed bother in the slightest. "Doctor, you will come with me, right now!"

"Three minutes, forty seconds. Amelia Pond! Get your coat! Allie!" Her head perked up. "_I'm coming to get both of you_!"

The Doctor put his hood back on just as the lights went out. When they came back on, he was gone. Alex laughed. He was a sly clever little boy. _And he's all mine_. "_I'm not a phantom_." The Doctor was saying over a speaker. "_I'm not a trickster_. _I'm a monk_."

Alex just watched the scene unfold. She was distracted however when two soldiers came in. "What the hell?" She asked, but they didn't say anything. The just came up to her and grabbed her arms. "Oi!" She struggled against them as they proceeded to drag her away. "Let go of me! Let me go! Now! Dammit, I said, _let me go_!"

"_Now_."

The three looked up and the Doctor was slowly walking towards them. His look had darkened dramatically, and even Alex could feel the chill. "Let her go. _Now_." His voice – while calm – held such power and authority of it that the soldiers let her go. "Get out."

The men exited the room and the Doctor and Alex looked at each other for a moment. Then, both of them shot towards each other and she practically jumped into his arms.

"Doctor!"

"Allie!"

They hugged tightly, fearing that if they let go they'd disappear. "Oh my love," He murmured into her ear. "I was so worried about you." He then let her go and ran his hands down her body frantically. "Are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they? Love, you're a little weak. Have you been eating? Have they been feeding you?"

"Doctor, whoa – whoa!" Alex lifted up a hand to try and calm him down. She took a moment to answer all of his questions. "Yes, I'm alright. No, they didn't hurt me. I just ate today, but overall I haven't been eating 'cause I was worried they would poison me or something. So yes, they have been giving me food, but I haven't been eating it until today when that Eye-Patch Lady ate some to prove there was no poison in it."

He took all of his information and his arms were back around hers within a flash. He rocked her back and forth and took a deep breath. "Oh, love, I was so worried about you."

"Its okay, Doctor. We're _both _okay." She felt him relax even more knowing that his child was just as okay as the woman he loves. He kept his arm wrapped tightly around her and walked over to the window. He pulled out a comm. to speak to Manton.

When the Colonel commented that if Demon's Run went down there was an automatic distress call, the Doctor stepped in. "Not if we take out your communications array." He seemed to be in a good mood – wonder how long that will last, Alex could still feel the anger within him – now that Alex and his child were safe. "And you've got incoming!"

"_Danny Boy to the Doctor. Danny Boy to the Doctor_." Alex laughed fondly in remembrance.

"Give 'em hell, Danny Boy!" He put an arm out and pretended to be a plane, even buzzing his lips like a motor. Alex laughed and pinched his cheek.

"You're such a child."

He then leaned down and kissed her with all of his power. Alex more or less just melted into his embrace when that happened. She let out a humming moan and it seemed to just spur him on. He ran his tongue firmly across the seam of her lips, _demanding _that he be let in. She opened her mouth without another thought – _how can I resist _that_? _– and he shot his tongue into her mouth, letting it go over every single nook and cranny.

Alex wondered if this was his strange way of making sure that she really _was _here and he had found her at last. She mentally shrugged it off and then wrapped her tongue around his in a tight weave before leaning back just enough to suck on the appendage. He groaned deeply in his chest and pulled away with flushed cheeks and panting breath. "Don't do that, Allie…"

"Why?" She asked with a perverted smirk. "I distinctly remember that you _like _when I do that."

"Exactly," He growled and nipped at her bottom lip. "Don't tempt me to do it right here." She felt a blush come to her cheeks and tried to ignore it.

"Fine." She gave him a chaste kiss. "Spoil sport." She muttered against his lips. He smirked.

The ship rocked and Alex and the Doctor steadied themselves. "_Target destroyed_." The Time Lord and his girl laughed.

-x-

The Doctor had dragged her to the communication room and was sitting with her in his lap as Strax lead Manton into the room. "All airlocks sealed, resistance neutralized!"

The Doctor whirled around, holding on tightly to his girl. One of his hands was resting on her stomach which at that very moment was producing life under his very hand. "Sorry, Colonel Manton, I lied."

"You always lie, darling." Alex commented. "Rule one."

He ignored her like a good boy. "Three minutes, forty two seconds."

"Colonel Manton," Strax spoke. "You will give the order for you men to withdraw."

"No." The Doctor's smile dropped as well as his hand from Alex's stomach. "Colonel Manton… I want you to tell your men to run away."

The Colonel wasn't amused in the slightest. "What?" He asked with a strained voice.

"Those words." The Doctor said simply, but Alex could hear the storm brewing beneath him. "Run away. I want you to be famous for those exact words. I want people to call you Colonel Run-Away. I want children laughing outside your door, 'cause they found the house of Colonel Run-Away." He lifted up Alex and shot over to the man with his finger pointed out and his anger rising in his voice. "And, when people come to you, and ask if trying to get to me through the people I love… Through the woman I have _sworn_ to protect with my life… Through the very child that grows within her that means more than anything you can comprehend to me… _Through those two right there_…" He pointed to Alex and the girl jumped. "_Through the two people that I will protect with my life and you will never touch ever again_!" He took a deep breath to calm himself and Alex walked over, taking his arm in her hands, rubbing it. "… is in any way a good idea… I want you to tell them your name. Oh, look!" He smiled just a little. "I'm angry. That's new." _To be fair, no one's ever taken your friends, me, _and _your child before_. "I'm not really sure what's going to happen."

Kovarian arrived with two Silurians escorting her. "The anger of a good man is not a problem." She said calmly. "Good men have too many rules."

The Doctor slowly turned to look at her. "Good men don't need rules," He said, and his anger was slowly rising in his voice again. He walked over to the woman. "Today is not the day to find out why I have so many. _Today _is not the day to find out what would happen when I'm angry. _Today is not the day to find out what I will do to the people who kidnapped my love and my child_!"

The silence in the room was deafening. "Doctor…" Alex's voice was strangled, and he held up a hand to her, not even looking at her. She could feel that he just refused to be comforted. He refused to be soothed.

"Give the order." Kovarian said suddenly. The Doctor pulled back, a little surprised. He then smiled crookedly and held up a finger before he walked away. He took Alex into his arms and she just sighed. There was nothing she could do if he _wanted _to be angry, and by the feel of it he wanted it so much. Alex just wrapped her arms around his slim chest and just rested her head there.

"Give the order, Colonel Run-Away."

Alex looked over at the clock. _Right on time_.

-x-

"They're here somewhere, obviously, but where…" Alex was dragging the Doctor around everywhere so they could see Amy and Rory just like it happened in the episode.

"Allie, love," He stopped her and put both of his hands to her face. "Are you _sure _you're alright?"

Alex smiled. "I'm fine. I can't say the same for you. You're angry, and I think… I think you _want _to be angry." That certainly never happened before. All she knew was that she couldn't sooth him, especially if what happened in the communication room was any evidence.

He sighed and kissed her forehead. "I do." He murmured. "They can't take you. They can't take either of you. On my life, you both are going to be safe."

It made her smile. "I know you'll protect us, Doctor." She stood on her tippy toes to kiss the Doctor with meaning.

"I'm sorry we took as long as we did." The Doctor said against her lips. He put his hands on her hips.

She laughed. "It's fine. If anything, I was just bored. Nothing else. I swear." She turned her head just as the Doctor was going to kiss her again. She ignored the noise of frustration that exited his lips and laughed. "I hear Amy and Rory." She took his hand and dragged him to an open door and grinned when she saw she had been right.

The Doctor made a face. "Ugh, kissing and crying. We'll be back in a bit."

Alex turned to him. "What's wrong with that? We can do that too, Doctor." She paused. "Well, maybe not the crying bit… but the kissing bit is always fun!"

The Time Lord's eyes twinkled, but Rory turned to both of them. "Oi! You two! Get in here. Now." Alex and the Doctor grinned at each other and they hurried down and over to the happy family.

He pointed at Melody and smiled. "Aw," Alex cooed and ran a finger down the child's cheek. Melody giggled. "She's adorable!"

"My daughter. What do you think?" Rory asked.

"Hello." The Doctor greeted. "Hello baby."

"Melody." Amy and Alex said at the same time. No one even bothered to look surprised anymore at Alex's all knowing ability.

"Melody!" The Doctor loved that name.

"Hello Melody Pond." Alex cooed and the baby grabbed her finger. Alex giggled. "You are so precious."

"Melody Williams." Rory corrected.

Amy wasn't about to have that. "… is a geography teacher. Melody Pond is a superhero!" _More than you could ever guess, Amy_. Alex just continued to coo at the baby.

The Doctor leaned over and listened to Melody's gurgle. Alex burst into laughter suddenly as the Doctor spoke. "Well, yes, I suppose she does smell nice. Never really sniffed her before."

"Have a go at it, then." Alex said.

The Doctor turned to the woman in question. "Amelia Pond, c'mere!" He hugged her.

"Doctor!" Amy responded as she wrapped her hands around her friend.

"I'm sorry we were so long." He said, and turned his head to sniff her. Alex knew that he would have a large smile on his face when he did and laughed.

"It's okay," Amy said as the Doctor broke the hug and then wrapped a tight arm around his Alex. The ginger wiped a tear away from her eye. "I knew you were coming. Both of you. Our boys, eh Lexi?"

She laughed. "Of course. How could we ever doubt you two?" She patted both men on the back.

Melody squealed and Alex answered this time. "Don't worry, sweetie, Amy's still all yours."

The Doctor added, "And really you should call her Mummy, not Big Milk Thing."

Amy and Rory looked at each other before Amy asked. "Okay, what are you two doing?"

"We speak Baby." The Doctor answered.

"No, you don't!" Amy responded.

Alex laughed. "Yes we do. We speak _everything_." She waggled her finger. "Well, the Doctor speaks everything, and now I do too 'cause now I'm half Time Lord."

"If it wasn't for how the Doctor acted I would have never known it was you, Lexi." Amy responded.

"Oh!" Alex held up a finger and went back to her bracelet. She fiddled with it before it changed her back into her usual form. Alex shook her head and realized something was wrong. "Damn thing, it keeps messing up! I surprised it lasted this long." She sighed. "How do I look?"

"You look cute." Amy commented before anyone else could. "You're hair is shorter, but it looks good." Alex looked at the closest reflection and made an approval noise in the back of her throat.

"Yeah. It does look good. I might keep this look."

She then turned back to the other three, and realized she never explained this. "Oh, well, so obviously the whole different look thing would give away the fact that I'm half Time Lord. So they gave me this thing." She lifted up her amazing bracelet. "It's an appearance changer. So it kept my appearance the same so that none of you would know. I did change it so it was a vortex manipulator of sorts as well, 'cause hell, I wanted to and 'cause I have the brain for it now too!"

The Doctor held out an arm and she moved back into the crook of it. Melody gurgled again and Alex squealed with laughter. He shot his girl a look, answering. "No, it's not… it's cool." He answered as he fixed his bowtie. Amy and Rory smiled at each other.

"Doctor!" Vastra came into the room and leaned against the railing. "Take a look. They're leaving."

The Doctor left Alex's side and walked to the window to watch the soldiers march away. Alex closed her eyes, hearing the ticking clock in the background.

"_You'll wake up soon, dear. Don't worry. We'll take good care of you. The Doctor will never know what happened until its too late_."

Alex's eyes snapped open. She looked around startled and saw that she was still in the Amy's cell. She tried to take a deep breath, but those words were still ringing in her ears as goose bumps raised up the hair on her neck and arms.

That had been Madame Kovarian's voice…

But why did she hear Kovarian's voice…?

"Demons Run is ours without a drop of blood." Vastra was saying, and Alex was just barely paying attention. "My friend, you have never risen higher."

Alex saw Rory look at the Doctor out of the corner of her eye, and she remembered what her blonde friend had told him. "_He'll rise higher than ever before and then fall so much harder_."

The brunette knew it was coming, and took a deep breath. She looked over at the clock. _It's coming_. She thought with a frown.

-x-

Rory and Alex were talking to each other, as Alex tried her best to explain what had happened and fill in all the details the blonde was missing. Alex looked behind Rory and saw Amy come out of the TARDIS, comforting Melody. "Hey, what's wrong?" Rory asked as he came to his wife and child.

"She doesn't like the TARDIS noise." Amy responded. "I asked him to turn something off, but it was all like 'I don't want to punch a whole in the space-time continuum'." The American tried not to laugh at Amy's poor attempt at the Doctor's voice. Alex walked up as well and cooed at the crying baby, hushing her gently.

Jenny and Strax came up to them. "Rory!" Jenny said, reporting to the Roman. "The Judoon have escorted the Clerics out of the quadrant, Spitfires have returned to their own time, and Captain Avery and his men…" She trailed off and looked hesitantly at the still crying Melody. "Is she alright?"

"Yes, she's just crying." Amy responded.

Alex opened her mouth, to help Amy out and tell her what Melody wanted but Strax cut her off. "Give her to me, human fool. She needs changing."

The half Time Lord sighed and opened her mouth again but Amy spoke. "I just changed her. I think she might need a feed." Alex sighed irritably. _Am I wearing something that makes it so I'm invisible_?

"A feed, of course. I'll take care of everything." Strax stepped forward with his hand out, but Rory blocked him. Alex sighed and tried again, hoping third time would be the charm.

"Actually, Melody just needs –"

Rory cut her off. "I really don't think you will, actually." Alex threw her hands up in annoyance before marching over to the TARDIS.

She opened the doors and saw the Doctor. "Doctor!" He whirled around. "Melody's tired but no one's listening to me or her. Got anything like a cot or a cradle or something?"

He grinned and waved his finger, "I got just the thing." He went away for a moment before coming back with a very old and worn cot. Alex smiled and walked back to the group with the Time Lord behind her.

"She's _not _hungry, she's _tired_. Forgive me, sweetie, but no one would listening." The Doctor placed the cot in front of the married couple and then wrapped his arms around Alex, placing one hand on her stomach. Alex got the sense that he was constantly checking if the baby was still there. She felt as if he was worried that if he didn't, she would disappear from him and he would lose everything again.

Alex gave his arms a squeeze to show that they were both here and fine. "What's this?" Amy gasped.

"Very pretty, according to your daughter." Alex ran her fingers across the worn wood, and giggled, thinking that their child would have just a great time in this as Melody is. He kissed her head and whispered in her ear. "And hopefully, our child will think the same thing."

Alex laughed and leaned back, kissing his jaw. "Our baby's gonna be smart, Doctor, of course they'll think that." The Doctor smiled, happy with that though.

"It's a… it's a cot." Rory said.

"Nothing gets by you, does it, Rory?" She dolled and the Roman gave her a look.

"No flies on the Roman." The Time Lord muttered. "Give her here. Hey!" He greeted Melody as Amy carefully handed her over. Alex helped, making sure that the Doctor kept Melody's head propped up.

Alex remembered her mother explaining that with baby's that small, they don't have the proper muscles yet to hold their heads up on their own, so the parents have to do it for them by cradling it properly, so it doesn't get hurt.

"There we go," Alex whispered and gently kissed Melody's head. "She's so precious, Amy." The ginger smiled. "Aren't you, sweetie? You're such a precious beautiful thing, aren't you?" Melody giggled as the half Time Lord kissed her head again.

"But where would you get a cot?" Rory asked.

The Doctor didn't answer as he placed Melody into the cot with care. "It's old. Really old." Amy responded as she took a look at the cot itself. "Doctor… do you have children?"

"No."

"Well, not yet." Alex responded and patted her slim stomach. "But wait for it, it's coming…" He kissed her shoulder.

"Have you ever had children?"

"No," he reached up and fiddled with the end pieces of his hair. "It's real, it's my hair." Alex laughed and ran a finger down Melody's cheek.

"It is real, darling. Don't worry; you'll get some too, as you grow older. What color do you want, sweetie, eh? Want a nice blond like your daddy or a pretty ginger color like your mummy?"

"Who slept in here?" But neither one answered, and continued to look at Melody. However, the married couple caught a look that the Doctor and Alex shared with each other.

The Time Lords knew something they didn't…

"_Doctor! We need you in the main control room_." Vastra's voice came over the com.

"Be right there!" He answered. "Things to do…" He kissed Alex on the head. "Be good, dear. Keep yourself safe, please."

Alex smiled and nodded. "I will. I promise. Can't possibly get myself hurt when I have you waiting to be a well deserved father." A goofy grin came over the Doctor's face, but he let it slip away.

"I've still got to work out what this base is for." Alex went back to cooing at Melody, who seemed to enjoy the attention. The little child even took Alex's finger into her tiny hand with a surprisingly firm grip. "We can't leave 'til we know." Alex held back a sigh, knowing that he would find out soon enough. _Can't tell him. Can't tell him at all. Need to keep that in mind. Can't tell him. Goes against the rules_.

He headed off, but Amy wasn't done yet. "But this is where I was?" The Doctor stopped. _Yes, Amy, this was where you had been_. "The whole time I thought I was on the TARDIS, I was really here."

He turned around slowly to his friend. He caught Alex's eye for another moment. "Erm…" He fiddled with his hands. "Centurion, permission to hug?"

He nodded. "Be aware," He pulled his cape back to show his weapon. "I do have a sword."

Alex giggled. "At all times." The Time Lord saluted Rory and hugged Amy.

"Why would you even say that, Rory?" The blonde looked at his friend. "I mean, it's not like he's gonna do anything, I mean, he's in love with me and Amy's in love with you."

He shrugged. "Yeah. I know, Lex, but I like reminding him. He's not _that _special." She giggled, knowing that it was just testosterone fueled competition. He turned back to Amy and the Doctor and had enough. "That's probably enough hugging now." The Doctor held his hands out and gave a thumbs up as Amy and he broke the hug. "So her Flesh Avatar was with us all the time. But that means they were projecting a control signal right into the TARDIS. Wherever we were in time and space."

"Yeah, they're very clever."

"Of course." Alex said. "They made sure that I kept quiet and made sure to keep it from you guys knowing I was half Time Lord as well…"

"Who are?" Amy asked.

"The Silence." The American brunette responded. "That's what they're called. The Silence."

"And they're the ones that want our baby." Rory added. Yes. They did. And Alex knew it was for something that neither Amy nor Rory wanted to hear.

"But why do they want her?" _To kill the Doctor._ Alex got chills down her spine, and had to remind herself that he does get himself out of it.

"Exactly!" The Doctor answered. That was the question on all of their minds. _Why _did they want _her_?

"Is there anything you two aren't telling us?" Rory asked. Neither one answered and just looked off in a direction, deep in thought. "You knew Amy wasn't real, you never said."

"Well, I couldn't be sure they weren't listening." The Doctor responded. "I knew something was wrong if Allie didn't tell me. I know she would have told me right away, but she didn't, and I knew that it was bad."

"So you knew the whole time? Just kept silent because you knew that if I hadn't told you, than that mean there was something wrong."

"Exactly." He asked.

"How long did you know I was half Time Lord?" She asked.

"… A while." He finally answered. "I could see it in your eyes. I could see the knowledge that shouldn't be there and wasn't there before. I knew it instantly, and when you didn't tell me anything and kept silent, I knew that something was wrong, so I kept silent."

"You always hold out on us." Amy earnestly leaned towards her friend. "Please, not this time. Doctor, it's our baby. Tell us something. One little thing." Both shared another look. Alex looked away and back to sweet Melody, who still had her finger. _I can't say a thing. I know things are about to get _very _messy, and there's nothing I can do. I have to make sure things stay the way they are in the episode. Anyways, Melody turns out to be River and that's not at all bad_.

"It's mine." The Doctor said after a moment's pause.

"What is?"

"The cot." Alex finished and smiled up at her friends.

"It's my cot." The Doctor continued. "I slept in there."

He walked away and Amy looked at the hanging mobile over the cot. "Oh my God." She said. "It's the Doctor's first stars." Alex laughed and leaned over a bit to see them.

"Well, now they're your daughter's first stars as well." Amy and Rory smiled. The ginger then leaned down and wiped away Melody's mouth with the prayer leaf.

"Drop your weapons." Strax said from behind them. All three adults turned and saw Strax leading Lorna to them. "State your rank and intent!"

That distracted Alex for a moment.

'_State your name, rank, and intention."_

"_The Doctor… Doctor… Fun." _

Alex tried her best not to laugh. That would have been really inappropriate. "I heard her talking." Lorna explained. She had told us what she over hear Kovarian say before she got to her ship. Alex looked at the clock and saw what time it was. Her heart sped up in her chest with adrenaline. "This is a trap. Why would I lie to you?"

Rory stepped forward. "Well, you might want to look at your uniform."

Alex rolled her eyes in exasperation. She wanted to get this over with as soon as possible. "The only reason she joined was to meet the Doctor 'cause she met him when she was younger." Everyone looked at her, and she sighed.

"Lex," the blonde walked up to the brunette. And Alex got a feeling – whether or not he intended it – he was being intimidating. Without much thought, Alex's chin raised a fraction in defiance. "What aren't you telling us?"

"Things that you can't know." Alex responded. "All I can tell you is that she's telling the truth, Rory, this is a trap. And it's too late." Alex sighed. "The moment the Doctor came here, it was too late. We're already snared in the trap."

Jenny wanted to know something. "You wanted to meet him," she said to Lorna, "so you joined an army to fight him?"

"Well, how else do you meet a great warrior?" Lorna asked, and her tone made it sound as if it should have been obvious.

"He's not a warrior." Amy said softly.

"Then why's he called the Doctor?" Lorna shot back. The lights went out and Alex sighed, closing her eyes and her shoulders dropped. "It's staring. Please listen to me."

Strax did a reading with his communicator. "Confirmed. No life forms registering on this base, except us and the Silurians."

Alex sighed, _that doesn't mean that we're alone. _"The Headless Monks aren't alive… They don't register as life forms." Alex heard a noise from somewhere far off and knew that it was the Monks, but she knew no one else would hear it. When the noises continued, she knew that it was starting, the Monks were starting to kill the Silurians.

Vastra and Dorium came down. "Be on guard," Alex called to them. "We're not alone." Just as she said that, a glowing light appeared around the TARDIS. Everyone turned to it, confused and alarmed. _Oh yeah, I forgot that they lock the TARDIS down_. "What's that?" Amy asked with fear in her voice. Alex reached out and took her best friend's shoulder.

Vastra approached it and reached out a hand to touch it. She pulled it back at the energy she felt. "Force field." She said. Everyone became on alert. Alex pushed Amy away a bit, so that both of them were out of the way. Amy grabbed her child from the cot, and held onto her tightly.

The Monks started to chant and it filled the main room hauntingly. Alex could feel goose bumps come across her and she tried to keep calm. She knew that she needed to considering Amy was starting to shake. A loud sort of _clank _was heard. "And those are the doors… locking." Lorna told Rory.

The Monks started to advance as the lifts shut down. "Shit." Alex cursed.

"Apparently, we're not leaving." Vastra said.

"No. We're not." Alex wrapped a comforting arm around Amy's shoulders. "We've got to fight them. They're not giving us any other choice."

"Is that the Monks?" Rory asked as the chanting came to its loudest. Alex turned her head around, feeling as if the chanting was coming from everywhere. It was starting to seriously freak her out.

"Oh, dear God…" Dorium said, realizing what the chant meant. "That's the attack prayer."

"Lovely," Alex muttered. "They're not joking around. They want a fight."

Rory came up to the girls, "Quick, come with me." He took Amy's arm and rushed them off away from the others.

He took them to another room, and both women hid behind some crates. Rory and Alex helped Amy down with the child in her hands. "Rory, no offense to the others, but you let them all die first, okay?"

Alex laughed with difficulty. "Nice, Amy. You're so considerate and… _Scottish_." Rory and Amy cracked a smile. Amy kissed her husband and Alex patted her best friend on the shoulder. He kissed Melody's head.

"Centurion, you're needed!" Vastra called. Rory left, and Alex wrapped her arms around Amy's shoulders and closed her eyes, letting the images come to her with ease. Lorna would be looking the crates for some guns, explain that the soldiers left everything here. Dorium would start to walk off _towards _the Headless Monks, saying that they know him. Rory and the others would try and convince them otherwise, but Dorium would continue on.

Amy clung to her child and her friend just as Alex heard the sound of sword swing and cut through something, before that same something fell to the floor with a loud _clunk_. Alex felt her heart jump into her throat, but she forced herself to be calm. She rubbed Amy's back soothingly. Melody started to cry but there was nothing the two women could do.

The ginger tired to console her daughter as the sounds of a serious fight continued on just outside the door. Alex felt a single tear escape her eyes, and it had nothing to do with their current situation.

_I'm sorry, Amy. I am. I'm sorry Rory. But this has to happen. They had Melody before you even came to Demons Run. I'm sorry… I am… _so _sorry_.

She knew that over Amy's shoulder, a 'panel' would slide open and Kovarian's face would appear. In the main section of the hangar, the fight would continue on with Rory in the center of it. Alex could almost hear River's voice just like she did in the episode.

"_Demons run when a good man goes to war_." The Doctor would be running towards them at this instant. "_Night will fall and drown the sun when a good man goes to war_." The fight will continue on as Amy tries to soothe Melody. "_Friendship dies and true love lies_." Alex rubbed Amy's back, and tried to hold back her tears. "_Night will fall and the dark will rise when a good man goes to war_." The Doctor would cry out Amy's name, still rushing through all the obstacles to get to them, but it was already too late. "_Demons run but count the cost,_" The fight continues and Alex knew that a Monk would get Strax, "_the battle's won but the child is lost_." The Doctor would call out Amy's name again.

Alex knew that Kovarian would finally speak. "_Wakey, wakey_…" Alex's eyes snapped opened with a gasp and her body tensed up. The voice had been right in her ear as if the woman was right next to her. "_You'll be waking up soon too, dear_."

The brunette girl collapsed back with a gasp and whirled around just as the Doctor came running into the door. With a spurt, Melody burst.

She had been Flesh the whole time.

Amy looked at the goo and blanket shocked at first, but then a word came to her lips. "Rory…_ Rory_!" She screamed. "Rory! Rory!"

The man came rushing in and saw what he saw. He then looked at Alex, but saw that his friend was deadly pale and was looking behind her shoulder spooked at something. "Lex…?"

She snapped heard head over, almost having a whiplash. Her eyes were wide and there were tears sitting in them. Both of them looked at her. She opened her mouth, but it took her a long moment to say anything. "I'm sorry…" She finally said. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I…" She stopped herself.

-x-

Alex was shaking profusely. Finally, she came to a decision and the tears went away as her face hardened with determination. _I couldn't save Melody, but I sure as hell can bring her up properly_. She turned and walked to the main room to see that River had come. She knew that the blonde could take care of her boyfriend.

"River," The blonde turned and Alex took a deep breath and grinned. "You take good care of him; I know you'll do the right thing." She then turned to Amy and Rory. "I'm sorry, I really am, but there was nothing I could do about them taking her. But I sure as hell can take proper care of her. I swear on my life, Amelia and Rory Pond, I will take care of your daughter with all the care and protection that I can _possibly _give her."

"Lexi," Amy said slowly. "What are you talking about?"

Alex did say anything, and she heard her Doctor's voice. "No." His voice came out strangled. "No. No. No." He walked over to her, and turned her so she faced him. He then took her face into his hands. "No." He whispered. "I… No. I just found you, love. They're not taking you away. They're not taking both of you away. I swore they would never touch you again."

Alex smiled. "Someone has to take care of Melody, and it can't be them. I'll be good to her, I promise. Anyways," Her smile turned sad as she cupped her Doctor's face. "I think they had been just as long as they had Melody."

A tear slipped past the Doctor's face and Alex wiped it away. "Allie…"

"Don't worry, love." Alex kissed the Doctor with everything she had. "I'm gonna be strong. I can't have you around all the time. I need to stand on my own sometimes, I'll make you proud. I'll make you so proud. I'll take good care of Melody and I'll take good care of this one too," she gestured to her stomach. "Don't you worry. I'll see you when you find me, Doctor." She kissed him again. She then looked over at River, and saw that the woman had tears in her eyes and laughed. "Well, now I know why there was such a connection."

The Doctor leaded down and whispered something in her ear. Alex laughed softly, but felt tears in her eyes. It was a promise – a promise that was meant only for her and no one else. She kissed him again and felt a strange tingling sensation come over her –

She opened her eyes with a gasp and found herself to be in the very warehouse she had been way back in _Impossible Astronaut_. She was tied into the chamber – thing – but Alex just looked at Kovarian _right in the eyes_. "The Doctor's coming, Kovarian. And don't think you can scare me. I'll keep Melody safe from _you_." She sneered at the woman just as the Silence came into her view. She tensed up.

"Who said we wanted the child?" She laughed. "We would much prefer you?"

Alex looked at the woman startled. "What?"

"You and that child is what we had been after all this time. _Melody _is just a wild goose chase so the Doctor won't catch on to our real plans for _you_, dear."

Alex felt dread fill her up and she couldn't understand what was going on. She suddenly realized what it was… And she knew what Kovarian was telling her this… She would forget all about this due to the Silence.

"No –"

She was cut off by a sudden urge to sleep. Her eyes lids closed as if they weighed a ton. She heard one last thing as she fell into a sleep.

"_Sweet dreams, dear. You're going to help us in our plans more than you will ever know_."


	45. Chapter 45

**Chapter Forty Five**

Waiting – Alex soon realized – was not something that came easy. When in the TARDIS, her life had been all running about and saving civilizations and kissing the Doctor until her lips went numb – and hell, let's face it, sleeping with him. She wasn't going to lie about that.

But you know all that _exciting_stuff that came along with a life that would come when traveling with the Doctor. However, the moment she was sent to Earth to take care of Melody it was like someone put a crashing halt onto her life. She suddenly felt like everything went so much more slowly than she original thought. It was like when with the Doctor, her life was on fast forward, but without him, someone had decided it would be funny to mess with her and hit _play_, letting things go at a boring pace.

She didn't realize it was boring until she left the Doctor's side.

Alex just sighed, not wanting to think about this. It made her sad to think about her Doctor. She had _some_excitement, so at least she didn't go insane. Thankfully, Melody was a handful, and that kept her busy for most days. Unfortunately, as she grew up, she calmed down – only slightly. When it was time for Melody to go to school, it would drive Alex _crazy_trying to find _anything_to do.

She often got calls from the principle about Melody pissing off some teacher or getting into a fight with so-and-so student. The American was growing skillful at just tuning it out, and speaking dull words of comfort to the principle at the right time. The look Melody would give her guardian a look that showed she knew Alex wasn't listening at all. Alex loved to wink at the girl, which would cause her to giggle.

While Alex could say how much of a handful Melody was all the time, she did come to _love_Melody as if she was her own child. She did make sure that while Mels might see her as a motherly figure, she would distinguish that Alex was _not_her actual mother.

Alex would talk all day about how Amy was so amazing and would tell her all sorts of stories about her, Rory, and the Doctor. Especially the Doctor. She wanted Melody to maintain at least a little bit of humanity in her. It seemed to work, for Melody respected Alex it seemed more than any other adult.

She found out that while Melody didn't respond when Alex was scolding, she _did_respond when Alex would show she was disappointed in her. That seemed to do _exactly_what the woman needed. Melody seemed to strive to make Alex proud each and every day – despite all the trouble she would get into. Alex found it heartwarming.

It was even more of a handful; Alex found when both Amy _and_Melody were together. _Poor Rory_, was a thought she found that often was in her head whenever she had both girls over. Amy seemed to like her plenty, and the small girl at one point told her this, which warmed Alex's heart even more.

The baby was slowly growing inside of her, and all three children were _fascinated_with this. All three of them wanted to put their hands on her stomach just to see if they could feel the baby. Alex let them, finding that instead of feeling annoyed, she felt giddy at the three children. They were adorable and Alex found herself giggling along with them.

It seemed that she had fit quite well into Leadworth, due to her carefulness to make sure that she never revealed her real personality. She went by the name of Ella White – a tricky move, but she couldn't _not_be called that. With a new regeneration, she now had curled chocolate brown hair and bangs and some electric blue eyes. She wasn't use to having long hair that she usually had it up in a messy bun.

But while she did blend it, she was never one to deny the opportunity for adventure again. _Thankfully,_she had River Song for that. More often than not, when Melody was at school, her future self would call up and ask if Alex could help her out with something. She found herself giddy whenever she heard River ask that and always replied with a, _I never thought you'd ask_.

They usually went great. She would help with whatever trouble River had gotten herself into, and then she would time it perfect and travel back home just in time to pick up Melody.

Of course, _usually_was the key word. Once or twice, she would be thrown into a loop and completely mess up – seriously, when she met up with the Doctor, she needed his screwdriver to fix this problem…

-x-

This would explain why she was across from Queen Victoria herself and in dress period clothing consisting of jacket and skirt costume. It had a fairly long train trimmed with pleated frills and ruching, with matching ruching trims around the cuffs of the sleeves. It was in a lovely TARDIS blue – seriously, what other color is she going to wear? – with the frills and ruching being white.

She knew that she looked good, and felt even more pleased with her outfit when the Queen complimented it. It was sort of complicated how she got there in the coach with the Queen herself, but seriously, this is what the physic paper was _for_. Alex fixed the high color of her dress. She had decided to leave her hair in the messy bun, and when she had seen her reflection, saw that it actually went very well with her outfit.

"You seem nervous around me, dear." The Queen pointed out with a slight smile playing on her lips.

"A tad." Alex confessed while looking at the ground sheepishly. "I am in the coach with the Queen herself."

The woman let out a small laugh. "It's fine dear. I have five daughters; you have no need to worry. I know how to handle them."

Alex laughed, but did feel much more at ease. "Thank you your Majesty. If I may ask, why are we taking a coach when there's a train?"

Victoria's eyes tightened and Alex picked up on it right away. She knew this answer would tell her everything she needed to know. "A tree on the line."

Instantly, Alex knew _exactly_where she was. _Tooth and Claw_. It had been a brilliant episode for Ten in the second season of Doctor Who. Alex didn't dare smile, knowing it would be mistaken to smile at the Queen's response. "Couldn't it have been an accident?" Alex offered. Victoria just looked at her knowingly. She smiled. "Of course, an accident would be if you _weren't_ the Queen."

The coach fell into a comfortable silence, as both women looked out the window watching the scenery go by. If Alex was right – and with these things she always was – she knew that the Doctor and Rose would soon be coming along. Alex felt a slight tightening in her heart, but she was able to push it aside. It had been long enough for her to see Ten without feeling any really heavy amounts of emotional turmoil. She knew that he would want her to be happy, and she was happy with Eleven.

Of course, she could be completely wrong and the moment she hears his voice she'll completely come apart. Alex mentally winced. She hoped it didn't turn out like that…

-x-

The coach stopped itself, and Alex turned her head to hear the Doctor's voice. She couldn't make out the words, but she definitely heard his voice. Alex closed her eyes briefly, letting his voice caress her ears once more. A slight almost ironic smile tugged on her lips. She could feel the pain in her heart, but it wasn't devastating or anything. She could easily continue on in this adventure without coming undone or anything.

Finally, Queen Victoria spoke up. "Let them approach."

"I don't think that's wise, ma'am." The captain responded, and Alex could still hear the suspicion in his voice.

"Let them approach." She repeated. Alex's mind quickly got to work; she knew that the Doctor wouldn't be able to see her face. She was sitting across from the Queen, and knew that both Rose and the Doctor would have the door and her side of the coach to block from their eyes. However, she would never put it past the Doctor to see that she _was_sitting there. He may not see her face, but she knew he would be able to see _her_.

The door opened, and Alex could see the Doctor's left side. An array of emotions hit her and she looked away for a moment, taking her time in breathing. When it wasn't so bad anymore, she looked back at the Doctor. She smiled just a little. Thankfully, she hadn't come apart, and she was praising herself for that. There was a little bit of pain in her heart, but she was actually more excited and happy to see Ten than she expected to be.

"Rose – might I introduce her Majesty Queen Victoria. Empress of India and Defender of the Faith." Alex quirked her lips when she heard the Scottish accent that the Doctor's voice had adopted. She was laughing mentally, remembering that David Tennant had wanted Ten to be a Scottish Doctor, but the writers told him that the Doctor was English. She always thought that this episode was for David, to let him use his Scottish accent and even for a little while, have a 'Scottish Doctor'.

She could see through the crack between the door and the coach that Rose curtseyed. "Rose Tyler, Ma'am. And my apologizes… for being so naked."

Alex lifted up a hand and giggled, as Queen Victoria quirked another smile. Instantly – even though the wood of the door – she felt the Doctor's eyes on her. She saw the Doctor lean a little bit to his left, to try and caught a glimpse of her and Alex's heart sped up slightly. Thankfully, the Queen spoke up, and the Doctor straightened himself to pay attention. "I've had five daughters. It's nothing to me. But you, Doctor… show me these credentials."

The Doctor obliged and handed over the physic paper. "What does it say, your Majesty?" Alex asked. She didn't bother to lower her voice or anything like that. She needed to act normal. Not to mention, the Doctor already knew she was there so there was no harm in speaking up. The only thing it would cause was that now Rose knew she was there as well.

"It states clearly here that he has been appointed by the Lord Provost as my Protector." Victoria looked over at Alex and the woman bowed her head in respect. Victoria smiled and handed the Doctor his physic paper back. Alex knew that the physic paper would show whatever it is that they wanted to see. Since Victoria was being threatened by the Monks – if Alex remembered correctly – then she _would _need a protector.

"Does it?" The Doctor took back the paper and looked at it himself. "Yes, it does! Good! Good!" Alex smiled a bit, oh, how she missed Ten's antics. "Um… then let me ask – why is Your Majesty traveling by road when there's a train all the way to Aberdeen?"

Victoria and Alex shared a look. She could see in Victoria's eyes what she was thinking. Alex had asked the same question, and she liked Alex for she was smart – _great minds think alike_. "There was a tree on the line, sir Doctor." Alex replied. The Doctor turned his head to her again, and started to lean again wanting to get a closer look at this other woman.

"An accident?" He asked offhandedly. He could see more of the woman as he took another step to the left, but still couldn't see her face. He saw she had lovely hands, though. He tuned back in when the Queen spoke.

"I am the Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Everything around me tends to be planned."

"An assassination attempt?" The Doctor asked. He wasn't surprised though and neither was Alex. Both knew that the Queen had her life threatened quite a few times.

Rose was much more surprised. "What, seriously? There's people out to kill ya?"

"Of course, dear one." Alex replied. "She _is_the Queen. Many people want that title for themselves." Victoria looked over at her, and Alex could see she knew that all too well.

"I'm quite use to staring down the barrel of a gun." Victoria added, not looking bothered in the slightest. Alex had to give her credit. She was one incredible queen. Alex remembered something Elizabeth X said.

The captain had come up behind the Doctor and Rose on his horse. He still didn't seem pleased that they were near the Queen when danger was lurking around the bend, and Alex smiled. He was just doing his job at protecting the Queen. She knew these men would lay down their lives to do so. "Sir Robert MacLeish lives but ten miles hence." He gestured towards the horizon. "We'll send word ahead, he'll shelter us for the night, then we can reach Balmoral tomorrow."

"This Doctor and his…" Victoria paused for a moment, to find a word, "timorous beastie will come with us."

"Yes, Ma'am." Captain Reynolds said. "We'd better get moving – it's almost nightfall."

"Indeed. And there are stories of wolves in these parts. Fanciful tales intended to scare the children. But good for the blood, I think." She turned forward to her driver. "Drive on!"

The door closed and Victoria looked at Alex for a moment. "May I help you with something, Ma'am?" She asked respectfully.

"Do you like those tales as well, Miss Harper?"

She smiled. "I do indeed, Ma'am." Her eyes twinkle. "They do get your blood going, don't they?" They chatted pleasantly about many things, and Alex found that she was coming to respect Queen Victoria and love her more and more.

"So you're a mother yourself?" She asked.

Alex laughed. "Not yet." She patted her stomach and Victoria smiled.

"I thought there was something motherly about you. You have a glow to you that only pregnant women can have."

"Thank you for the compliment, but I've always been told that I'm motherly, even before I became pregnant."

"Who is the man?" She asked. Alex's smile became gently as she looked out the window. "He's clearly not with you at the moment."

"Unfortunately, no." Alex replied. "We had to go our separates ways for just a bit." Alex paused for a moment, realizing for the hundredth time that she did miss her Doctor. "And to answer your question, my Queen, is a difficult one to answer. To put it as simply as I can, he is the love of my life. My soul mate, if you will. I would do anything for him, and he would do anything for me." She saw a sad look come across Victoria's face and smiled sadly. "Forgive me; I shouldn't speak of my love like that."

"It's quite alright, Alex. If anything, I am remembering what my love was like with my late husband, and it felt exactly the same way. We both seem to miss them dearly, don't we?"

The American smiled just slight. "We do indeed."

"However, you are very lucky that at some point you can go back to him." Victoria looked at her in the eye. "Never forget how lucky that makes you."

"Never." Alex answered with conviction. "I count my blessings a thousand times every second I am with him and even more when we're apart."

Victoria smiled. "Good."

-x-

They finally arrived at the haunting mansion. The carriage stopped and the Queen was the first to get out. Alex took a deep breath, knowing this was the moment of truth. The Doctor – and Rose – would see her face, and it made her slightly uneasy, even if her appearance was different than when the Doctor meets her properly. She put her hand into the footman's hand, and let herself come out into the cool wind of the world.

Without even meaning to, her eyes caught the Doctor's and for a very long moment – when truthfully, it had been just a second – everything seemed to stop. She saw that even the Doctor felt it, for his breath came to a halt. "Alex," The woman snapped out of it immediately to see Victoria looked at her. "Come here, next to me, child."

"Of course, Your Majesty." She replied immediately. She stepped down onto the ground, and walked over next to the Queen. She bowed her head with a smile in greeting to Sir Robert. He gave a small smile back, but Alex could see it was strained. She looked over Robert's shoulder and saw one of the Monks – she believed he was the 'Ring-Leader' so to speak. He caught her eye, and Alex felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Even if she didn't know the episode, that Monk still gave her a bad feeling. He narrowed his eyes, and it looked like he wanted to sneer, but couldn't, because it would throw off his appearance.

She looked away, just as Sir Robert spoke. "She's… indisposed, I'm afraid – she's gone to Edinburgh for the season. And she's taken the cook with her – the kitchens are barely stocked… I wouldn't blame Your Majesty if you wanted to ride on." She knew no one else would catch it, but Alex could hear a pleading undertone. He was desperate that she did.

Wait. Cross that. She saw the Doctor title his head and she knew that he could tell that Robert wanted the Queen to stay away. Alex wasn't surprised, the Doctor noticed everything – well, _almost _everything. Alex did her best not to smile at that thought.

"Oh, not at all!" Queen Victoria replied cheerfully. She was unaware of the despair that appeared in Robert's eyes. "I've had quite enough carriage exercise. And this is… charming. If rustic. It's my first visit to this house. My late husband spoke of it often. The Torchwood Estate. Now, shall we go inside?"

"Please excuse the state of undress of the girl." Alex said with a smile on her lips.

"She's a feral child. I bought her for sixpence in Old London Town. It was her or the Elephant Man, so…"

"Thinks he's funny, but I'm so not amused." She looked pointedly at Queen Victoria. "What do you think, Ma'am?"

"It hardly matters. Shall we proceed?"

"You mean Crawford, I believe, Doctor." Alex said as she stalled to speak to him, amused when he looked at her with a raised eyebrow, obviously confused and a little affronted as to her correcting him. "Old London Town hasn't had any of that nonsense of _buying_someone else for years."

The Doctor's eyes widened, realizing that he was indeed wrong. "Tis true," he recovered quickly. "I've been chasing this feral child around so long, I forgotten where I come from."

Alex laughed as she turned and walked gracefully behind Victoria, seeing out of the corner of her eye the Doctor watch her the whole time.

-x-

Sir Robert walked them through the house, showing them all the rooms in the house. At last, he showed them to the most important room in the whole mansion. The Observatory. The Queen, Alex, Rose, the Doctor, Father Angelo – she believed that was his name – and two other Monks followed him in. An enormous telescope took up most of the space in the room and drew the eye immediately. "Incredible…" Alex muttered.

"This, I take it, is the famous Endeavour." The Queen said as she looked upon the telescope.

"All my father's work. Built by hand in his final years. Became something of an obsession – he spent his money on this rather than caring for the house or himself."

The Doctor was smiling, and Alex could feel a similar one spreading across her lips. Both of them liked the sound of him. "I wish I'd met him, I like him. That thing's beautiful – can I um…?"

When he gestured towards it, Sir Robert nodded. "Help yourself…" Both Rose and the Time Lord jumped at the chance and walked over to it to examine it further.

"What did he model it on?" The Doctor asked as he leaned down and looked through the eye piece.

"I know nothing about it. To be honest, most of us thought him a little… shall we saw, eccentric." The Doctor gave a dopy laugh and Alex chuckle. She knew the feeling. The Doctor was probably the most eccentric man she had ever met, and even after all this time, she knew that he could surprise even her on occasion. Although, the occasion is very rare, because she knew her Doctor _very_well.

"Eccentric men are always the ones with the best ideas." Alex mused. "They're the ones who aren't afraid to think outside the box, and that's what makes them genius."

"I wish now I'd spent more time with him. And listened to his stories." Robert said with a sad tone. He glances at the Queen, and Alex remembered that his father had told him a story about werewolves. He was worried for the Queen. She looked back over at the telescope, and couldn't help herself any longer. She started to walk towards it. She wanted to get a closer look so badly that her fingers itch.

"It's a bit rubbish." The Doctor said as he realized the flaws. Rose turned to him, grinning. Alex smiled to herself, knowing that tone and predicting the Doctor was going to ignore his filter between his brain and his mouth and let the rudeness fly. "How many prisms has it got? Way too many. The magnification's gone right over the top, that's stupid kind of a –" He turned to Rose and asked her quietly, "am I being rude again?"

Before Rose could answer, Alex passed them both. "Extremely." She replied with a goodhearted tone. She winked at the Doctor and mouthed to him, _tone it down_. She then turned back to the telescope, but not before she saw the incredulously look that passed the Time Lord's face.

She was doing everything she could not to laugh.

She saw Rose nod her head, in agreement to the brunette's words, so the Doctor took her advice. "But it's pretty!" He said quickly. "It's very… pretty." Rose patted him on the arm, fondly. Alex laughed and rolled her eyes coming up behind him and patting his back.

"Better. Still need to work on it. Next time, let that little filter between your mouth and brain do its job, dear." She teased. She saw the Doctor reach out for her, knowing that he would want answers now, but she danced out of his reach and walked back over to the Queen.

"And the imagination of it should be applauded." The Queen said and Alex nodded her head. She remembered something that Albert Einstein said, _Imagination is more important than knowledge, knowledge is limited imagination encircles the world_.

"Mm!" Rose spoke up. "Thought you might disapprove, Your Majesty. Stargazing. Isn't that a bit fanciful?" The Queen just stared at her. "You could easily… not be amused, or something…? No?"

"The device surveys the infinite work of God." The Queen replied smoothly. The Doctor was already shaking his head with a vague smile on his lips. Clearly, he was amused by her attempts. Alex turned her head and pressed her fingers to her lips, to hide her own smile. She remembered the bet they had made – that Rose could get Queen Victoria to say 'I am not amused'. By the end of the episode, they became almost desperate. "What could be finer? Sir Robert's father was an example to us all. A polymath. Steeped in astronomy and sciences, yet equally well versed in folklore and fairytales."

"You'd be surprised what we can learn from those." Alex spoke up as she smiled. "There's a lesson to everyone in those. Not to mention, sometimes even the wildest of tales have a grain of truth in them."

Victoria looked at her for a long moment, and she could see that the Queen agreed with her. She bowed her head respectfully nonetheless, and Victoria appreciated this gesture and rewarded it with a smile. "Stars and magic." The Doctor spoke up, "I like him more and more."

"Oh, my late husband enjoyed his company." Victoria turned to the two other women in the room. "Prince Albert himself was acquainted with many rural superstitions, coming as he did from Saxe Coburg."

The brunette saw confusion in Rose's eyes and leaned over – slowly, as to not startle her. "Bavaria." I saw a small 'o' come to Rose's lips as she understood, and I stood straight again.

Victoria turned back to Sir Robert. "When Albert was told about your local wolf, he was transported."

Of course, that got the Doctor's attention. Alex knew that it would. He never could resist something like that. "So, what's this wolf, then?" She smiled to herself – called it.

"It's just a story."

"Well, like this lovely lady said," There was a shock that went up my spine as the Doctor's fingers brushed against my shoulder. She could feel the heat even through all the material. She drew in a sharp breath, not just at the startlingly feeling of electricity pumping through her veins right now, but it was also his smell, the sheer closeness that she hadn't felt from even _her_Doctor in what felt like ages. "Every story holds a grain of truth." The Doctor then turned to her, and their eyes locked. She could see it – he was now suspicious. He heard her soft gasp and was now making all sorts of assumptions and everything. He now wanted to know.

She almost rolled her eyes at him. Seriously, he was like a spoiled boy. If he didn't get the knowledge that he wanted, he would throw a temper tantrum. All because he didn't know everything about everyone. She didn't say anything and just looked away from him. She didn't have a choice, and she knew this. It was going to come at some point anyways. She knew that he would corner her at some point in the house, and demand that she tell him everything. "Please, Sir Robert, every story needs to be told." She smiled at him.

Her eyes narrowed for only a second when she saw that Sir Robert's eyes flashed over to Father Angelo. He was wondering if he could tell the story without the Monk doing anything. "It's said that –"

The Monk seemed to have a say after all, for he cut off Sir Robert. "Excuse me, sir. Perhaps her Majesty's party could repair to their rooms. It's almost dark."

"Of course. Yes, of course." Alex honestly couldn't imagine what he was going through, no matter how empathetic she was. She closed her eyes, and her hands gripped her dress tightly, when she tried to imagine being in his shoes, and a wave of horrible fear and sadness washed through her. God… if that was the Doctor…

"Are you okay?" The brunette opened her eyes, and saw that Rose was looking at her worried. Alex couldn't help but quirk her lips a bit. It was nice to see Rose like this – a sweet girl – instead of what she had seen before.

"I'm fine, forgive me." The American said. Queen Victoria and Sir Robert said some more things, but Alex was more focused on the look in the Doctor's eyes as he locked them with hers. He was promising her that he would find his answers, and she was doing everything she could to keep her face straight – innocent.

Part of her wanted to laugh. This was just such typical behavior of the Doctor. He wanted to know everything, and when he didn't, it bothered him so much that he had to find out. Well, now he wasn't holding all of the cards anymore – nope, _she_was. Oooh, that thought almost brought a smile to her lips, and it took her iron willpower not to let it show. The other part wanted to roll her eyes or something at the childishness that also went along with the thought that he wanted to know everything. Alex finally came to it when she saw Victoria walk out of the room. She bowed her head politely to Sir Robert and left the Observatory to go find her room – and to wait for the Doctor to find her as well.

-x-

She didn't bother to change her outfit once she found her room. She enjoyed the dress, and once she got a proper look in the mirror saw that she actually looked fantastic as well. With that thought, she didn't think it was right to change. So, she waited. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait long. Within about fifteen minutes, she heard the Doctor's and Rose's voice outside her room.

When the door opened, she didn't bother to turn. She was sitting at the windowsill, looking out into the beautiful Scottish countryside. "Who are you?" Oh. He doesn't waste time does he? Alex smiled a bit at that, and she finally turned. Rose was behind the Doctor's tall frame, and he was pointing his screwdriver at her. Well… that's a bit rude.

She couldn't have that. "Put that away." She scolded, as if she was a mother speaking to her rebellious son. "You'll hurt someone." She waved a finger at him.

The screwdriver remained locked onto her, and she sighed deeply. "That's why I'm aiming it at you."

"Well, that's rude – and a lie as well." She stood up, and didn't even flinch as the Doctor followed her movements. "You and I both know that the sonic screwdriver doesn't hurt, or maul, or kill. You hate all three of those things with a passion."

"And who are you to know that?"

"No one." She replied quickly. She crossed her arms, "I'm no one."

"Tell me who you are." The Doctor commanded.

"And I'm not going to tell you." She said firmly. Too much information and knowledge for him to know just yet. He'll find out when he properly meets her.

"I said, tell me who you are." His words slowed down and got more frightening.

It didn't frighten, Alex, however. She had seen him at his absolutely scariest, and this was far from it. "And _I_said, I'm not going to tell you."

The Doctor opened his mouth, and the air between them was as thick as fog. The air was heavy with tension as Alex and the Doctor stared each other down.

_Ring. Ring. Ring_.

That broke the mood quite quickly. Alex sighed, already knowing who it was. "I'm sorry," She smiled sheepishly at them, and both Rose and the Doctor were surprised to feel no more danger coming from her. All the tension that was in her that she had been radiating was gone with a flash. "But I _really_need to take this."

She pulled out a phone and rolled her eyes and made an obnoxious face when she saw the caller. "You have a mobile?" Rose asked surprised. "But… how do you have a mobile?"

"I'll tell you in a bit, Rose. Just, could you please?" She gestured to be quiet as she put the phone to her ear. "Hello, Ella White, how may I help you?" The woman paused as someone on the other side spoke to her. She rolled her eyes. Her voice was on the edge of sarcastic – if it wasn't for her face, it would have been hard to tell she _was_being sarcastic. "She _did_? Oh dear _me_! I am _so_sorry!"

However, it was clear from her transparent facial expression, that she was clearly being sarcastic. The person was speaking again, and Alex sat back down onto the window sill. "May I speak to her?" She finally asked with a roll of her eyes. The Doctor's hand was slowly dropping in sheer fascination with this woman. "Melody…" Her voice became soft and disappointing. Rose and the Doctor looked at each other. "Why did you get into a fight with the boy?" She kept her voice that way, and even her face was showing that emotion.

"Fight?" The Doctor asked. Alex held up a hand, and gave him a look asking him politely to still be quiet.

"That's no excuse, Mels." Alex sighed deeply. "I'm very disappointed in you, darling. I thought you could handle at least one day –" Her eyebrows furrowed, and her voice became soothing. "Now, now, dear, don't get upset. I know that it's hard, but you promised me that you would behave. Imagine what I'm feeling if I get a call from your principle. I know that they said some nasty things to about her, but that doesn't mean that you should start throwing punches. I thought I raised you better than that."

The girl on the other end said a few words. "Now, Melody," Alex sat up straighter. "You need to _promise_me that you'll behave. Please? I have some other things that I very busy with," A look over to the Doctor and Rose before back out the window, "and you know that I might be home late – so if that's the case, just walk home with your friend." Melody knew who she was talking about, and she wasn't about to give away Amy's name. "Good girl. Now, hugs and kisses." She smiled when Melody responded and she finally put her phone down as she ended the call.

"What was that?" Rose asked.

She turned to the two time travelers. "I am really sorry about that," Alex didn't lose any of her motherly instincts and when she smiled – the Doctor noticed it was beautiful. "I really am. I didn't mean for that to happen. Sorry, something's you just can't change. So, let me just explain all that I can, so that we can just get it out of the way. My name is Ella White – before you ask, _no_, it's not my real name, but I can't give you my real name, you'll just find it out later. Now, what do I mean by later? Well, I'm from the future – to be specific _you're_future, Doctor. It's quite a long story how I've got here, and it's not one that I really can share with you, considering it has all _sorts_of spoilers – so that's really all I can tell you right now. Oh, yes, by the way, when we're done if you could help me with this thing," she pushed her sleeve back and held up her bracelet, "it's a vortex manipulator – but it's been very wonky right now – so if I could borrow your screwdriver for a mo' after we're done with this – and then I can be on my way."

"Did you even breathe when you said all of that?" Rose asked incredulously.

She couldn't help but giggle. "I don't think I did! It's your fault, anyhow," The Doctor pointed to himself as if to ask 'me?' "Yes you. I've been traveling with you for so long that I've picked up on a few things – that being one of them. The talking long periods of time without really taking a chance to breathe…"

"So long?" Rose echoed. "How long have you been traveling with him?"

"Enough." She replied vaguely. "It's not important, Rose, really." She didn't bother to go into any more detail than that. She got up. "Now, I do believe it's time. So! I'm going to go off to the dining room; I suppose you could come with me Doctor, since you're already dressed. Rose, there's a vacant two doors down the hall to your right, where you can find a dress to your liking, and then you can join us." Alex walked towards the door and opened it. She flashed them a smile and walked out.

As she walked down the hall she heard shuffling before the Doctor jogged up right next to her. "So…" He said.

She giggled. "You really don't need to force yourself to have a conversation with me. I know you don't like that I know more than you do." She felt strangely giddy. It was weird, walking down the hallway with Ten at her side. She had forgotten what it felt like, and she missed it.

The Doctor's hand was on her back, and she bit the inside of her cheek not to react in a way he would notice. God, she forgot how much she had missed this. "Who are you?" He whispered in her ear, and her throat closed up when she realized his face was _right_next to hers.

"I told you." She said, doing her absolute best to appear to not be affected.

"To me," Alex looked up at the Doctor, "who are you to me?" She had a strange feeling of déjá vu of this. This was exactly what the Doctor said to River.

Without thinking it, she responded with the same word. "Spoilers." He looked over at her startled. "I can't tell you, Doctor. You'll find out who I am at the right time – but today is not that day."

"You're clearly someone who's important. Or at least the other way around. When I touched you, you gasped, and you bit your cheek just now when I touched you again."

She whirled around and faced him head on. "Don't. _Don't you dare_." She warned him. "Don't figure it out, Doctor." She saw that he wasn't going to be convinced, so she softened her voice. "Please?" She looked back at him. She let him see some of the fear that was in her eyes – some of the sadness. "Please, Doctor… just… don't? You really shouldn't. It's dangerous, and you and I both know that."

The Doctor's eyes softened. "I'm sorry."

She smiled, to ease the tension. "I know. You can't help but be brilliant." That got a smile from him and she returned it – her heart easing when she saw the smile on his face. "Come on; let's not keep the Queen of Scotland waiting." She couldn't help but giggle. "I'm never going to get use to that."

"I know right?" The Doctor joked. "Don't you love it?"

"Can't help but love it." She responded as they entered the dining area. Both the Queen and the Captain were already there with Sir Robert. The Doctor surprised Alex when he held out the chair for her. She looked up at him startled, but then smiled, "thank you, Doctor." She then sat down in the chair, and he pushed it in for her – just like a gentlemen. He then sat down across from her.

Father Angelo came in after ten or so minutes of them chatting pleasantly. "Your companion begs an apology, Doctor. Her clothing has somewhat delayed her." Alex didn't bother to comment about how much of a complete _lie_that was. She just continued to sip at her soup.

"Oh, that's alright. Save her a wee bit of ham." The Doctor replied, and Alex giggled. He turned and winked at her and she almost rolled her eyes. Silly, silly man – well, she corrected mentally, he was _her_silly, silly man. She smiled a bit more at that thought.

"The feral child could probably eat it raw." Queen Victoria said. Alex gave a small huff of laughter, but the Captain – probably nervous by the fact he _was_sitting next to the Queen – gave a great bout of laughter.

"Very wise, Ma'am! Very witty!"

She stared at him slightly appraisingly. "Slightly witty, perhaps. I know you rarely get the chance to dine with me, Captain, but don't get too excited… I shall contain my wit in case I do you further injury." Alex was impressed that the Queen was able to keep such a calm air about her.

"Yes, Ma'am. Sorry, Ma'am." The Captain said sheepishly.

"Anyways, we're all here waiting on Sir Robert," Alex said, to ease the tension off the man. "You promised all of us – what was it? Oh yes." She smiled a bit, "a tale of nightmares."

"Indeed." Victoria straightened up. "Since my husband's death, I find myself with more of a taste for supernatural fiction." Alex quirked a smile, she always had a taste for that kind of fiction – and with all her travels with the Doctor – she knew that many of them now were more likely more than just tales.

"You must miss him." The Doctor said softly.

Victoria looked startled for a fleeting second. "Very much." Alex's eyes dropped onto the table, and her smile was lost. "Oh, completely." Victoria now seemed to be lost in her thoughts – very sad. It struck a chord within Alex's own heart – and she knew it didn't have to do with her empathy. Missing someone who was dead was something that she knew _very_well. All those years of missing her parents and knowing that she was never going to hear them again – was something that even _now_had her heart aching. "And that's the charm of a ghost story, isn't it? Not just the scares and chills, that's just for children, but the… hope of some contact with the great beyond."

The Doctor is looking at her intensely. She knew that he would be feeling the same way with his people – but at the same time, she knew it would probably be worse. The Doctor didn't believe that there was anything beyond this life. That this was it. He was a scientific man – not a religious one. There was no such thing as 'the great beyond' and that broke her heart. Since he believed that – and maybe there was something there, maybe there wasn't – there was no way for him to go back to his people.

It broke her heart even more to know that she could never get anything with her parents. After all those years of love and care – and for them to suddenly be gone? It was a shock that she never could get rid of – as well as the pain. The pain tore through her without mercy, and she even felt it now. "We all want message from that place… It's the Creator's greatest mystery that we are allowed no such consolation. The dead stay silent. And we must wait."

She shrugged herself out of this line of thought, probably getting too much for her. Alex lifted up her hand, and wiped the tears that were gathering in her eyes. She didn't like to think much of this kind of thoughts – for she knew that she might not get herself out of it. She felt a hand on free one, and opened her eyes to see the Doctor was looking at her with a sad expression. She smiled to him – hoping to show him that she was okay. She would always be okay when he was around. She patted his hand and then turned back to Victoria. "Come! Begin your tale, Sir Robert. There's a chill in the air. The wind is howling through the eaves. Tell us of monsters!"

Robert took a moment before he started. She let her eyes look at Father Angelo's figure as he stood in front of the window, before she looked back at Robert. "The story goes back three hundred years. Every full moon, the howling rings through the valley. The next morning, livestock is found ripped apart and… devoured."

"Tales like this just disguise the work of thieves. Steal a sheep and blame it on a wolf, simple as that." The captain said comfortably.

"Thank you, Captain, but this is a story – so it would be very much appreciated if you were to respected that and stay silent." Alex snapped. She saw Victoria nod just a slight bit – showing her approval of this. The Captain leaned back in his chair, clearly taking heed and Alex nodded to Robert to continue. The whole time, the Doctor's hand never left hers. She couldn't help but start to trace random shapes across the back of his hand.

He didn't seem to mind. At one point, he started to run his thumb across her knuckles. She figured he didn't even realize that he was doing it – it was subconscious. It was something that she remembered her Doctor telling her that the Time Lords found out. They found that if you affected a person enough – romantically involved people would have the best results – they would not just be affected by the obvious future. But they would also be affected in the past. The connection that was shared between the two would often echo back in time.

It was fascinating and as Alex peeked over at the Doctor, she figured it was the same thing. She tried not to smile as she tuned back into Robert's story, "But sometimes a child goes missing. Once in a generation. A boy will vanish from his homestead."

"Are there descriptions of the creature?" The Doctor asked.

"Oh yes, Doctor. Drawings and woodcarvings. And it's not merely a wolf. It's more than that. This is a man who becomes an animal." Alex could feel her heart speeding up and the excitement racing in her veins. Oh, she was anticipating when it would get good.

"A werewolf?" The Doctor asked as he leaned forward. He was clearly excited by all of this – just as much as she was. For a moment, she squeezed the Doctor's hand – and he squeezed back.

"My father didn't treat it as a story. He said it was fact." He looked at Alex for a moment; she knew he was remembering her words. _All stories have a grain of truth in them._However, sometimes it was more than just a grain. Father Angelo's attention is caught by something outside the window. Alex knew that it was the moon – she could see its bright gaze peeking into the room. "I should've listened…" Robert muttered to himself regretfully. He glanced at Father Angelo. His words became rushed as he raced to get them out before the Father could stop him. "His work was hardened – he made enemies. There's a Monastery in the Glen of Saint Catherine. The Brethren opposed my father's investigations."

"Perhaps they thought his work ungodly." Victoria offered. Alex peeked another look Father Angelo. The Doctor looked over at Alex, and saw that the woman was staring hard at something. He looked over at noticed that Father Angelo was standing by the window, muttering Latin under his breath over and over again. "That's what I thought." Robert said. "But now I wonder… what if they had a different reason for wanting the story kept quite?"

Both the Doctor and Alex continued to stare and Father Angelo. Both realized that he was saying "Lupus deus est," For a moment, their eyes locked with each other. It was a fleeting moment before they looked back at Father Angelo. _Penny in the air_, Alex thought.

"What if they turned from God and worshipped the wolf?"

"And what if they were with us right now?" The Doctor said. _And the penny drops_. She remembered that Melody said that often and almost smiled at the fact that Melody was rubbing off on her just as much as she was rubbing off on Melody. The room suddenly erupted in chaos once the Doctor said those words. Alex was the only one that was still calm.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"Explain yourself, Sir Robert!"

"What's happening –?"

"I'm sorry, your Majesty, they've got my wife."

"Rose! Where's Rose? Where is she?!"

"_Enough_!" Alex's voice echoed through the room. Everyone quieted down and turned to her. "Doctor, Sir Robert, let's go. We need to find the rest of your family and servants and we need to find Rose. Captain Reynolds, please, if you will keep the Queen safe – although I'm sure I don't need to tell you that – and see if you can get anything out of him." She then turned swiftly and walked towards the door. She opened it and looked back around to see everyone was staring at her with shock. She sighed. "_Let's go_!"

Everyone snapped back into it, and the Doctor took off in front of her, but grabbed her hand. They both rushed down the hallway with Robert right behind them. "Cellar!" She yelled to the Time Lord and he took off towards it. After running down hallway after hallway, they finally reached the room and the Doctor knocked down the door.

"Where the hell have you been?" Rose asked annoyed. Alex turned to the werewolf and couldn't help but be enchanted by the beauty of the creature.

"Oh! You are _gorgeous_!" She clapped her hands in excitement, as if a little child at Christmas. The Doctor was right along with her, saying something about him being beautiful. Alex's haze didn't last long when she saw the werewolf rip apart the cage. Oh. Right. Priorities. "Move! Come on, please! We've got to move! Go on!" The Doctor was still standing there, entranced and Alex almost rolled her eyes with a smile. As everyone exited the room, she grabbed the Doctor's arm. "Come on, dear. We need you right now, so you need to stop ogling at the werewolf that can easily kill you."

The Doctor snapped out of it and he closed the door and soniced it. He then grabbed onto Alex's hand and they were both off running down the hallway. They got into the room, where all the men were gathered up with guns to fight off the creature. Alex finally rested a little, and she almost collapsed onto a chair. God, running while she was pregnant was getting harder and harder. She indiscreetly pressed a hand to her stomach, and could still feel the life there thriving. While she felt like her darling child would be a little bit upset with all the running, she was still good and that was what mattered.

The Doctor was busy sonicing the handcuffs off of Rose's wrist. "It could be any form of light modulated species triggered by specific wavelengths – did it say what it wanted?" The Doctor spoke very quickly, but Rose and Alex were more than use to it and the blonde was able to answer right away.

"The Queen, the Crown, the throne – you name it." What a lovely thought, Alex smiled a bit at that. It wanted everything that would give it power – so it could rule. She could have sworn it said something about a Werewolf empire or something – perhaps she was missing context clues… Oh well, she _did_remember him saying _something_along those lines.

There was a thumping sound from the direction of the cellar and the Doctor went to investigate. Because, you know, that was such a _smart_idea – it's like in those horror movies where there's a sound down the pitch black basement and the people go 'why don't we go check it out?' Ugh. Doctor, you are such an idiot for someone who was supposed to be really smart. Alex got up and walked quickly over to the doorway. She saw the Doctor was looking out at something, and knew that the werewolf had broken out of the cellar and they were having a stare down.

There was a snarl from the other end of the hall and Alex decided that was her signal. She grabbed the brunette man's arm and tugged him into the room. He quickly got his bearings and reversed it so he was holding her arm now, and grabbed Rose's arm before he got the two women back behind the line of men with their guns poised and ready. "Fire!" One of them yelled and they shot at the wolf – forcing it to stumble back a few steps. "Fire!" The same man repeated.

Alex saw Rose flinch as the gun shots echoed through the house and the brunette woman couldn't help herself either. She didn't like guns and she never would – she knew that. Not to mention, she knew that it was completely useless to shoot at the wolf, for it could completely handle it. After a few minutes, the squad finally stopped and the silence afterwards was deafening. "Alright, you men, we should retreat upstairs, come with me."

The one in charge – she believed he was the Steward – ignored his command. "I'll not retreat. The battle's done. There's no creature of God's Earth that could survive such an assault." Alex almost – _almost_– rolled her eyes. Well then, it's a _bad_thing that the werewolf isn't from _God's Earth_, isn't it?

"I'm telling you, come upstairs!" The Doctor replied angrily. She knew he was angry because he didn't want to see these men die from one man's arrogance. Oh, what a world that would be if that didn't happen. Alex put a light hand on the Doctor's elbow. He looked back at her and she slowly shook her head. His eyebrows furrowed and she mouthed to him that she was sorry. She knew that he would know what that meant.

"And I'm telling you, sir," The Doctor looked back at the Steward, "that I will sleep well tonight with that thing's hide upon my wall." He strode across the room to look down the corridor, checking for the wolf. The Doctor watched him, looking extremely angry and concerned. Apparently seeing nothing, he strode back looking mildly triumphant. Alex bit her bottom lip so hard she might break the skin. "Must've crawled away to die –"

He is lifted clean through the ceiling by the wolf and Alex screamed – hearing the sounds of him being devoured brought bile up her throat. "There's nothing we can do!" Alex put her hands up to her fact and sobbed, tears coming to her eyes as the wolf jumped down from the ceiling to attack the other men. "_Ella_!" She felt someone wrap their arms around her waist, and lift her up before running as fast as they could up the stairs.

Finally, when they were all safe in another room, Alex was gently put down into a chair. As Sir Robert called out for the Queen, the Doctor cupped Alex's face as she sobbed slightly. "Ella…"

"It's horrible…" She murmured. "I just… I couldn't… And he was…" She gagged slightly, and Rose came back with a bin.

"I figured she might need it, she's looking green." Alex didn't even know she was, and figured she didn't care about her dignity much right now. So, without further ado, she turned to lean heavily over the bin and emptied out her stomach. She felt soft hands holding back her hair, and knew that it was Rose – since the Doctor's hands were holding her shoulders.

She coughed and gagged slightly before she was done. She leaned back and smiled up at Rose, "thank you, dear. Sorry about that…" Rose took away the bin and the Doctor held her face.

"Empathy _and_sensitivity…" He muttered.

She tapped his cheek lightly – in a gesture to show she wanted to slap him slight, but didn't have the strength. "What did I tell you?"

"It's okay, Ella." If it wasn't for the fact that everyone in Leadworth called her that, she would have found it _very_weird that Rose and the Doctor were calling her that. "You can't control these things. Anyways, it's a natural reaction." Rose sat down next to Alex, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Alex rested her head and the blonde's shoulder and closed her eyes, focusing on getting her breathing in check.

The Doctor disappeared as Sir Robert and Queen Victoria conversed before he came back. "The front door's no good, it's been boarded shut. Pardon me, You Majesty – you'll have to leg it out a window." He gestured to a door and Queen Victoria obliged with her head held high. Alex was impressed that she was able to hold her dignity even at a time like that – and to be honest, she was slight jealous right now. Rose helped her up and they both followed the others over to the window.

"Excuse my manners, Ma'am, but I shall go first, the better to assist Her Majesty's egress." Robert said as the rest of them waited for the first to go out of the window.

"A noble sentiment, my Sir Walter Raleigh." Alex almost rolled her eyes and tapped her foot. They _really_didn't have time for this! There were monks outside and a werewolf inside just waiting to eat them all alive.

The Doctor had the same thoughts for he spoke up, impatiently, "Yeah, any chance you could hurry this up?" Sir Robert started to climb out the window, but he had to duck quickly as the Monks started to fire at us. The Doctor closed the window before looking outside, eyes wide. "I reckon the monkey boys want us to stay inside."

"Well of course," Alex spoke up. "They're the bad guys here. They need us to stay inside for their plan to advance. It wouldn't be very bad guy of them to just let us out the window."

"Do they know who I am?" Queen Victoria asked annoyed. Of course, that was the problem. They knew _exactly_who she was – and that's where the problem lied.

"Yeah, that's why they want ya." Rose said. When the Queen looked over at her, she explained. "The wolf's lined you up for a… a biting."

"Now, stop this talk. There can't be an actual wolf." No sooner than the words were spoken that a loud howl echoed through the whole house. The company spun around, alarmed, before everyone decided now would be a good time to leave. They ran into a hallway and the werewolf was there battering at the door. "What do we do?" Rose asked alarmed.

"We… run!" The Doctor replied.

"Is that it?!" Rose asked annoyed. She expected there to be something else – considering the Doctor always seemed to have a plan.

"That seems to be the best option considering none of us are well equipped to fight a _werewolf_– so unless I'm mistaken and you've got some silver bullets stashed in that jean dungaree skirt, then we better run!" It was clear by the look that Rose didn't have any silver bullets and for a moment Alex could understand that of course there wouldn't be considering how short her skirt was. Alex pushed those thoughts away quickly. She was more mature than to have a petty jealous over Rose.

"There we are then, we run." The Doctor nodded, glad that everyone was on the same page. "You Majesty, as a Doctor, I recommend a vigorous jog." He jogged on the spot to demonstrate what he was talking about. "Good for the health. Come one!" The Time Lord grabbed the Queen's hand and everyone ran out of the room and up the stairs.

See? This was what Alex had been talking about. This was exactly the kind of life that she always had lead with the Doctor before she got sent to Leadworth. They were constantly running around and escaping danger. This was no exception. She did her absolute best to keep herself from smiling – having truly missed this almost as much as her Doctor. She happened to turn her head just a slight bit, and saw that the werewolf was gaining ground on them _quickly_. Well, that sobered her up right away.

Alex turned back around and sped up, grabbing Rose's hand as she started to lag behind. She could almost _feel_it right behind her just as a shot rang out and the werewolf howled in shock as it reeled back. Rose and Alex came around the corner and they pressed their backs to the wall next to the Doctor. Everyone was just out of breath when Captain Reynolds started talking. "I'll take this position and hold it. You keep moving, for God's sake! Your Majesty – I went to look for the property, it was taken. The chest was empty."

"I have it." Queen Victoria said to ease his nerves. "It's safe."

"Then remove yourself, Ma'am. Doctor, you stand as Her Majesty's Protector. And you, Sir Robert – are a traitor to the crown." He cocked his gun.

"Bullets can't stop it!" The Doctor said.

"They'll buy you time. Now, run!" Alex grabbed onto his arm.

"Thank you, Captain. God bless you." While she didn't particularly believe in God or anything like that – she knew that it would mean _a lot_to him, and she wanted to give him something good to remember. The man gave a small smile before he positioned himself at the end of the corridor and started to fire. Sir Robert and Queen Victoria was already down the hallway, followed by the Doctor a couple of seconds later. This time, Alex had to grasp onto Rose's arm gently as she watched Captain Reynolds for a few minutes in dismay.

Alex got into the room, and saw that it was the library before she realized something was wrong. She turned around and saw that Rose was standing frozen in horror outside the room. "Rose!" Alex rushed out and grasped the girl's arm and got her into the room just as the doors closed. "Hush now, Rose, hush now." She had her arms wrapped around Rose's waist as the girl clung to her. She knew that Rose was upset at seeing the Captain die. "I know, Rose, oh hunny how I know, but he wanted to keep us safe and he got that, okay?"

Rose nodded her head slowly and finally eased Alex out of her death grip. Alex turned to see that the door had been barricaded. "Wait a minute, shhh, shhh, wait a minute…" The wolf howled into the silence. Rose grasped onto Alex's sleeve, and she put a comforting hand on hers. "It stopped." He stood on a chair and pressed his ear to the door. Alex knew that on the other side the wolf would have his head right beside the Doctor's. It would sniff a bit and growl before moving away.

Alex could hear footsteps padding around the outside of the room. "Listen…" Rose muttered. The American woman could feel her heartbeats going wild – and found it slightly hard to listen when all she could really hear was her hearts. The Doctor jumped down from the chair quietly and the room was dead silent as the company followed the path of the werewolf, absolutely terrified. Rose had let go of Alex and without thinking, the woman walked over to the shaking Queen, and put a gently hand on her elbow.

Victoria looked over at her, her eyes wide with fear. Alex wrapped an arm around the woman's shoulders, trying to ease her fears. Victoria grasped onto Alex's arm as they followed the sound of movement outside the room. "Is this the only door?" The Doctor asked very quietly.

"Yes." Sir Robert suddenly realized something. "No!" He dashed over to the other door with the Doctor quickly on his tail and they barricaded the door. Alex felt her hearts were about ready to jump out of her chest, but she wasn't going to have any of that. No. Not today. She already had a slight fit before but that was it. She had had enough. She needed to be strong – she promised her Doctor that she would – and that was exactly what she was going to be.

Alex took a deep breath to calm herself, and steeled her nerves and her will. She wasn't weak – she was strong, and the Queen needed this in order to get through this. She had been right when she tells the Doctor that 'this isn't her world'. Queen Victoria was not use to anything like this. Unlike the Doctor, or Rose, or even Alex Queen Victoria would not find it exciting to have met a werewolf – and for good reasons. "Shh!"

Everyone looked around uneasily as the werewolf continued to move outside of the room. Alex remembered that it was mistletoe that was keeping the werewolf from breaking into the room. She was thankful that they were in this room and not another one for this reason. After a few very long agonizing minutes the footsteps slowly faded away. "I don't understand. What's stopping it?" Rose muttered.

"Something inside this room." The Doctor responded as he looked around for any sorts of clues. Alex noticed that Sir Robert sat in one of the chairs barricading the door, with his head in his hands. The American woman couldn't imagine what he was going through – to her, it had been obvious that he didn't want to deceive the Queen and multiple times tried to get her to leave. But he had to, for the protection of his wife. "What is it? Why can't it get in?"

"I'll tell you what, though…"

"What?"

"Werewolf…!"

"I know!"

The two embraces each other and Alex could not stop herself from rolling her eyes and shaking her head. This _really_was not the time to be celebrating the fact that they saw a werewolf. As the Doctor and Rose laughed and checked to see if the other was okay before hugging, she felt Queen Victoria tensing up and looking at the two of them with wide eyes. It was clear that she didn't approve in any way that they were laughing and having fun when there was a dangerous wolf trying to kill them all.

"I'm sorry, Ma'am." Robert finally said from somewhere behind them. "It's all my fault. I should've sent you away. I tried to suggest something was wrong, I… thought you might notice. Did you think there was nothing strange about my household staff?" I could see where he was coming from. Trying to arouse suspicion without alerting Father Angelo that he was doing it. It must have been difficult for him – and painful when they never got the hint.

"Well, they were bald, athletic… your wife's away, I just thought you were happy." The Doctor rubbed his head, and Alex just shook her head. He was so oblivious when it came to humans – or just people in general – that he never really was good at telling when something was wrong.

"I'll tell you what though, Ma'am, I bet you're not amused now." I gave her a sharp look. Okay, that is going _way_too far! I know that when your travel with the Doctor you do end up getting use to things like this, but that didn't mean that you completely disregard the fact that other people wouldn't feel the same way.

The Queen was angry, and she had every right to be. "Do you think this funny?"

"No, Ma'am, I'm sorry." Rose at least had the sense to look meek. Alex shook her head in exasperation – what was she going to do with these two?

"What, exactly, I pray someone please – what exactly is that creature?" Victoria asked, and her voice wavered as fear took over again. Alex put a hand on Victoria's shoulder.

The Doctor scratched his head, and answered in what seemed like the only way he could. "You'd call it a werewolf, but technically it's more of a lupine wavelength haemovariform." Alex looked over and saw that a book was close to her and was very tempted to just chuck it at his head. Sure, he'd probably dodge it, but it would be nice to get it out of her system.

"And should I trust you, sir? You who changed your voice so easily? What happened to your accent?" The Doctor suddenly realized that for a while now he's completely forgotten his accent, and was speaking in his normal English accent. Alex raised an eyebrow at him as he looked over at her – she silently scolded him for not paying attention sooner. He gave her a look that was telling her that he had more important things on his mind than his accent.

"Oh… right. Sorry." The Doctor winced when he realize indeed his accent was gone.

"I'll not have it. No, sir – no you… not that thing… none of it. This is not my world." Victoria backed up and Alex decided to step in.

"Ma'am, why don't you sit down? It might help a little bit." Victoria allowed the younger woman to walk her over to the couch so she could sit down. Alex then turned and walked over to the Doctor. "That really wasn't the best way to ease her into all of this." She muttered and then gave Rose a sharp disapproving stare. "Rose, I'm only going to say this _once_, you are _not_to bring up this 'I am not amused' thing anymore, do you understand? Alright, the first tries were a little bit amusing, but that last one was crossing a line. Alright? While I do understand that traveling with the Doctor does make you become immune to those kinds of things, it doesn't make it okay to make jokes with people who are clearly _not having fun_. Okay?"

Rose nodded her head, looking like a young child who's be scolded by her mother. Considering the tone coupled with the look on Alex's face, it was an appropriate analogy. "Yes, Ella. I'm sorry."

Her face softened. "I know, but we're going to put a stop to this. You had your fun, and now it stops and now we get serious." She turned her eyes over to the Doctor. "Not to mention, shame on you for egging her on." The Doctor opened his mouth to defend himself. "Ah! Don't try and convince me otherwise, for you and I both know that you egged her on. Not to mention, even if you didn't egg her on – there's a reason why I'm saying _if_, Doctor! – you still allowed her to do it when it clearly would get out of hand." The Doctor now had a similar look on his face to match Rose's.

Rose and the Doctor looked at each other for a moment – looking like two kids who got caught doing something they weren't supposed to and now they were getting scolded for it. "I want an apology, Doctor."

"Sorry," The Doctor said gruffly.

"Ah," She held up a hand. "I want an apology, and I want you to sound like you mean it." She crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly.

"I'm sorry, Ella."

"Now, that's much better." She patted the Doctor on the cheek, and Rose on her shoulder. "Now, go be brilliant." She sent him off towards the door. "Find out what's stopping the werewolf from getting inside, dear."

"Um…" The Doctor blinked before a grin settled onto his face. "Okay." That was much more his thing than apologizing. The Time Lord found himself offhandedly thing that she would make a very good mother one day – but quickly dismissed the thought to focus on the task at hand.

-x-

Alex had already scoped out the area, and found that the Monks were near across the lawn from where the windows were in the library, so that stopped them from escaping that way. Anyway, they couldn't just leave – they needed to find a way to stop the werewolf. "Mistletoe…" The half Time Lord turned when she heard the Doctor speaking. "Sir Robert, did your father put that there?"

"I don't know, I suppose…"

The Doctor was now thinking aloud – as he always did. Alex knew from bunches of times that he thought aloud a lot. Sometimes it was fine, and other times it wasn't. It depended on what he was thinking. "On the other door, too… A carving wouldn't be enough… I wonder…" The Doctor jumped onto the chair and licked the wood. Alex made a face – that was the third time she had seen him do that. The first was when he licked the shed in Amelia's backyard, and the second time when he licked the envelope in _Day of the Moon_. Seriously, what was wrong with him? There were _plenty_of other ways to find what he was looking for without _licking_it! "Viscum album, the oil from the mistletoe – it's been worked into the wood like a varnish! How clever was your dad? I love him!"

Alex giggled a little bit as she walked over to the Time Lord. "Seems like you and him would have gotten along _very_nicely." She winked at him, and he grinned – seeming to entertain the thought of meeting him.

"Powerful stuff, mistletoe." The Doctor said to Rose and her. "Bursting with lectins and viscotoxins."

"And the wolf's allergic to it?" Rose asked.

"No, but probably thinks it is. The Monks needed a way to control the beast, or else it would have just killed them too. They needed something to use against it so it could control it. Wait…" Alex waved her finger a bit, "I remember when I was looking out the windows, I saw something around the Monks' necks. I think it was wreaths of Mistletoe! They put those on, and the werewolf won't go near them so they're safe!"

"Nevertheless, that creature won't give up, Doctor, and we still don't possess an actual weapon." Sir Robert pointed out.

A point which the Doctor found annoying, "Oh, your father got all the brains, didn't he?" _Whack_! "Ow!" The Doctor howled as he jumped away from Alex and grabbed onto his now throbbing head. "What did you do that for?"

"For being _rude_!" She snapped. He opened his mouth and she cut him off. "I don't care if you meant it or not, Doctor! You are not rude in front of me! And seriously, _not the best of times_!"

The Doctor grumbled as he walked away and Alex just rolled her eyes as his childishness. "You want weapons? We're in a library. Books! Best weapon in the world." He turned around and put his glasses on his one smooth move and Alex couldn't help but check him out. Ooh, he looked so sexy with his glasses on. "This room's the greatest arsenal we could have." He pulled some books off the self and chucked some at Rose and Alex. "Arm yourself."

-x-

Everyone was now searching franticly through the books to find anything that could help them. Alex was curled up in one of the chairs, and had a small mountain of books that the Doctor just continued to make higher. She was so thankful for her Time Lord brain once again. While she had been a fast reader as a human, if she was still human at this point it would have sucked – because she knew she wasn't nearly fast _enough_. But now that she was half Time Lord, she was at least ten times as fast of a reader as she used to be – so she was able to fly through these books.

"Whoa!" Alex found something _very_interest, and saw that it was bookmarked. "I think I found what Robert's dad was looking for." The brunette got up and walked over to all of them, she put the book down, as the three of them gathered around her. One the page there was a picture that showed a meteorite falling from the sky.

"A spaceship?" Rose offered.

"A shooting star." Robert said, as he read off the small paragraph beneath the illustration. "'_In the year of our Lord, 1540, under the reign of King James V, an almighty fire did burn in the pit_.' That's the Glen of Saint Catherine by the Monastery."

"But that's been over three hundred years age. What's it been waiting for?" Rose asked. Alex figured it had been small – probably too weak at the time to do anything. So the Monastery had nurtured it – kept giving it bodies and people to control so that it could gain more and more power. Maybe that's where the power comes from, the more people it takes over the more powerful it becomes.

"Maybe just a single cell survived." The Doctor said, bringing Alex back into the world of the living. "Adapting slowly down the generations. It survived through the humans. Host after host after host."

"But why does it want the throne?" Sir Robert asked.

"That's what it wants. It said so, the… The Empire of the Wolf." _That_was what it was! Alex knew that she would find out what it was eventually, and was impressed with herself that she was able to remember it so well. She was mentally giving herself a pat on the back and a fist pump.

"Imagine it…" The Doctor said with distant eyes and a foreboding tone. "The Victorian Age accelerated… spaceships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam… leaving history devastated in its wake…"

"Sir Robert!"

Everyone turned as the Queen finally spoke for the first time since they started reading the books. Robert went over to her. "If I am going to die here…"

"Don't say that, Your Majesty." Robert said quickly. He didn't want to hear that. Alex knew that it would be hard, but thankfully she knew that the Queen was still going to be alive by the end of this episode – the werewolf thing is still questionable.

"I would destroy myself rather than let that creature infect me." Victoria said with conviction. "But that's no matter. I ask only that you find some place of safekeeping for something far older and more precious than myself." She opened her bag.

"Hardly the time to worry about your valuables." The Doctor said annoyed from the table. Victoria gave Alex a look, and she elbowed the Doctor with power and was very pleased when the Doctor wheezed – she realized that she must have hit him right in the diaphragm. While she hadn't been aiming there on purpose, she wasn't really all that remorseful, considering the fact he needed to learn.

Victoria pulled out the Koh-I-Nor from her bag and held it in the palm of her hand. The Doctor quieted down when he realized what that was. Alex nodded her head slightly, of course, now that he realized it was much more than a _valuable_ he shuts up… "Is that the Koh-I-Nor?" Rose asked in amazement.

"Yes, indeed it is, Rose." Alex said as they all got walked up to get a closer look. "The greatest diamond in all of the world."

"Given to me as the spoils of war. Perhaps its legend is now coming true. It is said that whoever owns it must surely die."

"Well," The Doctor was skeptical of something that vague. "That's true of anything if you own it long enough. Can I…?" He held out his hand. Queen Victoria was hesitant for a moment, but handed it over to him. He pushed his glasses down his nose to examine it more closely. Rose prodded it with her eyes wide. "That is so beautiful."

"How much is it worth?" Rose asked.

"It's said that the worth is all the gold in the world for a whole week." Alex said with a small smile on her lips. Even from the small distance she had between it, it was almost enchanting to look at it. The Doctor was right, Alex thought, it _was_beautiful.

"Good job my mum's not here. She'd be fighting the world off with her bare hands for that thing." Rose said as she peered at it. Alex almost laughed. She knew that was for certain. Jackie Tyler was not one to pass up the offer to get her hands on the world's most expensive diamond.

"And she'd win." The Doctor added and Rose laughed to that. Robert walked off, muttering something, but everyone else was still focused on the jewel. "Why do you travel with it?"

"My annual pilgrimage. I'm taking it to Helier and Carew. The Royal Jewelers at Hazelhead. The stone needs re-cutting." Victoria said. Alex remembered that Prince Albert kept on wanting the stone to be cut smaller and smaller – it was all part of the plan.

"Oh, but it's perfect." Rose said dreamily as she stared at the shining gem.

"My late husband never thought so." Victoria responded. Alex smiled a little bit; she loved her husband so much that even though he was long gone, she was still making the annual visit that he must have done every year to get the gem cut. That showed a little bit of how much Victoria really loved her late husband.

The Doctor removed his glasses and went off again. "Now, there's a fact – Prince Albert kept on having the Koh-I-Nor cut down. It used to be forty percent bigger than this. But he was never happy. Kept on cutting and cutting."

"He always said… the shine was not quite right. But he died with it still unfinished." Victoria said.

"So you carry on the task, because you love him." Alex said softly, and when Victoria looked at her, she saw just how much truth was behind that statement.

Something occurred to the Time Lord. "Unfinished… oh, yes!" He tossed the Koh-I-Nor back to Queen Victoria, who caught it – although seemed a little startled and annoyed that he _tossed_it. The Doctor was now working it fast – which meant this was the part where his brain was moving so fast that his mouth struggled to keep up with it, but by God it was going to try. "There's a lot of unfinished business in this house. His father's research – your husband, Ma'am, he came here and he sought the perfect diamond – hold on, hold on –" In his pure unadulterated eagerness he ruffled his hair violently which caused it to become a completely mess. Alex was torn between swooning – she forgot how sexy that was – and giggling – because he also looked very silly with that kind of hair. She still couldn't figure out how he could do both sexy _and_silly. " – all these things, they're not separate at all, they're connected! Oh, my head, my head! What if – this house, it's a trap for you – is that right, Ma'am?"

"Obviously." Victoria answered tensely. It was clearly she was a bit bothered by the Doctor's behavior, but Alex wasn't really sure there was anything she could do. She really was about ready to give up. It seemed that the Doctor would always be the Doctor and everyone else was just going to have to deal with it.

"At least, that's what the wolf intended. But! What if there's a trap inside the trap?" The Doctor was clearly becoming more and more excited as he figured this out. Alex was almost laughing, it made sense, she had to applaud the people because this _was_a genius plan – and she had to applaud the writers of _Doctor Who_for coming up with another brilliant episode.

"Explain yourself, Doctor."

Oh, he would gladly do that even if Victoria had told him otherwise. Alex giggled mentally at that thought. "What if his father and your husband weren't just telling each other stories. They dared to imagine all this was true. And they planned against it. Laying the real trap not for you… but for the wolf."

A fine sprinkle of plaster fell from the ceiling and everyone paused, confused. Slowly their heads lifted up and they saw the werewolf walking over the glass dome above their heads, looking down at them and growling viciously. "That werewolf right there." Alex muttered slowly. The glass of the dome was beginning to crack under the weight of the beast and instantly everyone was in motion. Alex, Rose, and the Doctor all threw their books down and Queen Victoria very quickly put the Koh-I-Nor back in her purse. "_Run_!"

Just as the werewolf crashed through the window, breaking the desk as it fell into the room, they destroyed the barricade before they all took off running through the corridor. The Doctor took one last look at the roaring beast before closing the door. The Doctor was catching up with the rest of them just as Alex tripped on her dress. "Ella! Now is really not the time to trip and fall!" He grunted as he picked her up and they both took off running.

"It's not as if it's my fault!" Alex sighed. That was the _second_time she's ever run with the Doctor and ended up tripping. Ugh. Did something up there _want_her to get killed or something? "This dress is super long! You try running around in something that has this kind of train!" To prove her point, she picked up the said train, and the Doctor saw just how long it was indeed. He made a face, realizing that Alex was right – it wouldn't be easy at all for someone to run with that wrapped around your legs.

"Gotta get to the observatory!" The Doctor yelled to the rest of the group as they careen down another corner, with the werewolf close behind them. Rose turned around and was transfixed by the wolf.

"Rose!" Alex cried out.

Just as the wolf was upon her, she screamed and the Lady of the House threw a pan of mistletoe water onto the beast. Rose screamed again, but the werewolf whirled around and ran back the other way.

"Good shot!" The Doctor complimented.

"It was mistletoe." Lady Isobel replied. Alex remembered how smart the woman had been – she had noticed that the Monks outside were wearing mistletoe and put two and two together. Robert has a touching moment with his wife as Alex and the Doctor follow the wolf down the hall to make sure it wasn't still lurking in the shadows.

"Be on your guard," She murmured. "Don't want it to jump out of the shadows again, like last time." Alex still felt sick just thinking about that. The Doctor grabbed her hand and squeezed gently. They saw that the wolf was indeed gone, and both came back to the rest of the group. "Come on, we _need_to get to that observatory."

"It's this way!" Robert said and they all took off towards the hallway. After a while of running down hallway after hallway they finally got back to the observatory. Alex let a small breath of relief, she knew it was almost over, and that was good. The tension of realizing that the wolf could be around any one of those corners made her tense up in fear.

"No mistletoe on these doors," the Doctor said as Queen Victoria, Rose, Alex, and he all got into the room. Robert, however, did not move from outside of the Observatory. "Your father wanted the wolf to get inside! Get inside I just need time! Is there any way of barricading this?!"

"Just do your work and I'll defend it." Robert said.

The Doctor seemed to ignore him, still looking at the doors. "If we could bind them shut with rope or something!"

But Robert went on determined. "I said I'd find you time, sir." Rose and Victoria looked at him, aghast.

The Doctor finally looked at him. "Good man."

"Thank you, Sir Robert." Alex said, feeling the need to repeat the words she said to Captain Reynolds. "God bless you." _And if there is a God, I hope he takes you to his side_. Robert nodded, and she could see he was stealing himself, before he closed the doors.

The Doctor put a hand on Alex's shoulder before he turned quickly to the Queen. "Your Majesty, the diamond."

"For what purpose?"

"The purpose it was designed for." The Doctor replied. She looked at the Doctor for a long moment, before she reached into her bag and gave it to him. The Doctor ran over to the mechanism for the telescope. "Rose! Ella!" Both of them ran over to the Time Lord. "Lift it! Come on!" The three of them struggled to turn the age old wheel, but the cogs did start to shift and turn as the telescope rose up.

"Is this the right time for stargazing?" Rose asked sarcastic despite her strain against the wheel.

Alex almost rolled her eyes before giving a tight laugh. "Rose, the best time for stargazing could pretty much be _any_time." The Doctor grunted – and Alex supposed that that was supposed to be a noise of agreement. After a few moments of struggling, they finally got it the telescope to where they wanted it, and Rose looked absolutely terrified once Robert let out screams as he was devoured. "Keeping going, Rose! We need to make sure his death was not in vain!"

The Queen held up a crucifix and started to mutter a prayer as the wolf now banged on the door to get in. "You said this thing doesn't work!" Rose pointed out.

"It doesn't work as a telescope because that's not what it is! It's a light chamber! It magnifies the light rays like a weapon. We've just got to power it up!" The Doctor replied.

"But there's no electricity!"

"Of course not!" Alex rolled her eyes. "It's 1879, Rose! Still going to be a while before electricity becomes popular!" The Doctor grunted and both of the Time Lords turned to the Light Chamber.

Rose figured it out. "Moonlight! But it needs moonlight! It's made by moonlight!"

"You're seventy percent water but you can still drown. Come on!" The Light Chamber slowly started to align with the moon. "Come on!"

Finally, it was properly aligned with the moon. All three time travelers moved away from the gears as the moonlight bounced off the prisms. Just as the werewolf broke through the door, the light spewed forth from the end of the light chamber onto the floor far short of the werewolf. The werewolf advanced onto the Queen, but Alex grabbed the diamond, and slid it across the floor until it stopped right in the line of the light. A fantastic, prismatic beam of light hit the werewolf. He was lifted off the floor and hung there, caught in the wash of the moonlight. As they looked on, the werewolf retakes human form. "Make it brighter. Let me go." The human said in a soft voice.

The Doctor slowly walked over to the light chamber and flicked a switch – giving the boy his last wish. With a final howl from the wolf form, the creature vanished and the light shut off. Rose breathed a huge sigh of relief. Alex couldn't believe it – they had done it again. Man, she forgot how much fun she had with the Doctor. She remembered why she missed it so much. She slung an arm around the blonde, and she was laughing and doing the same for her. Both girls hug each other as the Doctor talked to the Queen. He finally walked away and he wrapped his long arms around both girls and they were all laughing as the end of yet another adventure drew near.

-x-

They had gathered everyone that was left and the Queen had told them that she wanted to knight them for all of their efforts and hard work. At first, Alex really wanted to just leave – but Rose and the Doctor were able to convince her to stay. She sighed deeply now as she stepped up in front of the Queen and knelt down. She _really_didn't want to do this – she had to pick up Melody soon and wanted to get back as soon as possible – but it seemed like she would have to wait just a little longer.

"By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee: Sir Doctor of TARDIS." If this wasn't such a serious moment, Alex would be laughing her head off right now to the fact that she dubbed him that. That really was such a silly name – _Sir Doctor of TARDIS_! – even just thinking about it had her mentally giggling. She tapped each of his shoulders with a sword. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee: Dame Rose of the Powell of Estate." She repeated the same motion with Rose, and then turned to me. "By the power invested in me by the Church and the State, I dub thee: Lady Ella of England." She finished the speech by tapping her shoulders with a sword. "You may stand."

All three of us did that, and Alex looked over at a clock, waiting for her to give them a speech about how they were not allowed to ever come back here again. "Many thanks, Ma'am." The Doctor said grinning.

"Thanks! They're never going to believe this back home." Rose said and Alex noticed that Flora smiled – she remembered that Flora was the servant that Rose encountered.

"Thank you very much, Ma'am." Alex bowed slightly to show her gratitude and her respect. "And may I say something, your Majesty?" She nodded slowly. "What you said last night, about how we can never receive messages from beyond the grave… I think you're wrong." Everyone seemed shocked, but Victoria, she seemed to be waiting for Alex to continue. "You're wrong because your husband cut that diamond to its size to protect you. He's protecting you and watching over you, now, Ma'am, even from the grave."

"And you are right, I think, Ella." Victoria said. "And you may also think on this: that I am not amused." Alex almost face palmed as the Doctor groaned. Rose, however, was ecstatic that Victoria finally said the phrase. _Okay, here it goes_, Alex thought, preparing herself for the speech. "Not remotely amused." Rose tried weakly to remove the smirk from her face – but Alex knew that Victoria's next words would certainly do it for her. "And henceforth… I banish you."

Both the Doctor and Rose were stunned. Alex just locked her hands together in front of her and waited patiently for this to be over. "I'm sorry…?" The Doctor muttered, seeming to think that he might have misheard her. _Oh no, Doctor, you hear her perfectly well_.

The Queen's voice became angry. "I rewarded you, Sir Doctor. And now you are exiled from this empire, never to return. I don't know who what you are, the two of you, or where you're from, but I know that you consort with stars – and magic – and think it fun. But your world is steeped in terror and blasphemy and death and I will not allow it! You will leave these shores and you will reflect, I hope, on how far you've managed to stray so far from all that is god. And how much longer you will survive this… terrible life." She stepped away from them. "Now leave my world. And never return."

Good. Now that that was over, she could now get back to Leadworth so she could go pick up Melody and Amy from school.

-x-

Alex had gotten the sonic screwdriver from Ten and it was an easy fix for her bracelet to work again. She said goodbye to both Rose and the Doctor, and she was off. She didn't want to stay too much longer there, anyways. While she knew that she could occasional go back to see Ten once and a while – she knew she couldn't do it often. Good God, no. Never.

It was just too painful. Not to mention, she had a life to lead in the future – with her own Doctor. Her Doctor that she loved very dearly and she knew he would be completely lost without her. While Ten already had Rose before he ever met Alex – Eleven didn't have anyone. She was the first face that he saw when he regenerated – she was the first woman he loved, and still does. She knew that that really meant something to the Doctor.

"Finally, back home…" Alex took a deep breath, letting the fresh air of the countryside fill her lungs. "It's good to be back… _Well_, sorta." It was mixed feelings – she will admit. While she didn't particularly like it that she had to go back to her boring life – she was happy that she didn't have to deal with the emotional turmoil she knew she would eventually get if she spent too much time with Ten.

"Ella! Ella!" The woman turned around just in time to see Melody and Amy turn a corner. With a few quick button pushing – Alex was back in a normal twenty first century outfit.

"So, _other_than getting into a fight at school, how was it?"

"Boring!" Both girls complained.

She laughed. "Yeah, well, you better saddle up then, 'cause that's what it's going to be like for quite a few years to come." She laughed harder when there was an identical groan out of both girls' mouths. "Anyways, come on in for some lunch – I just got back so we'll see what I can cook up for your girls." The two cheered and shot right into the house. "Be careful not to run into anything!" She paused and looked back around to see a shy boy with blonde hair peeking around the corner. "Rory!" She called to him sweetly. "Want to come and play?" He nodded enthusiastically and rushed towards the house, and she let him pass. She walked into the kitchen as she listened to Amy and Melody argued over which movie they should watch. "Want grilled cheese sandwiches?" She got three different approvals and Alex sighed as she prepared herself to jump back into routine.

Yep. Just another boring day in her life right now.


	46. Chapter 46

**Chapter Forty Six**

******Has not been looked over yet, all mistakes are mine.**

God, she had gotten fat. Or, at least sort of. She had gotten _big _– dear Lord, how big do Time Lord babies need to be? She found herself so much more uncomfortable moving around, and found it easier to rest more than normal. Which was very frustrating for her, considering the fact that this wasn't something she really ever did when she traveled with the Doctor.

Ah well. She _knew _he would tell her to rest as much as she could if that meant keeping the baby – and herself – healthy and happy. So, she did what he would want her to do. But dear _God_, lugging around this baby was _not _fun. Thankfully, Melody was old enough that Alex could just send her off to get something for her. Right now, though, she did feel bad for the girl, considering she had this _weird _cravings. She's been craving something called 'Rocky Mountain Oysters'. She had found a small little restaurant that thank the _Lord _they made – and know her since she frequently sent Melody over to get her some. She found out from one of the men there that she _really _didn't want to know what actually _was _Rocky Mountain Oysters.

She remembered once that Melody had looked it up, and was squealing and looked about ready to puke – so she decided that yes, she didn't want to know what was in it. Other than that, Melody has been a very sweet girl when it came to helping Alex around the house… and well, just helping her in general. It kind of sucked to be pregnant, that really wasn't much she could do.

Onto another matter, Amy and Rory spent _a lot_ of time at her place now. They were constantly hanging over and Amy was constantly spending the night. She had met Amy's parents quite a few times, and seemed to like Alex enough. That was good – she didn't want Amy's parents to hate her or something. But it was slightly difficult to hide the fact that she was really Alex Harper and not Ella White.

Although, she _was _able to ask Amy this whole thing about why she had called Alex _punkish_. She _honestly _didn't think she _was_, but the small ginger girl explained that it was almost like a term of affection. She liked Alex and thought she was cool and awesome – hence the _punk_ adjective. Alex smiled and felt warm when she realized what Amy was saying. She steered the conversation away when Amy said that she would like Alex. That was dangerous territory considering she was the same person.

Alex climbed up the stairs with effort – God, she really wouldn't miss this when she gave birth. Seriously, this was annoying. She _finally _got up the stairs and went into Melody's room to see what they were doing. "Hello girls," Alex greeted as she entered and sat down carefully into a rocking chair. She saw that Melody was sitting crossed legged on the bed, with Amy spinning around with a toy TARDIS in her hands.

"Auntie Ella!" Amy rushed over to her and put her hands on her _large _round stomach. "Oh! Mels I can feel her!" Alex had found out a couple of months ago that the child was a girl, and could not have been more ecstatic. She sent the picture of the sonogram to the Doctor – and made sure to hide where she was. While she wanted the Doctor to be aware of how she and the baby were doing, he wasn't allowed to come by and get her. Nope, she still had a job to do and dammit it she was going to do it.

Melody immediately jumped up and rushed over to Alex. Amy made room and they both felt for the baby. "Oh!" Alex let out when she felt the dear girl kick.

Both girls became ecstatic. "She moved!"

"She did," Alex shifted their hands so they could both feel it. Their faces lit up and Alex couldn't help but smile.

"Can I ask you a question, Ella?" Amy asked. The woman looked up and saw that she was looking at her with intensity and she slowly nodded.

"Am I in trouble?" She asked bemused.

Amy laughed a little. "Oh no! I just wanted to know where the father was. I know how babies are born, Ella. Why isn't he with you?" It was clear that she disapproved of this and Alex smiled softly.

"It's very complicated, Amy, dear. The best way I can describe it is simple. The father is away right now – he's very busy, but don't think for a second he wouldn't want to be here. He would want nothing more than that, but I think it's best if he didn't come soon." Of course, she wouldn't go into _why _it would be better – considering the paradox it would create if he was to meet Amy before twelve years went by.

Amy seemed satisfied with that answer, and Melody spoke up. "Amy was just saying that the Doctor was funny." Melody gave the woman a flat look that made her laugh.

"I'm guessing you want him to be good-looking?" She was still giggling.

"Of course!" Melody rolled her eyes. Alex put a hand on both of their shoulders.

"Why can't he be both?" Would that solve everything? Not to mention, to her, the Doctor _was _both hot and funny.

"Because he's not!" Amy argued. "He's _funny_!" Alex held up her hands to show that Amy could say whatever she wanted. It was her '_imaginary friend_'.

Melody wasn't done though. "How can he travel in time?" She asked her friend as they both got situated again. Alex loved to just sit in her rocking chair and listen to them both. They didn't seem to mind, considering they never mentioned it.

"Because he's got a time machine, stupid!" Amy responded, and her tone made it clear it should have been obvious.

"Is that what it looked like, Amy?" She asked, gestured to the toy. "A police phone box? Doesn't seem very _time machine _to me."

"That's because you're an adult." Amy rolled her eyes, exasperated with adults. Alex laughed. "Adults have _no _imagination…" Alex smirked in spite of herself, considering she knew she had _loads _of imagination if she was able to come up with Alex's appearance and general personality – of course, that all changed when she _became _Alex, but the point still stood.

The door opened and in came a younger boy with long blonde hair. "I thought we were playing hide and seek. I've been hiding for hours!" The boy threw his hands down and Alex put her hands over her face. She didn't know that the girls had been play hiding and seek with Rory – she hated them playing that with him for this exact reason. _Good god, poor Rory. Seriously, they're sometimes just too cruel to him_. She wondered if it was that thing of when a boy pulls on a girl's hair, it's because he likes her.

Of course, the roles are reversed and Rory would be the girl in this instance. Alex sighed deeply, truly impressed by his love for Amy when it was clear most of their lives, Amy remained cruelly oblivious. "Well," Amy sighed. She didn't want to deal with him right now. "We just haven't found you yet!"

"Okay." Rory dropped his head down and turned back to leave the room. "Hi, Mels."

"Hi Rory," Mels answered.

"Oh for heaven sakes!" Alex gave Amy a stern look. "_What _have I told you about playing games like hide and seek with Rory? Good God, Amy, you are so cruel to him!" Which was worse from Alex's point of view, considering they were married now.

"It's not my fault," Amy defended but with another look from Alex she dropped her. "You said not to." The words came out begrudgingly.

"So, why are you doing it now then?" Amy didn't answer her and she turned to call for Rory. After a couple of seconds he came back. "Darling, you know that little shop in the middle of town?" He nodded. "Could you go get me some Rocky Mountain Oysters? I called in the order so they should have them ready." Alex often sent any one of them to go get her things – considering all three of them told her that they would do it so she could rest. Rory nodded and walked down the stairs. "Money's next to the door as always! Thank you, Rory!"

When she looked back around to the two girls, they were both giving her disgusted looks. She knew what that meant – clearly Melody had shown Amy what exactly Rocky Mountain Oysters were. "Why do you eat those?"

"Because pregnancy is a bitch." She didn't bother to hide her cursing, considering that Amy's aunt could be much worse than she. She shrugged carelessly. "You usually eat things that you would never eat on a daily basis – has something to do with the hormones. So, apparently, I want Rocky Mountain Oysters, and I want them pretty much _all the time_. And yes, before either of you say, it's _very _annoying. And _no_, I _don't _want to hear what's in them – keep that to yourselves."

Like she said, it was the one thing that she would not ever miss once the baby was born. She put her hands onto her stomach and knew that it would be long now…

-x-

It had now been ten years as she's been in Leadworth. Melody was growing into the woman she knew she would become, and was very proud of her. Amy was becoming the very woman Alex knew she would become – and Rory the same. The baby was growing steadily in her stomach to a point now where she had trouble getting up anywhere at this point.

She had been out the house when she got a call that Melody had been arrested. Alex had to resist the urge to laugh when she heard the story of _how _Melody got arrested. She thanked the police officer and called up Amy, asking if she could pick up Mels because she really wasn't in a state to drive.

Melody came back and they all gathered in Amy's room. "It was late. I took a bus." Mels defended as she picked up the toy TARDIS before plopping down onto the bed. With Rory's help, Alex was able to ease herself into a chair and she leaned back heavily. God, she looked like a balloon. She shifted a bit when another uncomfortable pain set through her. She winced a bit, but ignored it as Rory pointed out that Melody had actually _stolen _a bus.

"Who steals a _bus_?" Amy asked.

"Melody does." Alex answered, fiddling with a drawing that was on the desk across from her. "Did you at least return it?"

"Yes." Melody gave her a look to say 'of course I did, you would have wanted me too'.

Alex raised an eyebrow and looked at the other two, figuring she was stretching the truth a bit. "She drove it into the botanical garden." Rory told the woman, and Alex laughed.

"Well, at least they can't arrest you for lack of creativity." The girl turned back to the brunette woman. "_Why _the botanical gardens, exactly?"

"I didn't know where they parked busses," She explained, "and the botanical gardens would be somewhere where they could find the bus."

"And you, apparently," Alex said, finding this all amusing. She could see all of the similarities between River and Melody – the only difference was that River was a tad bit more mature than Melody was. Not by much, considering she _was _still a flirt. But more than Melody was.

"Why can't you act like a person? Like a real _legal _person?" Amy asked exasperated. Alex couldn't blame her, considering every time she got in trouble the three of them would have to fix the consequences of her actions. Alex was the only one that wasn't really bothered by all of this, but that was because she lived with the Doctor who had a habit to get in trouble on a daily basis – he seemed to _love _to break the rules and get himself into trouble.

"I don't know, maybe I need a Doctor."

"Melody," Alex said seriously. "Don't." Melody had seemed to develop a crush for the Doctor – which is the one part of telling Melody stories that she hated. When Melody had asked her why it bothered her too much, she explained that she and the Doctor loved each other, and that the child growing within her was the Doctor's. Thankfully, that seemed to instantly halt Melody's feelings for the Mad Man in the Blue Box.

Melody looked over to her guardian, and Alex blinked, raised an eyebrow, before smiling when she realized where Melody was leading this. "Er… I'd better go, I'm on earlies tomorrow." He packed up his schoolwork into his bag before gathering them up to stand.

"It's alright for you," Melody gestured to Amy. "You've got Mr. Perfect keeping you right." Alex kicked the bed and Melody corrected herself. "Not that I don't have Miss. Perfect watching over me." Alex smiled to show that was better and Melody winked at her best friend.

"He's not even real." Amy said. "Just a stupid dream I had when I was a kid. And of course, you have Miss. Perfect!" The ginger rolled her eyes. "Ella will always be Miss. Perfect when it comes to child raising." Alex laughed.

"I'm honored you think of me that way, girls." Alex ran a finger across her smirking lips, "But Mels wasn't talking about the Doctor, Amy." Both women look pointedly at Rory as he started to leave.

"What, Rory? How have I _got _Rory?" Amy asked, _completely _and painful oblivious.

Rory stopped for a moment before he turned to the other girls. "Yeah, how… how's she got me?"

Melody and Alex looked at each other before shaking their heads. "He's not mine."

"No, no I'm not hers."

"Oh come on," Melody said. "Seriously, it's got to be you two." Considering the fact that their daughter was right in front of them. Alex smiled a little bit, would suck if they didn't get together, since that would mean that River/Melody would cease to exist.

"Oh come on," Alex added. "Seriously, all this dancing around and cute oblivious act is all nice and sweet and all, but it's starting to get boring now. _So_, dears, now is the time to figure it out."

"Nice thought, okay?" Amy was still disbelieving and both Alex and Melody leaned back and sighed in annoyance. "But completely impossible."

"Yeah, impossible!" Rory's facial expressions were betraying his words, considering he looked very hurt when he said this. Alex figured he probably already figured out that he was in love with Amy a long time ago. Amy was – still – the one that was oblivious. Seriously, it _was _like Rory was the girl in the relationship and Amy was the guy. At this point, Alex figured that Amy needed to verbally be hit with a frying pan. This was getting old, fast.

"I mean, I'd love to, he's gorgeous, he's my favorite guy," she patted him on the back and both women were shaking their head, "but he's, you know?"

"A friend." Rory said just at the same time as Amy said, "gay."

The blonde paused for a moment before he turned to Amy. "I'm not gay."

"Yes, you are." Alex almost laughed at the tone. Amy believed that she knew Rory's sexual preference over _Rory_? That was always so funny. She was trying to convince him that he was gay. Ah, genius.

"No. No, I'm not."

"Course you are, don't be stupid!" Amy said, still speaking in that same tone. _I think he knows more about his own sexual preference than you do, Amy_. Alex was laughing silently. Both of them just watched the two interact with amusement.

"In the time I've known you," Amy started, "when've you shown the slightest interest the slightest interest in a _girl_?"

"Penny in the air!" Melody said softly. Seriously, could she not be more oblivious? That answer should have been _obvious_. But nope, Amy was the man in the relationship, so couldn't figure it out for herself. Rory just stared at her – seemed to be in disbelief that she was actually asking that. "I've known you for, what, ten years? I've seen you practically ever day. Name one girl you've paid the _slightest _bit of attention to?" Rory couldn't answer and actually ran from the room. Both Melody and Alex waited expectantly for her to – "Oh my God!" She pointed to herself.

"_Duh_!" Alex threw her hands up. "_She's got it_!"

"Rory!" Amy ran after him and both Melody and Alex looked at each other.

Alex started laughing. She couldn't believe that it took that long for her to figure out. It was just ridiculous and seriously just unbelievable. She was laughing so hard that she just couldn't breathe. Melody was shaking her head at her guardian. "You are so weird." She said with a smile on her lips.

"Ow!" Melody jumped up as Alex winced. "Sorry, sorry, it's okay." Alex eased a hand off her stomach and smiled to ease Melody, "I just laughed too hard, I guess. It's –" Another pain shot through her. "Ow!" Alex wrapped her hands around her stomach as the pain came back. It _hurt _and she couldn't ease it up. It was with shock when she felt liquids rush between her legs. She paled. "Oh my God…" Another shot of pain rippled through her abdomen. "Melody! I think…"

"What's wrong?" The brunette woman rushed over to her. "What is it? Is it the baby?"

"I think my water just broke…" Alex winced as another pain went through her. "I think the pains are labor pains. The baby's preparing to come into the world."

"Oh my God…" Melody came back to life when Alex gave a harsh groan and helped her up. Each step sent a wave of pain throughout her body and it was just _agony_.

"Oh God!" The girl got her down the stairs where Amy had Rory pressed up against the door and was kissing the life out of him. "Oi!" The older brunette woman snapped. "Get out of the way! I'm in labor and we don't have time for you guys right now!"

Once she said that, Amy whirled around with wide eyes. "Rory!" She snapped at the boy who was still in shock. "Help her!" Rory rushed over to Alex's other side and they heaved her into the car. By the time they did, Alex was moaning and gripping onto anything with a death grip. Oh _God_, it was just so painful! Tears were springing in her eyes, and she grabbed Rory's shirt and pulled him over to her. "Two things," she rasped. "One, I want drugs the _moment _I get into that hospital, second, I want a cesarean. _Do. You. Understand. Me_?"

Rory nodded, clearly frightened of Alex's change in mood. She screamed and moaned as the pains came closer and closer again. Seriously, this baby was impatient to get out of her mother. Melody drove like bats out of hell and probably broke quite a few laws. But they got to the hospital in record time and Rory rushed into the building to get her the things she requested. Amy and Melody helped her out of the car and into a wheelchair. She was moaning and panting and gripping the handles with all of her might – her knuckles turning with at the effort.

She bit her lip so hard that she ended up breaking the skin and a small drop of blood dripped down her chin. She couldn't remember much afterwards, but she knew she got into the proper rooms and they gave her drugs to ease her systems. She was sent into an operation room, where they performed the cesarean. After that, she ended up drifting out of consciousness for a about an hour or so before she finally became clear of the world around her. She lifted up her head and saw that the sun was probably just peeking out over the horizon. How long was she out? Alex looked around, remembering all of it vaguely, but not much.

"Miss White," Alex's head snapped over to the nurse that was near the door. She had a small bundle in her arms and the brunette almost cried.

"Is that…?" When the nurse nodded, she held up her hands to her face and sobbed a little bit. Such a pure happiness came over her as she reached out. "Could I hold her?" She wanted to see her little baby girl. She wanted to see what the Doctor's and her perfect little creation looked like. The nurse came to the edge of the bed and gingerly gave the woman her child. She instructed Alex how to hold her, but once she saw the sleeping little child in her arms, she completely forgot the rest of the world.

"Oh my God," Alex felt warm tears run down her face, but she didn't dare even blink – in fear that the baby would be taken away. "Hello darling," She gently ran a hand down the baby's cheek and she scrunched up her face before opening her eyes – looking in wonder at the woman before her. "Um…" She turned her head away, but didn't take her eyes of the child, "could I please have a phone?" She couldn't let the Doctor go without knowing his baby girl was born. "Or… if you have it, do you have Skype or something?"

It was a blur for she continued to look and hold her baby girl, but the nurse was able to set up a laptop in front of her, and got Skype working. "There you are, Miss. Please just press this button if you need anything." Alex nodded and the nurse left. She typed in everything and felt a new wave of tears when the TARDIS accepted the call and she saw the inside of the TARDIS.

"_Who is it_?!" Alex almost chocked and her throat closed up when she heard _her _Doctor's voice. "_Little busy right now_!"

"Doctor," she croaked. "It's me." Within less than a second, the Doctor's face was right in front of the camera. He froze – the words still formed on his lips – when he saw the small bundle in her arm. She knew she looked like a mess, but with the look on the Doctor's face, he really couldn't care less. "You can't know where I am or anything, you know timelines and paradoxes and everything like that. But…" She looked down at their child. "I couldn't hold this precious little girl without you knowing that we both made it through." One of her small delicately little hands reached up and grasped onto Alex's brown locks. "Baby girls, say hi to daddy." She pulled back the blankets so that the Doctor got an unobstructed view of his daughter.

The little girl garbled and shifted to get more comfortable in her mother's arms. "_Allie_…" When she looked at the camera again, she saw that the Doctor was crying. Tears were streaming down his face as he looked with pure love and wonder at the small being in her arms. "_Oh God, love_… _She's_ beautiful."

Alex smiled. "She is… Just like her daddy, eh?" She ran a finger down the child's cheek. "You're going to be a little daddy's girl aren't you?"

"_She's beautiful just like her mother_." The Doctor corrected. Alex saw that he just couldn't take his eyes off of his daughter yet, but spoke to her with so much love that it almost broke her heart. "_I can't believe it… I have a family, Allie… I have you and I have my beautiful little girl_." He ran a finger across the camera, as if to reach out and touch them both. "_I love you both_ so_ much_." Alex was crying at the emotion that was running across her Time Lord's face. "_Have you named her yet?"_ He asked, still tracing their faces on the screen.

"No." Her voice came out strangled and she took a few minutes to visible compose herself. "I didn't want to without you." He nodded, and she could see he was grateful. "I've been thinking about this, and I think that I could give her her Earth name – and you could give her her Time Lord name." She knew that both Time Lord's had two names – ones that they were always referred to and one that no one else knew, well except for family.

The Doctor seemed to have had the same thoughts – they do say that great minds think alike – for he muttered an ancient name. Alex felt chills go up her spine, but felt such warmth that went through her and a few tears escaped from her. "Perfect…" She murmured. "That's a perfect name."

"I was thinking of Abigail for her Earth name, it means 'Father in rejoicing'. Figured it would be appropriate." She winked at her Doctor and he smiled a little bit at that. "If she wants, she could be called 'Abby' for short." The bundle in her arms shifted and she cooed. She laughed. "I think she does, and we could name her Anne for her middle name – which means 'grace, favor' which again is appropriate. And I think we should keep my last name – Harper – since technically you don't have a last name…" She looked up at the Doctor for approval.

"_Abigail Anne Harper_," The Doctor sighed softly. "_I love it, love. You're both so amazing_." She reached out with one hand and put her hands over his. "_I wish I was there with you_."

"I know," she gently traced his profile on the screen. "I wish you were here too. But you can't be here, and you and I both know that. You'll just have to wait – trust me, you'll know when to come get me, and Melody will give you all the details." Abby started crying and she looked down. "I think I need to feed her…"

"_Love_," she looked up. "_I'm going to come and get you, and I swear they will never get you away from me again_."

"I know," She pressed her fingers to her lips and then pressed them to the screen where his were. "I love you."

"_I love you more_." The screen went dead and Alex closed her eyes. She almost cried when Abby shuffled again and started to cry.

"Oh…" She pressed the button to call in the nurse since she had never actually breastfed a baby before. As the nurse came in and she explained what was wrong, Alex hoped beyond all hope that the Doctor was right. That once he got her, all of this would just blow away. However, until then, she would focus on raising _their _daughter – Abby.

-x-

It was a few months later, and everything fell back into routine. Alex stayed home pretty much day and night to take care of her darling little girl. Abby was a jubilant baby that was full of life – and she knew that she got that from her father. She however was also a sweet and gentle baby – and knew she got that from her mother.

Alex couldn't be more proud and happy every time she looked at Abby. She felt so much love for her daughter that it came out of every pour. Oh, her sweet sweet Abby. After a few weeks though, she did get back to her normal schedule before she became too pregnant. She would drop off Abby to someone that she trusted with her life before going off to help River Song again with whatever it was that she needed.

Afterwards, she would come back and pick up her baby girl before going off again. She would breastfeed Abby as much as she could, but when she couldn't – she would keep her breast milk in clean plastic little bottles so that Abby could still get the benefits of breast milk without breastfeeding.

So, who else would understand all of this – and not be freaked out by the breast milk – other than Martha Jones. It was a tearful and happy reunion when she met up with her longtime friend, and Martha was ecstatic when she found out about little Abby Harper. Martha would take care of her whenever Alex needed to leave, and was the one who helped Alex figure out how to store the breast milk in the bottles and Martha would keep some frozen in her freezer.

Abby had no problem with the difference between a bottle and a nipple – which was something Alex was thankful for, considering she read that some babies had loads of problems with it. However, she laughed at that thought when she realized that it was stupid. Her father was pretty much the smarter person in the whole _universe_, of course she would figure out that either bottle or nipple, she would be getting milk.

Martha helped her a lot with any questions she would have about babies – thank _God _for having a friend that's a professional doctor. When she explained the situation to Martha, and why she was away from the Doctor. Martha grew determined and promised that _no _harm would come to Abby, which warmed Alex's heart immensely.

-x-

So, while after a couple of hours of Melody not coming home, Alex grew worried. She tried calling Amy or Rory, but neither one of them would answer – which worried her even _more_. So, taking Abby and putting her comfortably into a nice deep purple baby wrap – Abby loved goes for walks with her mother – and opened the door.

She gasped and froze when she saw the Doctor right in front of her. She looked to the left and right and saw Amy and Rory. Everything then made sense. "Ah, so _Let's Kill Hitler _just passed. Melody's alright, yeah?"

"Why didn't you tell us?" Amy asked angrily. "Why didn't you tell us – _me _– that you were Alex?!"

"Because I couldn't, Amy." Alex sighed, and hugged Abby tightly to her. The sweet one month old baby shifted around before just easing off into sleep again. "They wouldn't let me. Anyways, do you realize the problems that would have arisen if I had told you? Good God, all the paradoxes _that _would have caused?"

The Doctor walked towards her and she tensed up, worried that he was mad at her. But he just looked down into the wrap, and saw his darling little girl sleeping soundly – I swear, she was a _deep _sleeper, you could drop a bomb off next to her and she wouldn't wake up. "Is that her?" He asked very softly.

"Yeah…" She said, mimicking his tone. "Say hello to your daughter, Doctor." A single tear fell from his eyes as he very gently ran a finger down her cheek. Abby stirred before opening her beautiful bright blue eyes and shifted until she looked at the Doctor with confusion. "Now, baby girl, this is your daddy."

The little girl suddenly had a smile that lit up her whole face and she grabbed the Doctor's finger. She was giggling with a small little bounce and Alex couldn't help but smile – oh how she loved her daughter's laughter. "She's so precious…" The Doctor's broken whisper met her ears, and she watched as he reached down and kissed her very gently on the head. That brought a whole new round of laughter out of Abby's lips and both smiled to the other. "Oh _love_, I've missed you so much…" He reached out and grasped Alex's face before he was kissing her breath away.

Alex melted right into the Doctor's kissing, forgoing how beautiful it was to kiss him. She had missed this _so much_. She missed his warmth, and his tenderness, and his eagerness, and that delicious minty taste on his lips and on his tongue – speaking of which, the Doctor slid his tongue into her mouth and she forgot how to breathe. She brought a hand slowly up to the Doctor's neck, and leaned him down farther so she could kiss him better.

"Oh God, get a room!" Amy said from behind the Doctor and they both broke away. Their breaths were out of sync but it was still beautiful.

"Oh Doctor, I've missed you so much too." She whispered, and the Doctor pressed his forehead to hers. "I've missed you _so much_." She continued to whisper that as the Doctor gave her a chaste kiss and another one and another one…

Abby gurgled and they broke apart. The Doctor laughed gleefully. "Yes! I'm your father, Abby!" He cradled her head and kissed her face over and over again. Alex could feel the happiness that was in him and it was so precious.

"I'm still all yours, don't worry. But now you have a daddy too? You're going to be daddy's little girl, aren't you?" Abby responded and they both smiled at each other ecstatic. "Well," Alex clapped her hands together. "Now that we've all be reunited. Oh wait," She gestured to Amy and Rory and they both came up and gave the woman a hug. "Okay, _now _that we've been reunited, and we all know each other now. Let's get going! I've _missed _you, TARDIS!" She called to the ship, which hummed loudly. "_Now_!" She walked back into the house and got together all the things she knew she would need in the TARDIS.

"I'm going to make a smart guess, and saw that we don't have any baby items in the TARDIS, _but _that's okay! 'Cause we have everything we need right here. So, we've got milk – well, actually I'm not going to lie its breast milk! Don't give me those looks! And Rory, you're a _nurse _so you should be completely understand that. Anyways, breast milk is much better for your child than normal milk is – it has all these vital nutrients and minerals and such. But since I'm not always around – because River calls me all the time – I can't always breast feed her, so that where the pump comes in handy and then I store the milk – it last longer if you freeze it."

Alex put those all away into a small ice chest. She then went the stairs and continued to talk, yelling it down the stairs so the others could hear her. "So! We also need diapers, and we need baby power, and we need all the lovely _Johnson and Johnson _stuff that I use to clean Abby – I do love _Johnson and Johnson_ I mean they are such an amazing company and they know what they're doing. We also need some of Abby's favorite toys too – oh good, we've the Sassy Ring O Links, oh good! _There's _her Baby Stella Doll! And then the Infantino Newborn Bundle. Great! Okay! Now onto clothing! Alright so, all of her favorite clothing – and let me tell you that's a lot. I've got shirts, and pants, and jackets, onesies, weeboks, cute little booties! I've got everything!"

She then finally came down with a couple of large bags that all had everything for her little girl. "Do you have enough, Lexi?" Amy asked with a roll of her eyes.

Just to annoy the ginger, she shoved one of the bags into her arms. "Yeah, I think I do for a little while! Now, onto the TARDIS!" Alex got them all out of the house and locked up the doors before she turned and lead the three to the ship. "TARDIS! You are now my appointed babysitter!" The TARDIS hummed. She threw open the doors and everyone gathered into the ship. "Now let's get cracking!"

-x-

Everyone got situated and the Doctor was now holding Abby in his arms for the first time. It was such a sweet and tender moment that even Amy had misty eyes at the sight. The Doctor was looking at his precious, sleeping baby girl like she was his whole world. "Two hearts," Alex muttered, "one for me and one for her."

The Doctor smiled at her with tears in his eyes. "She's so beautiful, Allie. She looks just like you. I can't believe it. She's _ours_… I just… I can't believe it." The brunette Time Lord turned suddenly, and kissed the breath out of Alex. He kept muttering how he loved her – he loved Abby – he loved them both so much. The Doctor pulled away after a few minutes with a furrowed brow. "Can you reach into my pocket, love, and pull out the physic paper?"

Alex didn't understand why, but did as she was told and flipped it open. Her own brow furrowed when she read the message. "Please save me from the monsters…" She blinked a couple of times and then shrugged. "I don't remember this one very well, must not have been one of my favorites…" She knew it wasn't _The Girl Who Waited _– while she didn't like that episode much, she remembered enough to know that this wasn't how the episode started. So, it must have been… "_Night Terrors_." She whispered and nodded to herself. She looked up to see that the other three were looking at her. "It was _Night Terrors_ – didn't like it _that _much, I think I watched it once or twice, but actually, it was _really _creepy…"

So, they shouldn't be relying on her for information – because it was back to how it use to be a long time ago. "Well then, haven't done that in a while." He paused to look at Abby one more time, before he handed her over to his love. He got up and started to work at the console – getting the TARDIS ready for landing.

"Done what?" Amy asked as she walked over. "What're you doing?"

"Making a house call." The Doctor answered and they were off. God, Alex missed this, she thought as the TARDIS rocked back and forth until it finally stilled. Alex walked off into the hall and followed the hallway until she got to the nursery.

"Aw," she cooed. "Thank you, TARDIS!" She didn't have to make a nursery for Abby, but she did and judging by the hum the ship gave, she was happy to do it. Alex was also amazed by the detail that the sentient ship gave. The walls were not the usual orange color – they were the colors of space. It was like stepping out and seeing a supernova – all the colors and lights all shifting together. She saw that there was a lovely crib over near the right side corner and she laughed when she saw that it was made to look like a blue police box.

There were shelves and a dresser to the left of the room and a rocking chair in the corner. It was so gorgeous and absolutely lovely for her child that she almost cried. But she didn't, she was kind of tired of cried about everything so she just walked over to the crib, made sure Abby was nice and comfortable, and put all the items away – she was _so _happy when she found a small refrigerator across from the crib so she could keep the milk frozen. And then instructed what the TARDIS was too do with Abby if Alex still wasn't back by the time Abby awake for either a changing or a feeding.

While it seemed impossible, Alex had a strange feeling that the TARDIS would do fine. While she didn't have the arms or hands or anything like that for Abby – she knew that the ship was smart enough to easily get around those small details. So, she turned off the main lights and smile when she saw that the stars in the walls lit up like little nightlights, and she closed the door. She took a deep breath. She would be fine, she knew that, for she had gone off and left Abby in capable hands before – however, since this was the first time with the Doctor, she wasn't sure how he'd handle it.

She came back to the control room and the Doctor looked up at her. "Where's Abby?" He asked.

"In the nursery," she saw the look in his eyes and decided to address it now. "Now, Doctor, don't worry, it's going to be okay, alright? I've instructed the TARDIS on what to do if she's hungry, or needs her diaper changed, or when she needs to go back to sleep. It's not going to be _that _hard, considering Abby's only a month old – really all they do is eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom. So, the TARDIS will be fine. Okay?"

The Doctor nodded slowly, and he accepted her word. He grabbed her hand and kissed her again. He missed her just as much as he missed Abby – and he was making sure to show her that. They kissed for a bit long as Amy and Rory exited the spaceship. "No offense, Doctor…" Alex heard Rory say as they exited the doors.

"Meaning the exact opposite…" The Doctor said. Clearly, Alex thought with a smile. She never really understood why people said that – it was similar to when you tell someone 'now, don't get mad' and then they get mad. What's the point in telling them that if you know that you're going to offend them? And you must know you're going to do it, if you're saying 'no offense' or 'don't get angry'.

"… but we could get a bus somewhere like this."

"So, exactly the opposite." Alex nodded her head with a small laugh. "Don't judge a book by it's cover, Rory! Just because it doesn't look impressive doesn't mean that we're not going to get anything out of this! Everywhere can be an adventure; you just have to know where to look." The Doctor was nodding his head, proud of his Alex for that thought as he reached over and kissed her cheek. She smiled at him, and he couldn't stop himself from being so glad – he was so glad that his girl was back with him.

He put his arm around her and they walked towards the married couple. "It can't all be planets and history and stuff." Amy said.

"Yes it can!" The Doctor butted in. "Course it can! Planets and history and stuff. That's what we do! But not today. No." He pulled out his screwdriver from his pocket with his other hand and started to scan the other. Alex wrapped her arm around her boyfriend's waist. She knew that he was holding onto her tightly, because he didn't want her to disappear. He already lost her twice, and he wasn't about to let it happen a third time.

She wanted to comfort him, and show him that she was there and she wasn't going anywhere. "Of course, today is when we try something a little knew!" Alex smiled over her shoulder at the other couple. "We're going to go do a house call – as the Doctor said – we're answering that call from one of the scariest places you can imagine."

"Which is?" Amy asked.

"A child's bedroom." The brunette girl smiled brightly at them before they were off towards the complex. They got to the inside of the building, and Alex pressed the button for the lift. The Doctor dragged his hand down and Alex – misinterpreting his motion – smacked his own ass in retaliation. The Doctor jerked a bit, but then gave her a sexy look and squeeze her ass. She giggled, but he then reached into her front pocket and pulled something.

She looked at him confused. Oh. So he _wasn't _making a grab for her ass? Oh. Well, now she felt silly. But the Doctor switched the physic paper to his other hand and then put his right hand back on her ass. He squeezed again and she giggled. Oh, so he hadn't been planning to, but now that she's opened it up for him, he can't help himself. Yeah, very Doctor if you ask her. "Please save me from the monsters. Who sent that?" Rory asked. He clearly didn't realize what the Doctor and Alex were doing, and both decided it was best if it stayed that way.

The Doctor closed the wallet and then whacked the Roman on the head with it. Alex giggled. "That's what we're here to find out." He pointed out. Shouldn't that have been obvious? _Come on, Rory; keep up with us Time Lords!_ The Doctor put his physic paper back into his pocket. She leaned over and gently kissed his neck – and felt a shudder run through him deep.

"Will you two stop doing that?" Amy asked and gave the two of them a disgusted look. "I know that you're in love and all, but I'm use to Alex's look as being my best adult friend when I grew up. It's kind of weird to see that being all flirty with my imaginary friend." Alex laughed and the Doctor grinned.

"Sorry Amy, but we can't promise anything." Just to prove a point, the Doctor squeezed her ass again. She squealed and smacked his chest. "Seriously though, behave." She pointed a finger at him, looking stern, but a smile broke out on her lips.

The Doctor smile and lifted his hand so it now sat innocently on her lower back. "Going back to the message," Amy said. "It sounds like something a kid would say."

"Exactly." The Doctor agreed. "A scared kid. A very scared kid. So scared that somehow its cry for help got through to us. In the TARDIS."

"Yeah, but you've traced it here?"

"Like I said, Amy, don't judge a book by its cover. Whatever is here is powerful enough that it could send a message to the physic paper – the TARDIS – in flight – from deep within space. And let me tell you – that is _powerful_." The Doctor nodded and the elevator doors finally opened. "Oh! Lovely! The lift." Everyone gathered in and the Doctor reached out and pressed the button to go up.

Considering the fact that all the apartments were identical, they decided to split up and see if they could find anything. Alex had walked down a hallway opposite from the Doctor and above the Ponds and she knocked on the door. A young man opened the door – and oh… he was in nothing but a towel. Alex averted her eyes. "Um… Hello…" Yeah, this couldn't be more awkward.

"Who are you?" He asked gruffly and Alex almost cringed when she saw the towel drop dangerously low on his hips. Ew…

"Um, yeah sorry. I'm just doing a survey and I was just wondering if you were having any problems around here. Any kinds at all."

The man just continued to stare at her, and she raised an eyebrow – wondering if he was deaf… Wow. That would have made things _more _awkward, if it was possible. "Nice breasts."

Say what? Alex's smile dropped and she saw that he was starting _blatantly _at them. Her eye started to twitch – here's a fun fact about a mother's breasts, thing is, is that since she had just given birth maybe about a mother ago, her breasts have gotten _larger_. Why would you ask? Well, that's simple. It's gotten bigger because her body was producing milk for her child. Now, unfortunately, in times like these, it was quite annoying and awkward because men – like him apparently – found it _sexy _that her girls were bigger than normal.

With quick reflexes, she clapped her hands _right _in front of his face so she could get his attention. "I _asked _a question. It would be appreciated if you were to stare _at my eyes_." Once she had his eyes, she locked onto them so he wouldn't even try to look down at her girls. "So, like I _asked _before _nicely_, have you had any problems lately?"

"Um… No…" It then became clear that he was starting flex her muscles. "But, you know, if you want to come it."

"No thanks, I think I'll stay outside." She'd rather freeze to death than go inside this creepy man's house.

"You know, I have some _questions_ of my own, if you want to hear them." Oh for God's sake. Alex reached out and slammed the door shut herself. _Ugh. Human men_. She thought with disgust.

-x-

She stormed around the apartment just about ready to have a fit. She was so ready to rip off the next guy that comes at her that isn't her Doctor! _God_! When will the men _get _it that she doesn't want them? _Ugh_!

She stopped and took a deep breath. She breathed in and breathed out. She relaxed after a few moments and with two children on her hands – because let's face it her boyfriend _is _five years old. She saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned, but didn't see anything. She shrugged, and figured she was just being paranoid as she walked off to find her Time Lord.

"Hey!" Amy greeted as they all joined up at a corner. "Any luck?"

"Three old ladies, a traffic warden from Croatia and a man with ten cats." The Doctor said with a slight giggle. Alex didn't see quite what was so funny – let's not be sexists here, women weren't the only one who was allowed to own a lot of cats.

"Two prostitutes that either wanted me to pay or leave, five men who flirted with me – two of them were _really _desperate to get me in their home, and an _extremely _jealous woman who clearly thinks I'm someone else." She paused when she realized something. "Why did I get all the weird sexual ones?" Seriously, she had one that had that seemed to be a little _too _interested in breastfeeding...

"_Don't play games with me! I know exactly who you are! You tell that stupid ass whore of a boyfriend that he can keep you, you cum-guzzling dumpster slut_." The company with the exception of the American woman looked around and saw a woman about Alex's age looking like a complete mess and was yelling all sorts of curses at the brunette.

"Yeah, like I said, thinks I'm someone else – or she's been smoking something _really _fowl. Either way," she shrugged. "I've got nothing."

"What are we actually looking for?" Rory asked.

"Scared kid, remember?" The Doctor reminded, but Alex saw the look on his face as he turned to her. "So, what about these men that wanted you inside their flats?" She could tell that while his tone was conversational _now_, she knew it was just a volcano waiting to explode.

"Nothing!" She responded too quickly, and she saw that it wasn't going to fly with the Doctor. She just smiled, hoping to show him that it might be best if they were alone for her to tell him at least _some _of it.

The Doctor looked at her for a moment longer before he turned to the Ponds. "Okay, how do you keep doing that?" Rory asked.

"Doing what?" Alex looked back at the Doctor and then around, as if to find the answer in her sight.

"That whole silent conversation thing… You guys keep doing it."

"Oh! That!" Alex smiled affectionately at her Doctor and he kissed her lips gently. "_Weeeell_, The Doctor has always been able to tell what I was thinking, and I have always been able to tell what he's feeling! Not to mention, we've been around each other for so long that I suppose it's just become naturally for us." Alex clapped her hands together. "Isn't it wonderful? I love it when that happens! I love the fact that we don't even have to speak to know what the other is talking about or thinking or _feeling_!"

The Doctor kissed her cheek and turned to the Ponds. "Why don't you try the next floor? Allie and me are going to go for a little _walk_." He grasped onto her shoulders to show her that he meant business, and she wasn't getting out of this. The two of them walked to the lift, and then the Time Lord turned to his darling girl. "Now, the men that wanted you to come into their apartments…?"

-x-

It had taken quite a few minutes to calm the Doctor down about it, but in retrospect, she may have cheated… Just a little bit! Yeah… She may have just kissed the Doctor until she felt him calm down and until he completely forgot what it was he was angry about. She only did it because she was desperate, because she really didn't want to start trouble, and she didn't want him to run off and find those creepy men.

So, on a whim, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him as he was ranting in mid-sentence. His finger was still pointing off in the direction when they came when she kissed him. He froze for a moment – clearly caught off guard – before she was against a wall and he was trying to suck off her face.

God, she loved it when he did that. She had missed the sexy kissing that they really could get into to, and seriously it was… well, it was _sexy_. She moaned in delight and buried her fingers into his hair. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and pressed her up to him. "God, Doctor…" She moaned and pulled away from his lips. "It feels like we're trying to have sex with our clothes still on…" Wait… Was that even possible? She wasn't sure when the Doctor was kissing her. All coherencies went out the window the moment his lips would touch hers.

"Is that such a bad thing?" He murmured in her ear and was kissing her again. Okay, so she might have to make a _slight _correction in her previous statement – so _maybe _it wasn't so much that she made him forget about everything else, but more so he did it to her. Although, it was sort of true, because he was too busy trying to suck her face off that he forgot he was angry. So, see! She wasn't _lying_; she was possible just stretching the truth…

"Doctor…" Her lips were becoming numb and even speaking was becoming difficult. "Scared child, remember? Did you see something or something?"

The Doctor leaned away from her and blinked a couple of times. Alex almost moaned again when she saw that there was lust and passion fogging up his eyes. Oh God, that had to be one of the sexiest things she had ever seen… "Scared kid… Right. Right!" He snapped out of it and pulled away. Alex pushed away the tempting urge to bring him back. No. They had a job to do, and they needed to get going. "This way," He grasped her hand and they walked towards another apartment.

Just as a man opened the door, the Doctor flashed the physic paper. It was so much easier for them to make up assumptions so that they could skip all that. "Oh. Right. That was quick." Wait, what? Both Alex and the Doctor looked at each other. What was quick?

"Was it?" The Doctor asked. She was always impressed at how he was so easily able to just handle this and go right with the flow. She would have been a bit more obvious.

"Claire said she'd phone someone." The man explained. "Social Services."

Oh Alex understood… After a moment, her eyebrows furrowed and she looked over the Doctor's shoulders to look at what the physic paper said. No, actually she had absolutely _no idea _what he was talking about. "Oh yeah!" She nodded her head and smiled kindly at the man once she saw what it said on the physic paper. Indeed, they were from Social Services. Okay, let's get moving than!

"It's not, easy, you know…" The man sighed, "admitting you kid's got a problem." Alex could understand considering she was a new mother herself. A quick look from the Doctor showed that he felt the same way.

"You've got a problem. We've got a problem. I bet they're connected," Alex looked over at him for a second. Makes sense. They got a problem being that they got a message from a scared little kid – so scared that it was able to _reach _the TARDIS and the physic paper. He's got a child that apparently has a problem… Oh yeah, _definitely _connected. "I'm the Doctor. This is my lovely girlfriend, Alex Harper." The Doctor put away his physic paper.

"Please to meet you." She said politely. "What's your name?"

"Alex." Oh dear Lord, that's going to get –

"That's going to get complicated." The Doctor said. Alex almost giggled at the fact they were on the same train of thought.

"Well, not for you, Doctor, since you call me Allie… But how about you can call me _Lexa_, so it doesn't get confusing for you or your kid." Alex nodded and everything was good again. The Doctor shook his hand and stepped inside. Lexa offered a smile as she followed her boyfriend into the house.

"So… tell us about George." The Doctor said. Wait… how did he…? Oh. Lexa saw a drawn sin on the door across from them that said _George's Room_. Well, yeah, of course he would know that if he looked! Has nothing to do with the fact that he's brilliant.

-x-

The Doctor, Lexa, and Alex were now all in the living room. Alex was sitting on the couch. The Doctor was sitting next to him, with Lexa right next to him. The Doctor had an arm wrapped tightly around her waist, and the two time travelers were looking at a photo album. Lexa had a small smile playing on her lips.

These pictures were so precious. "Remind me to show you the photo album I have of me when I was pregnant and of the first weeks with Abby." She whispered into the Doctor's ear and she felt him smile.

"I'm holding you to that." He responded before Alex spoke.

"Ever since he was born he's been a funny kid." The father said as he smiled down at a picture of his son.

"Funny's good! We like funny, don't we?" He turned to his girlfriend as if to directly ask her that.

She gave him a look. "What kind of question is _that_? Of course we like funny! Funny's…" She paused to think of a word. "Funny's _funny_ I suppose." Lexa remembered a joke that her family use to say that her and her sister's boyfriend better have a sense of humor, or else they would never survive the family. Well, they were told that among other things – like she remembered her dad saying that they had to tell their boyfriends that he wasn't afraid to go back to jail and things like that. "Funny's _good_, Doctor." The both leaned back simultaneously.

"He never cries." Alex said after a pause when he gave the couple a funny look. Lexa almost sighed. Seriously? They're in synch with each other because they've been together for so long, and suddenly it's weird to everyone? _Someone up there must be having a grand old time_. She had this funny feeling that if she was just a character being written in a story that the author was just doing this to annoy her and get a good reaction out of her so that she could laugh about it – because seriously, only a _woman _would be allowed to make Lexa into who she is.

Well, hope that woman was happy, because Alex was giving her a _good _reaction. "Bottles it up, I suppose." Alex continued. "Tell him off, he just looks at you."

"How old is George?" Lexa asked as she ran her finger across one of the photos that showed him as a little baby. Aw, Lexa's heart melted, he was just so adorable – of course, not as adorable as her precious Abby, but no baby can compare to her. Too much adorable genes from her boyfriend.

"He was eight in January. He should be growing out of stuff like this, shouldn't he?" Lexa tried not to make a face. She was terrified of the dark for _years_ – and she's not even exaggerating. She remembered not being able to stand it – she had such an active imagination that she could see all sorts of monsters and creatures out of the shadows. Are they called shadows? How can shadows be in the dark? Isn't that like contradicting? Oh wait, getting off topic. Either way, she couldn't stand to be in the dark. Even now, she's all grown up and an adult, she still is uncomfortable in _complete _darkness, it was only when the Doctor was sleeping next to her in their bed was she able to do it. She knew that the Doctor would never let anything harm her.

"Maybe," The Doctor put down the photo album and Alex had to take a backtrack to remember what they were talking about. "It's got worse, though lately?"

"Yeah. We talked about getting help. You know, maybe sending him somewhere. He started getting these nervous tics, you know, funny little cough. Blinking all the time. But now it's completely out of hand." Alex stood up and started to pace. He didn't like the fact that he couldn't help his son with the problem by himself – and Alex knew the feeling. All parents felt that way, as if they've let their child down if they can't help him on their own. "I mean, he's scared to death of everything."

"Pantaphobia." The Doctor said.

"What?!" Alex whirled around, not understanding what the Doctor had just said. What did that have to do with his little boy?

"That's what it's called. Pantaphobia. Not a fear of pants though, if that's what you're thinking. It's a fear of everything."

"If it's a fear of everything, wouldn't that mean it includes a fear of pants?" Lexa pointed out. The Doctor paused and she saw that he realized she was right. "Anyways," she turned back to Alex, "sorry about that. He can get that way. It's best if you just let him get it out of his system. He can't hold it in – you know, doesn't have the brain/mouth filter for it. You were saying."

"He hates clowns." Lexa looked over at the Doctor. Who _doesn't _hate clowns? Seriously, those things were the freakiest thing in the world… Lexa shuddered just _thinking _about them.

"Understandable." The Time Lord muttered before playing with a renegade piece of chocolate brown hair that had fallen out of the messy bun that Lexa had put her hair in. He ran his fingers down her neck gingerly, and she shuddered violently as goose bumps broke out across her body.

"Oi!" She smacked his hand away. "How _many _times do I have to tell you? Stop doing that to my neck! The skin there is sensitive – and you keep doing it just to get this reaction out of me." She turned away from her boyfriend to pout.

"Aw, don't be like that, love," He kissed her cheek gently. "Sorry. I forgot." She gave him a look that clearly said she didn't believe him.

"Is he afraid of anything else? Or just clowns?" Lexa asked.

"No. He's afraid of old toys. He thinks the old lady across the way is a witch. He hates having a batch in case there's something under the water. The lift sounds like someone breathing!" He sighed. "Look, I don't know." He sat down in the chair next to the sofa. "I'm not the expert. Maybe you can get through to him."

"We can only hope." Alex offered. She stood up and turned to her sexy Time Lord. "Let's go meet him shall we? Let's see if we can help." The Doctor saw that she was determined now, since her motherly instincts were going off. She was going to help this child no mater what.

"Let's." He got up and kissed his girl gently on the forehead. "You're such a mother, love." He murmured.

She smiled. "Of course! It's just motherly instincts kicking in."

"Oh, you're a mother?" Alex asked. He paused when he saw two very bright smiles come across both of their faces. He was reminded of the time when he and Claire first had George.

"Only for one month." Lexa responded. "But we love her so much already."

"Love her so very much," The Doctor added. He wrapped his arms around Lexa's shoulders and held her to his chest. "And I'm so very proud of the mother who carried her."

"It was painful until they gave me drugs; I'm not going to lie. But other than that, it was fine. Yeah, it was a little sad that you weren't there. But hey, I got to Skype with you _and_," she leaned up to whisper in his ear. "It's not like we're never going to get another chance."

Instantly, the Doctor knew what she was saying and looked her deep in the eyes. "You want more children?"

She smiled and ran her fingers across his lips. "No." He blinked, confused. "I want more of _your _children." The look clear and the Doctor looked about ready to cry. He kissed her finger before he kissed her forehead. She saw that Alex was just standing there, clearly feeling awkward. "Oops, sorry," she smiled at him sheepishly. "Let's go see George."

There was a crash that came from his room and Alex rushed into the room. "George? Are you okay? What's the matter?" Lexa and the Doctor walked over to entrance of the room as Alex picked up the lamp. "Oh. Never mind. Were you having a nightmare, son?"

"Wasn't a nightmare. I wasn't asleep." The Doctor crossed his arms and leaned against the doorframe. Alex smiled sweetly at the little boy so he wouldn't be afraid. "Who are you?" George asked.

"I'm the Doctor."

"And I'm Alex – but you can call me Lexa, sweetie, so you don't get confused." There was just a slight bit of relaxation when he heard Lexa's voice.

But it was short lived. "A doctor? Have you come to take me away?" Lexa looked over at the Doctor for a moment. Why on earth would George think that? And he seemed to believe it, judging by the deep fear within his voice.

"No, George, we want to talk to you." The Doctor said. The two of them walked into the room slowly.

"What about?"

"About the monsters, dear." Lexa replied. She saw the genuine fear in his eyes when she mentioned them, and she reached out and touched his head gently. He gasped a little, but she ran her fingers through his hair so that he could calm down.

-x-

The Doctor and Lexa was sitting at the edge of the bed, with George pressed up against the headboard. The Time Lord was playing around with a Rubik's cube. Alex paced the room as he tried to come up with answers as to why his child was like this. "Maybe it was things on the telly, you know?"

"Right." Lexa supposed that made sense. There had been times as a child when she saw something on the TV that scared her and she had nightmares for weeks. But… She looked over to George and felt that it wasn't as easily explained as 'something on TV'.

"Scary stuff, things under his skin, frightening him." The Doctor hummed in answer, but Lexa felt he wasn't really paying attention. He was too busy trying to figure out the Rubik cube. Lexa decided to tune him out as well. She just leaned back and rested her head against the Doctor's shoulder. Alex mentioned that it might have something to do with what he was reading, "Great!" The Doctor cut him off. "Reading's great. You like stories, George?" The little boy nodded. "Yeah? Me too. Allie, you love stories, don't you, love?"

He stretched out across the bed to get to George, and in the process ended up just laying across her lap. His head rested on her lap, and he looked up at her. She ran her fingers through his hair. "Of course. I come from a book-loving family."

"When I was young, oooh…" The Doctor seemed to not want to go into just how old he was. "A thousand years ago." … Or he just had to think of just how long ago it was when he was a child. Good god, _a thousand years ago_? Whoa… Lexa tried to wrap her mind around just how old her boyfriend. She really tried to not think about how much of an age gap she and the Doctor had. "I loved a good bedtime story. _The Three Sontarans_. _The Emperor Dalek's New Clothes_. _Snow White And the Seven Keys To Doomsday_, eh? All the classics. Rubbish." The Doctor threw the Rubik cube away. "Must be broken."

"I will totally take that excuse. I mean, seriously, those this are so ridiculous." She hated Rubik cubes. They were so annoying and frustrating and she was never able to get all the colors onto one side. She figured a lot of people were never able to either, and it seemed even the Doctor couldn't do it – that made her feel _so _much better. "But really, Doctor, let's not make a mess." She got up and took the cube from Alex's hand.

"How about in here?" The Doctor asked as he got up and gestured to the closet. George gasped in fright and buried himself a little deeper in his blankets. "No? Not the cupboard? Why not in here, George?" It was a normal cupboard. Lexa ran her fingers down the smooth wood and turned back to the little boy. He looked absolutely terrified, but Lexa couldn't figure out why.

"It's a… thing." Alex said, and both of the time travelers looked over at him for a better explanation. "A thing we got him doing ages back. Anything that frightens him, we put it in the cupboard. Creepy toys, scary pictures, that sort of thing."

"And is that where the monsters go? Yeah." He walked slowly towards the cupboard. Lexa wrapped an arm gently around his arm, warning him to be careful. It might _look _like a normal cupboard, but in their life nothing was ever normal… The Doctor put a hand on hers, telling her that he would be careful. "There's nothing to be scared of, George. It's just a cupboard." The tension in the air was becoming tense as the Doctor got close and closer to the cupboard.

_Knock. Knock_.

Everyone jumped back and there was a startled moment as Lexa looked around bewildered. "Front door." Alex said as he turned to go and get it. The time travelers relaxed. They listened to the conversation and Lexa really didn't like the man that was there. She frowned deeply, and it seemed that Alex didn't either. The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver, and Lexa looked over confused.

"What are you doing?" She asked her boyfriend.

"Going to try and take his mind off it." She realized what he was saying, and nodded. She got a feeling that what that guy and Lexa were talking about – it wasn't something for George's ears. The Doctor activated it and instantly George's attention was shifted.

"Is that a torch?" He asked curiously.

"Nope." Lexa responded as the Doctor plopped back down onto the bed. "It's a screwdriver – sonic one." She winked at her Time Lord. "And _other _stuff."

"Please may I see the other stuff?" He asked.

The Doctor smiled. "You may." He used the sonic to power up all the battery-powered toys. Lexa giggled and leaned back against the Doctor's shoulder again as the three of them watched all the toys come to life. "Ah, pretty cool, eh?"

"More than cool, Doctor." She murmured to him. The Doctor grabbed onto Lexa's hand and squeezed gently. He pulled it up and kissed her knuckles. "Love you," she whispered so only he would hear her.

"Love you more," He murmured intimately into her heart. She turned to watch George, and saw he was looking at the toys with fascination. He was such a sweet kid, Lexa knew, but something was terrifying him. She wanted to help, she wanted to mend, she wanted to make it better. But doesn't every mother? She felt it was just the same way – she was a mother, so her motherly instincts told her to help George. She reached out and ran her fingers gently through his hair. He looked at her for a second before looking back at the toys – she saw a slight smile playing on his lips and she could have sworn that he leaned just a slight bit into her touch.

"That's better. No tears from George. That's what we've heard. Go on, give us a smile. There's a brave little solder." The little boy just looked at him for a moment before looking back at the toys. "Bit rusty at this."

"You'll get use to it." She said, nuzzling into his neck. "You'll get lots of practice with Abby."

Just mentioning her name brought a smile onto the Doctor's lips that was brighter than the sun. "Anyway, let's open this cupboard, eh?" The Doctor stood and scanned it – he figured he would, since he wanted to ease Lexa's mind that it was just a cupboard. "There's nothing to be…" The screwdriver increased in pitch. Lexa's smile slowly disappeared as the tone of the screwdriver continued to climb. "Off the scale." The Doctor sat down in bewilderment. The brunette went to him, and put her hands on his shoulders. "Off the scale! How…?"

She saw that George was becoming frightened when he heard what the Doctor was saying. Lexa reached over and patted his shoulder for comfort. All three of them were staring apprehensively at the cupboard when Alex came back into the room. "Right. Sorry about that. So, have we got this thing open yet?" He reached for the latch.

Instantly, the brunette couple shot up to their feet. "No! No! No, no, no!"

"Don't open it!" Lexa panicked just as the Doctor said, "You don't want to do that!"

"Why?" Alex asked.

"Because George's monsters are real." There was a look of disbelieving terror on Alex's face. Lexa didn't know how, but she knew that whatever was frightening George so much must have been in that cupboard. Seriously, there was something _wrong _with it and it was giving her _chills_.

-x-

The Doctor was searching through the cabinets as the three grownups gathered around in the kitchen. Alex was upset about the Doctor's words, and Lexa was still trying to figure out what was wrong – she could just _feel _it. It wasn't necessarily that feeling of something bad was going to happen; no it was something that she was missing. That feeling you get when you _know _something's been glaring at you in the face, but you can't quite put your finger on it.

"You're supposed to be a professional! I'll never get him to sleep now!" The Doctor found what he was looking for and put them down on the counters right next to where his girlfriend was sitting. She looked over and saw that they were teacups.

"You know I hate tea," she commented offhandedly.

"I know. I thought I'd make you some hot chocolate or something." Aw. Wasn't he thoughtful? She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Hot chocolate it is, then?"

"Hot chocolate it is." She confirmed.

"It's irresponsible." Alex continued to say and the Doctor turned to look at him.

"No, Alex. Responsible. Very. Cupboard bad. Cupboard not bare. Stay away from cupboard. And there's something else. Something I've missed. Something staring me in the face."

"You too?" She asked and was thankful she wasn't the only one. "That's what I've been trying to figure out – I just keep getting this feeling, ya know? Good to know you feel it too, 'cause I don't want to be going crazy." The Doctor smiled at her.

"Look, I'd like you to leave, please. You're just making things worse. Will you stop making tea!" He grabbed the tea cups away from the Time Lord so he would listen. "I want you both to leave!"

"No." The Doctor said evenly as he took back the cups and then walked over to the fridge.

"What? What do you mean 'no'?" Alex asked as he followed him. The father slammed the fridge door shut. "Leave! Get out!" The Doctor didn't even say anything, he just opened the fridge again. Alex closed it again. "Now, please! Look, maybe this was a bad idea. We should sort out George ourselves."

Considering the fact that George was able to send his fear of 'please protect me from the monster's all the way to the TARDIS and to the physic paper, Lexa highly doubted that he would be able to. "You can't." The Doctor said, confirming her suspicions. This wasn't something that could be handle by just anyone. You needed someone who knew how to deal with monsters – and how better than the Doctor to do just that?

"No one's going to tell us how to run our lives." Alex said firmly. "I don't care who you are or what wheels have been set in motion. We'll sort it!"

"He's not just a professional, Alex. He's the Doctor." That name meant _so much more _than just simply being a professional – and he was a professional in _many _things.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Alex asked frustrated. Lexa looked over at her Time Lord, figuring he could be explain it.

"It means I've come a long way to get here, Alex. A very long way. George sent a message. A distress call, if you like. Whatever's inside that cupboard is so terrible, so powerful that it amplified the fears of an ordinary little boy across all the barriers of Time and Space."

"Eh?!" First he was told that monsters really do exist, and now he's being told all this stuff? Lexa realized that maybe having her boyfriend explain wasn't the best idea… He didn't seem to understand that sometimes small words and wording was the best way to go.

"Through crimson stars and silent stars and tumbling nebulas like oceans set on fire. Through empires of glass and civilizations of pure thought and a whole, terrible, wonderful universe of impossibilities. You see these eyes? They're old eyes. And one thing I can tell you, Alex... monsters are real."

"You're not from Social Services, are you?" Lexa raised an eyebrow. _Really_? That was what he got out of that frankly magnificent speech? Was that they weren't from social services? She sighed and tapped the Doctor's shoulder. He turned to her and she shook her head, it was going to take quite a bit of explaining it seemed for Alex to understand them.

"First things first." The Doctor said, having to ask before the long explanations began. "You got any Jammie Dodgers?" Alex laughed. Of course that was what he would ask. Nothing serious, and something that had _nothing _to do with the subject at hand.

-x-

They had all gone into the living room, and Lexa had another look of the photos. She couldn't tell what it was, but something was up with the photos. "Seriously, it's bothering me…" She muttered and leaned to get a closer look. "What is staring me in the face so much about these photos?"

"Anyway!" The Doctor spoke up. "Good. Nice tea. Nothing like a cuppa, but decision." He put his cup down and stood near George's bedroom as he decided. "Should we open the cupboard?"

Unfortunately for Alex, he had been sipping his tea when the Doctor asked the question and spat the liquid back into the cup. "What?!"

"Should we?" The Doctor muttered to himself.

"It's hard to say." Alex said, only half listening to what he was talking about. There was seriously something wrong with these photos and it was so _frustrating _that she couldn't figure it out. "Cupboard is dangerous, but we need to know what's inside so we can fix it."

"Got to open the cupboard, haven't we? Course we have! Come on, Alex! Alex! Come on! Allie's right, how will we ever find out what's going on in here?"

Alex stood up to face the Doctor. "Right. But you said…"

"Monsters! Yeah, well, that's what I do! Breakfast, dinner, and tea. Fight the monsters. So this… this is just an average day in the office."

"For us," Alex commented. "It really is such a normal thing. I mean, this is really honestly like every day for us. Of course, you can understand why it would be boring when I had to lead a _normal _life. Ugh. Just so _boring_. It wasn't even funny."

"Okay." Alex was nodding even if he didn't completely understand. "Yeah. You're right."

"Or maybe we shouldn't open the cupboard! We have no idea what might be in there! How powerful, how evil it might be!"

"We don't?!"

"Of course not. We would be walking in blindly. I mean, that's what we usually do – so it's another 'normal' thing for us. I mean, the Doctor admitted once that he makes it up as he goes. And I do agree with Ten, Doctor, you do do it _flawlessly_." The Doctor smiled and fixed his bowtie.

"Come on, Alex! Alex! Come on! Are you crazy? We can't open the cupboard!"

"God, no. No, we mustn't." Alex shook his head vigorously.

"Doctor," Lexa called from the sofa as she finally lifted up her head. "Stop stringing him along."

"Right." He grabbed either side of Alex's head. "That settles it."

"Settles what?" The Doctor removed his hands and rushed over to his girl and picked her up. She laughed as she put the photo album down onto the table and they started to walk over to George's room.

"Isn't it obvious?" She gave the man a smile. "We're going to go open the cupboard, come on." They got into the room and all three of the adults were facing the cupboard now. "Doctor…" She said very gently as he went near it. "Be careful." Seriously, who knows what was in there?

The Time Lord nodded his head before he slowly walked forward. George was hiding behind his father as Lexa tensed up when each step he took. The Doctor startled the two humans and one half Time-Lord by rushing up against the furniture to put his ear against the door. He turned the latch very slowly, and Lexa could feel her heart in her throat and the pounding was echoing in her ears. There was a slight moment of hesitation before he yanked the cupboard opened.

The American couldn't believe her eyes. There was nothing in there. It was just clothes, old toys and a doll house inside there. There was absolutely nothing to indicate that there was anything wrong. "What the…" Lexa muttered. She didn't understand. The screwdriver had indicated that _something _was just completely off the scale within that cupboard. But… if it wasn't the furniture itself – than what was it?

"I don't understand it." Well, good, that makes two of us. She felt relieved, because she would have felt stupid that it was just the human part of her brain slowly down her thoughts if she had been the only one who didn't get it. "It has to be the cupboard. The readings from the sonic screwdriver, they were…" He rushed out of the room.

"Doctor!" Lexa called to him, but he was gone. She turned to the father, before kneeling down to look at George. "George, sweetie," She used her special soothing tone that she used whenever Abby started to cry. "What's in the cupboard that's got you so scared, darling? Please, tell us, so we can help you…"

"How old is George, Alex?" The Doctor asked as he walked back into the room. Both Alexs looked over at him. Lexa's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, she didn't understand what that had to do with the cupboards.

"What? How old?" Alex asked.

"Yes. How old is George?" The half Time Lord stood up and walked over to the Doctor, looking at the photos over his shoulder. He looked at her for a second, before he pointed something out at on the page at a Christmas party before George was born. Suddenly, everything clicked with the brunette's mind and she looked up at her boyfriend with wide eyes. No way. How could that happened?

"Well, I told you. He just turned eight."

The couple had a silent conversation before Lexa was in on the plan. "So you remember when he was born then?"

"Of course!"

"Of course," Lexa repeated. "That had to be the most special day of your life – I mean, I'll always remember when Abby – my little girl – was born. So, you and Claire, Christmas Eve, 2002. Right here, right?" The Doctor showed him the photo.

"What?" He looked at it for a second, recognizing it. "Er… yeah."

"Couple weeks before George was born. Tell me about the day he arrived. Must've been wonderful." The Doctor said – and she could hear the reminiscing in his tone. He was remembering when he got the Skype call that showed him his baby girl for the first time.

"Best day of my… life." Alex's face became almost blank as he tried to think back to that day. Both the Doctor and Lexa looked at each other.

"Sure?"

"Yes."

"You don't sound sure."

"What are you trying to say?" He became angry – she saw that it was a natural reaction. He couldn't remember the day that George was born so he was panicking. He didn't want to hear someone else come in and tell him that that he _couldn't _remember. "Look, I don't like this. I've told you before, I want you to go!" He pointed violently to the door, but neither Time Lord was about to go now.

"What's the matter, Alex?" The Doctor asked calmly. Lexa looked at the pictures from time to time – still disbelieving of what she was seeing. She couldn't believe it, how was it possible?

"I can't… Don't! Oh, this is scary!"

"You want to know what's more scary, this photo." Alex pointed to the one of Claire holding a newborn baby. "This is Claire with George, right? When he was a newborn?"

"Yes."

"And this was less than a month after Christmas, right?"

"So?"

"So?" Alex grabbed the album and forced him to look closer. "_Look_, Alex, this is Claire at the Christmas party! She's not pregnant! And as a woman who's been pregnant before, let me tell you – there is no way for someone to become pregnant and have a child within a month! Doesn't happen!"

"Well, of course not. Claire can't have kids!" The realization of what he had just said shot across his face.

Both the Doctor and Lexa paused, and they looked at each other. "Say that again." The Doctor said slowly.

"We tried everything. She was desperate. As much IVF as we could afford, but… Claire can't have kids. How… How can I have forgotten that?" Everyone paused before they slowly looked down at George who was sitting on the bed, looking up at them terrified.

"Who are you George?" The Doctor asked.

"It's not possible! This isn't…" Alex trailed off.

"George, sweetie," Lexa was tensing up. "_who _are you?"

The room began to shake and when Lexa turned, she saw that a light was coming from the cupboard. What the hell? They just checked it! There was nothing in there to produce that bright light! The cupboard door swings open, and Lexa closed her eyes against the slaughter of light. "_Whoa_!" She felt a suddenly pull on her body and tried to fight it, but it seemed useless.

Holy -! What the hell?! Lexa couldn't hear anything that the Alex or the Doctor was saying over a pounding in her ears. "What's going on?" She panicked. "George, hunny, you've got to stop this! Please! We only want to help you! We're not monsters! Okay? We're not anything scary! You don't want to put us away in the closet!"

She felt herself flying into the cupboard before everything went dark.

-x-

Lexa was slowly coming to and she was in pain – she could feel it. "Ugh," she moaned as she opened her eyes only to see that everything was dark. She forced herself up to sit and she groaned. "My head…" She held her poor head as it pounded – no, wait… The girl looked up to see that the Doctor was banging on the door. Ah. So it wasn't her head that was pounding, well that's good.

"Allie," The Doctor came back to her and helped her stand up. She rubbed her head. "Did you hit it?" He asked as he rubbed it as well.

"I think so." She smiled a bit sheepishly. "It seems like every time something like this happens, I always end up hitting my head somehow."

"We went… We went inside the cupboard! We went into the cupboard! How can it be bigger in here?"

Lexa laughed. She couldn't help it. This was nothing special to her – not to mention, the TARDIS was _so much _more beautiful than this. The Doctor leaned down and sniffed the chicken that was on the table. "More common than you'd actually think." That was an understatement. Lexa giggled again. "You're okay."

"Where are we?"

"Shouldn't that be obvious?" Lexa looked over at him curiously. She titled her head slightly, wondering for what felt like the hundredth time how boring it was being a human – had she been that slow when she was a human? Had she not been able to put together things that now instantly were clear in her half Time Lord brain? "The dolls' house."

"The dolls' house?!" Alex looked around bewildered. The thing was so small from where he had been outside the cupboard.

"Yes. If you want to be more specific, we're still in your flat – in the cupboard – in the dolls' house."

"No, no, just slow down, would you?" See? That's what she was talking about? Did she ever do that when she was human? She realized that she did. Oh God. She realized that what she was feeling right now must have been what the Doctor was feeling! _Oh Lord_. She had never wanted to be one of those people, but due to her stupid human brain, she ended up being that without even realizing it! Damn!

"Look! Wooden chicken!" He tossed it to Alex, who was able to catch it. "Cups, saucers, plates," He threw a plate and cup to him and he was able to catch those too, "knives, forks, fruit, chickens! Wood! So… we're either inside the dolls' house or this is a refuge for dirty posh people who eat wooden food. Or termites! Giant termites trying to get on the property ladder."

"Ew!" She smacked her boyfriend's arm. "Don't say that! I hate bugs – _especially _termites! Ew! Don't put that into my head, Doctor!" She whined. She reached over and burrowed herself into his side, and the Doctor put his arm around her shoulders. "If they are termites, I'm going to throw you in front of me so you can be my shield." She muttered.

They left the dining room area and started to walk down a hall. Geez, she realized that this dolls' house must go on forever from inside of it – and yes, she was going with dolls' house. She _really _didn't want to think about the termite option. "Look, will you stop?" Alex grabbed the Doctor by the lapels. "What is he? What is George? And how could I forget that Claire can't have kids? How?"

"Perception filter." Lexa answered – she remembered the last time she left her Doctor explain. "It's this physic thing that will alter memories, usually they only percept small memories, not big ones like this. The philter can alter memories but not erase them, so if a third party comes in and points it out – it can be broken. It's got to be fairly big if it changed the perception on both you and Claire, though…"

The Doctor stopped at a mirror and made a face. She giggled. "You are so weird." He licked his lips and then kissed her gently on the lips.

"And you love me," The two of them continued down the hall with Alex right behind them. They finally got to the Front Hall it looked like from the door to the right of them. Lexa walked over to it, and sighed deeply when she saw that it didn't have any door handles – no, of course not, because that would be too easy, and they were in a _dolls' house _and of course no one bothered to make a door knob on the inside of the house!

She huffed a bit before going back over to the boys. "So, Claire can't have kids and something responded to that. Responded to that need. What could do that?"

"I thought you were the expert, fighting monsters all day long. You tell me!" It seemed Alex was getting desperate.

"Oi, listen, mush. Old eyes, remember? I've been around the block a few times. More than a few times. They've knocked down the blocks I've been around and rebuilt them as bigger blocks. Super blocks! I've been around them as well. I can't remember everything!"

"Suiting analogy considering we're standing in a kid's toy house." Lexa muttered. The Doctor smiled. "Anyways, if you want to complain – don't. Just get a bigger head." There was a pause before both brunettes looked at each other. "I did _not _mean to say those exact words."

"Don't think I don't remember," the Doctor smirked. Lexa rolled her eyes. She hadn't even done it on purpose! It had been a complete accident to meet up with Victoria and later Ten and Rose! Okay? She had been helping out with River in the past – way before Earth even began – and her manipulator ended up landing her too soon and she ended up in 1879.

"Doctor… Lexa…" Both of them ignored him.

"It's like trying to remember the name of someone you met at a party when you were two." Alex muttered something again, but they continued to ignore him. "And I can't just plump for 'Brian' like I normally do."

"Oh?" Lexa crossed her arms and looked over at the Doctor. "So you make it up most of time? It's just a stab in the dark – you hope to get lucky in you guessing? Oooh… How the mighty have fallen. I had so much faith in you."

"Stop it, you silly sexy girl." He muttered to her as he shook her playfully.

"No!" She turned away from him dramatically. "It's too late for you, Doctor! I've already given up hope on you! How my heroes fall! I must go and find someone else who won't let me down as you have done!"

He cut her off from saying any more with an intense kiss. They broke apart and the Doctor winked, "no one else can give you that, Allie."

She sighed dreamily – like a little girl. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

"Doctor, Lexa, listen!" They both suddenly heard the sound and instantly became aware.

"Shh, what's that?"

"It's the lift." Alex explained. "It's the sound the lift makes. George is scared stiff of it." Lexa looked around, so he had we have the dolls' house and the lift, both of which frightens George. She hummed to herself, thinking. "Five times."

"Say what?" Lexa turned, confused. She had been so deep in her thoughts that it was surprising for Alex to suddenly say something.

"The lights. It's happening five times. It's like one of George's habits." Lexa leaned down next to Alex and watched as the lights from the candles turned off one by one before turning on one by one. She realized that they was five of them, and they were turning on and off five times. Interesting…

"We have to switch the light on and off five times."

"Now you're getting it!" Lexa and the Doctor never would have gotten that if Alex hadn't been there.

"Why d'you mean?" He asked.

"Think about it, Alex, what do you tell George to do when he's scared of something?"

"Well, put it in the… cupboard." Realization dawned on him.

"There we go… since George isn't just an ordinary boy anything he finds scary he puts in here. The scary toys, the scary dolls' house, the scary sound of the lift. Even his habits have become connected to this place."

"A physic repository for all his fears, by what is he?" There was the sound of giggling, and all three adults turned to see that it was just a life-sized creepy doll. They went back to looking at the lights – however they all did a double take and look back at the doll.

"Oh my God!" Alex said. They all stood up and the Doctor took out the sonic screwdriver, but it seemed to have no effect for the doll advanced on them.

"A gun? You've got a gun?!" Alex panicked.

"It's not a gun! Wood!" Oh you've got to be kidding!

"_Seriously_?" She asked exasperated. "You haven't fixed that by now! Doctor, this is getting completely ridiculous! You need to get a setting or something for wood!"

"I know, I know, it's embarrassing." They ran to the opposite door and they found a large pair of purple children's safety scissors. The Doctor looked over at Lexa, and both of them shrugged. They've had to use weirder things. The two time travelers push the doll away to make their escape.

"_Don't run away. We just want to play_." God, that was so creepy. She was remembering why she never really watched _Night Terrors_. Yeah, creepy dolls, that seemed to be a valid reason not to watch it a lot.

They ended up at the main stairwell, and the Doctor was thinking aloud. "Massive physic field. Perfect perception field. And that need."

"Oh my God!" Lexa gave the scissors to Alex so that he could fend off the doll. "Doctor, you're such an idiot! _I'm _such an idiot!" The Doctor looked over. "Tenza!"

The Time Lord's eyes widened. "_Of course_!" He slapped his forehead. "Stupid Doctor! Ow! George is a Tenza! Of course!"

"He's a what?" Alex asked as he continued to keep the doll at bay.

"A cuckoo. A cuckoo in the nest. A Tenza. He's a Tenza." The Doctor opened a door only to find another doll and he shut it promptly. "Millions of them hatch in space and then whoomph!" Lexa tried another door, but only to have the same result. Damn, they were _everywhere_. She was tempted to swear that she was never going to buy a doll for Abby ever again. "Off they drift, looking for a nest. The Tenza young can sense exactly what their foster parents want and then they assimilate. Perfect."

"George is an… alien?" He was now battling with two dolls.

"Yeah, that pretty much sums it up quite simply." Alex nodded her head as the two time travelers rushed up the stairs.

"But he's… he's our child!"

"Of course he is. The child you always wanted. He sensed that instinctively and sought you out, but something scared him. Started this cycle of fear." Lexa felt like it was staring her in the face again. Damn, she hated that feeling! Ugh! Alex slapped the back of her head as she tried to think. Alex joined them on the stairs as the Doctor continued to talk. "It's all completely instinctive. Subconscious. George isn't even aware that he's controlling it." He scratched his head. "So we have to make him aware."

"George!" Lexa called out into the air, cupping her hands around her mouth to make sure he could hear her. "Please, George, you have to help us! You're the only one who can! Come on! You have to believe in yourself! You'll be fine! The monsters can't hurt you! You have to believe that!" Her voice was becoming hoarse, but she continued to talk. "George we can't save you from the monsters, only you can do that! George, you have to hear me! Please! Hear my voice!"

"Doctor! Lex!" Both turned to see that Rory was coming down the stairs with two dolls following him. Man, those things are creepy… She especially didn't like the one with reddish-ginger hair… It really gave her the chills for some reason.

"Rory! Where's Amy?" He pointed to the doll and Lexa made an 'o' with her mouth, realizing why that doll gave her such chills in the first place.

"George! George, please, you have to face your fears! You have to face them _now_! We can't delay this any longer! If you don't we'll be trapped here forever right between life and dead, _please_!" Alex's voice became desperate. She had a child in the TARDIS that was waiting for her and her father to get home. She couldn't bear to think about having leaving her there because they were trapped in this wretched dolls' house.

Both the Doctor and Lexa continued to call out George's name in hopes that he would hear them. "Please, George! You're the only one who can stop this!" Alex yelled out one last time as they were surrounded by dolls. The dolls stop suddenly and Alex peeked an eye open from where she had her head pressed up against the Doctor's chest – because damnit, if she's going to die, she was going to do it at the Doctor's side. "George!"

He was standing in the middle of the room. He had faced his fears. "George! George!" The Doctor was in relief. "You did it! You did it! It's okay, it's all okay now. Everything's going to be fine." The dolls started to move again, but this time they ignored the adults and went straight for George.

"Doctor, stop them!" They couldn't let the dolls hurt George! He was just a small child! He was just scared! She shook on the Doctor's arm. "Doctor!"

"No. No. No, no, no, no!" The Doctor leaned over the banister so that he could speak with George. "George, you created this whole world. This whole world, you can smash it! You can destroy it!" George shook his head, locking up in fright as the dolls advanced. "Something's holding him back. Something's holding him back. Something's…"

"_Who are you?" George asked._

"_I'm the Doctor." _

"_And I'm Alex – but you can call me Lexa, sweetie, so you don't get confused." There was just a slight bit of relaxation when he heard Lexa's voice. _

_But it was short lived. "A doctor? Have you come to take me away?"_

Both Time Lords whirled around to each other, grasping onto the other when they realized what it was. "That was it, Doctor! That's what got him so frightened!"

"Yes, yes, Allie, you are so beautifully _brilliant_!" He kissed her forehead with meaning before he turned to George's father. "That's what did it. That's what the trigger was. He thought you were rejecting him. He thought he wasn't wanted. That someone was going to come and take him away." The dolls move in on George as he shook with fear.

"Well, we… we talked about it." Alex admitted.

"Yeah, and he heard you, Alex." The Doctor commented. "A Tenza's sole function is to fit in, to be wanted, and you were rejecting him."

"We just couldn't cope! We needed help!" Alex admitted.

"Yes, but George didn't know that. He thought you were rejecting him. He still thinks that."

"But how can we keep him? How can we? He's not…"

"Not what?"

"He's not… human."

"No, Alex he's not, but he's something else…" Lexa pointed out. She knew that he would understand and he did. He pushed the scissors into the Doctor's hands and ran down the stairs, pushing past the dolls. Just as the dolls were about to completely hid George, Alex grabbed him and took him in a huge hug. The dolls stopped as George cried. "He's their son." Lexa whispered to herself. It didn't matter if George was human or not, He was still Claire's and Alex's son and that was the important part. He was made to be their perfect child - and that mattered. He _was _their perfect child.

"Whatever you are, whatever you do, you're my son. And I will never, ever send you away. Oh, George. Oh, my little boy."

"Dad."

Lexa had to wipe the tears away from her eyes. "Oh, don't you _love _happy endings?" She loved that she got them a lot more with Eleven. It was always so tough on her emotionally if when she was around Ten – there was just so much death and sadness. But with Eleven, she got more happy endings and that was so much better for her emotional status.

He whirled her around and smirked at her. "Just one more thing…" She squealed as he swung her until she was leaning back in his arms and he was kissing the life out of her. She moaned in sweet bliss. God, she needed to get him into their bed once they got home – well, she needed to check everything with Abby and _then _get him in bed. Either way, by some point tonight, they were both going to bed together.

Bright lights start to flitter through the window, but neither the Doctor nor Alex took any heed to it. Nope, they just went right along with sucking the other's face off. And boy, were they enjoying it.

-x-

So, they had saved the day and they had helped George and Alex become even closer as father and son. A woman entered the kitchen as the four of them played together and Lexa was the first to greet her. "Ah! You must be Claire, it's so nice to meet you." She hugged the woman cheerfully before pulling back and giving a friendly bright smile. "George and Alex have been telling us so much about you!"

"Hello!" The Doctor came up behind his girl and kissed Claire on both cheeks. Well, he sort of did – it was something that always made her laugh. He never did quite get human interacts right, considering that usually when you 'kiss someone on both cheeks' your cheeks touch theirs. The Doctor did it in a way that his cheeks were always a bit away from yours – still in the air. It was what always made her giggle. "How do you feel about kippers?"

"I still think they're gross." The Doctor sighed. "I mean, ew, fish, but you know I don't like fish." She didn't understand how English people could eat it, fish was just… _ew_ to her. Just disgusting. Yucky – seriously, she could go on.

"Er… who?" She turned to her husband for answers.

"They sent someone. About George. It's all sorted." Alex answered. Claire went over to her son and rubbed his back as he ate a slice of bread for a snack.

"Yeah, we had a great time, didn't we?" The Doctor winked at Alex, and both chuckled silently at their little inside joke.

"Yeah!"

"See, Claire, there's nothing to be worried about anymore." She smiled comfortingly at the mother. "George's all fine now."

"What? Just like that?" The blonde asked shocked.

"Trust us." The Doctor said with a smile. With a touching moment for the whole family, the Doctor went back to making a nice meal. After the whole omelet thing with Craig, she figured that it wouldn't harm in any way to give him another chance at the kitchen once more.

-x-

After a lovely breakfast, the Doctor and Alex decided it was best to leave the flat and go back to the TARDIS. "I want to go to a beach. A nice one that doesn't have any treats or anything. I think Abby would love that too. Maybe we could catch a sunset or sunrise." She had heard those were beautiful and wanted to see for herself.

"I would like that," The Doctor grabbed Alex's hand and she swung them back and forth.

"Doctor, Lexa, wait!" Both turned to see Alex following them.

"Sorry, yes, bye." He shook the man's hand.

"We've got people to see, places to go, history to keep in check, a baby to take care off, we can't stay for very long." The brunette woman shook his hand too.

"You can't just… I mean…"

"It's sorted. You sorted it. Good man, Alex. Proud of you." They turned away so they could get to their ship but Alex stopped them again.

"What, that's it?"

"Well, apart from making sure he eats his greens –" Good luck with that. That was going to be one hell of a difficult task considering no kid like to eat his greens… "– and getting him into a good school, yes."

"But is he going to… I don't know; sprout another head or three eyes or something?"

Alex laughed. "Oh no, nothing like that, Alex." Okay, it's really weird calling someone else your name, but she was going to ignore it. "He's one the Tenza – trust us, he'll fit _right _in whatever you do." George popped down from the apartment. "Oh! Hey there buddy! Just be whatever you want him to be. Okay? They'll love you, I promise. You be good, okay?" George nodded. They walked away before something occurred to her. "Should we mention about the…?"

"Yeah. Probably." The Doctor turned around. "We might pop back around puberty, mind you. Always a funny time." Alex and the Doctor leave and finally make it down to the ground level.

"That felt a little weird." Alex admitted as they walked out to the small courtyard in the middle of the complex. "I mean, I was half-worried we would never actually get to the ground level and we would end up in some miniaturized airplane or something with the green little soldiers from _Toy Story_."

They find Amy and Rory waiting on a low brick wall. "Come on, you two. Things to do, people to see, whole civilizations to save." He sat down between them with Alex standing right up between his legs. "You feeling okay?"

"Erm, I think so." Amy said slowly.

"It might take a while to adjust, but you'll be fine." Alex said. "You've always been strong." Amy smiled at her friend.

The Doctor put an arm around each other them. "Well, it's good to be all back together again. IN the flesh. Come on." He stood up and walked towards the TARDIS.

"Yes, let's go! I want to spend some time with my darling girl before I get the Doctor into bed!" Just to make her point, she reached out and slapped that fine ass that is the Doctor's.

"Whoa!" He jumped a bit and then whirled around and in retaliation slapped her ass. "God, you have such a fine ass."

She laughed. "So do you, and I'm going to make sure you realize that by the end of our time together _alone_." She whispered it hoarsely, and the Doctor shuddered.

"God, stop flirting with each other so blatantly!" Rory complained. "There are other people here, ya know!" Once they were in the TARDIS, Alex instantly took off towards the nursery.

"So! TARDIS, details, woman! I need _details_! How did my darling girl do?" The TARDIS hummed and went into what Abby had done while she was gone. Within a few minutes, she was all caught up and Alex was happy that Abby hadn't caused any trouble at all. Really, she just slept – although she did wake up a little while before for some food, but that was it.

She opened the nursery and Abby immediately started wiggling around and making noises to get her mother over to her. "Abby, darling," She cooed and went over to the crib and picked up her darling girl. "Oh, my sweet baby!" Abby cooed and threw out her arms. Alex wrapped Abby tightly in the baby wrap around before she walked down to the console again.

"Look who I have~"

"Abby!" The Doctor was instantly over to his two girls' side and was instantly talking animatedly with Abby. She would make noises from time to time before she gurgled very loudly and started to cry. "Oh! Don't cry!"

Alex laughed, "No, Doctor, she hungry." Alex opened up her button up shirt just enough to get to her bra before she opened it up from the front – so much easier to breast feed when you have a bra that opens in the front. She winked sassily at the Doctor, and he flushed a bit, before she let Abby have her food.

-x-

It didn't take that long, but Abby was soon fed, changed, and put right back to bed. She would be asleep hopefully for the whole night. But, just in case, the TARDIS hooked up Alex's and the Doctor's room with the nursery so if Abby cried, they would hear it.

Then, Alex more or less _dragged _the Doctor to their room and had her way with him. It had been ages since she had slept with the Doctor, and she wasn't about to wait any longer. Of course, it wasn't like the Doctor was going to complain. If anything, once they got the room, he more or less _ran _to their bed – which had her laughing.

So, all in all, it had turned out to be a _great_ night.


	47. Chapter 47

**Chapter Forty Seven**

**********Has not been looked over yet, all mistakes are mine.**

Since they had had a few days to their selves, Alex and the Doctor enjoyed it with Abby. She enjoyed exploring the universe it seemed as much as her parents did – seriously, she would giggle and laugh at pretty much anything exciting – although, she did skip out of _The Girl Who Waited _because there was no way she would be able to handle it.

So, she just played it off that she was would stay in the TARDIS with Abby, the Doctor bought it until after the episode was done and then he knew what she really had been planning. But other than that, a couple days of rest never hurt anyone. The Doctor made sure that his love and his daughter always got that – so this would explain that right now, Alex and Abby were curled up together in the bed, with the TARDIS playing soft soothing music.

"_Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Mama's gonna buy you a mocking bird. And if that mocking bird don't sing, Mama's gonna by you a diamond ring. And if that diamond right turns brass, Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass. And if that looking glass gets broke, Mama's gonna buy you a billy goat. And if that billy goat doesn't pull, Mama's gonna buy you a cart and bull. And if that cart and bull turn over, Mama's gonna buy you a dog named Rover. And if that dog named Rover won't bark, Mama's gonna buy you a horse and cart. And if that horse and cart fall down, well you'll still be the sweetest baby in town_."

She had sung it to Abby when she had started to cry, and within the second or third verse, she was right back asleep. Right now, Alex was just holding her daughter close and slipping in and out of consciousness. She was curled up around Abby, so that her little girl could feel her every which way. She ran a finger down her daughter's cheek and smiled softly as she watched her sleep. "Love?" It was a whisper, and Alex turned her head to see the Doctor over her shoulder.

"She's asleep…" Alex murmured, and the Doctor made sure to keep quite as he walked over to the other side of the bed. His brunette girl watched him, and when the Doctor came to the end of the bed in front of his two girls he was struck with a feeling of awe. It was such a pristine and perfect picture.

This was the picture for his happiness.

His darling love had her hair down at the moment, and it cascaded around her shoulders and her face, and she was looking up at him with pure love and adoration. Those beautiful lush lips were turned up in a small but magnificent smile that could light a whole world. She looked a little tired, but the Doctor thought she never looked more beautiful. His baby girl was snuggled right up against Alex's chest – she did say that it was always good for the child to hear the parents heartbeat. While he had only known her for maybe a week or two she had completely taken over his hearts.

He knelt down so he was level with his two most important people in his whole world. He gently kissed Abby's head before giving Alex a gently and passionate kiss. Oh, how lost and lonely he would truly be if it wasn't for Alex giving him everything he could want. He never thought to ask for someone so amazing and he adored and loved her so much that he would do _everything _to protect both of them.

"Hello Doctor," Alex murmured. She could see the love on his face as clear as day and it was just so beautiful. It made her smile grow even more. "Did you need something?"

"The kids are demanding that we take them somewhere." Alex giggled softly. She always found it funny when he referred to the Ponds as their kids. "I was thinking of taking them to Ravan-Skala."

She had to think about that with her new super-duper Time Lord brain to figure out which planet that one was. "Isn't that the one with the six hundred feet people?" He nodded his head. She smiled, "that sounds like a _love _trip." She looked down at their daughter. "I want to bring Abby."

"Are you sure, love?" She could hear the hesitation in his voice and understood his fears.

"Of course," She very carefully picked Abby into her arms and sat up with the help of her Doctor. "She loves it when we take her places. Seriously, she is _so _your daughter in that aspect." Alex pulled back and showed that she had put Abby in a pink onsies that said in _Daddy's Little Girl_ in cursive. He threw his head back and laughed. "Anyways, I'll wear the wrap so she'll always be right against my chest the whole time – I'll wear it the whole time so neither of us have to worry."

The Doctor was more than satisfied with that, and helped his girls get situated into the wrap. "Is it too tight?" He asked once Alex was strapped in and Abby was nice and snug.

"No, it's fine. It needs to be snug so it can hold her – without it being tight so that I can still breathe." She eased it up just a tiny bit, and she was then good. "Okay, good to go." She looked in the mirror and sighed. "Should I put my hair up or not?"

"I like you with your hair down." He leaned in and buried his face into her now open hair. He wrapped his arms around her waist and put a hand on Abby's head. "But you look beautiful no matter what."

"Ooh, good answer," Alex teased and he chuckled. She then fiddled with her hair before shrugging. "Eh, I'll let it go this once." She grabbed some bobby bins and a pony tail though, and put it into the Doctor's pockets. "In case I decide later on that I want to put my hair up." Alex explained to the Time Lord's confused look. She then leaned him down gently and kissed him with meaning.

Their tongues came out and danced and Alex almost melted into the Doctor's embrace. She moaned in delight when the Doctor pushed past her tongue and buried his own in her mouth. He reached up and cupped her neck, bringing her face closer to his. It was like lightening was coursing between the two and Alex knew that she would _never _get used to it, and she never wanted to.

The Doctor was the one that broke the kiss, and they took a moment to catch their breaths. "I love you, Allie." He murmured as he kissed her forehead.

"I love you too, Doctor." She still felt the buzzing coursing through her veins and knew that it was just a normal effect the Doctor had with her every time he kissed her. "Let's get going, we don't want to keep the kids waiting, Doctor. You know they don't like that," the smiled at each other and took each other's hands as they exited the room.

-x-

So, when they landed imagine their surprise when they found out that it wasn't Ravan-Skala. Nope, it was some weird, creepy old fashioned hotel. But there was something off, she knew it was, and it took her a moment to remember where they were. Oh. _The God Complex_. Actually, she had known that the whole time.

But, there was a theory. She knew that she believed in the Doctor, and normally that would be very bad, _but_… She had a theory on how she could keep herself safe, and actually she was about 99.7% sure that it was going to work – if past experiences were anything to go on. Alex held on tightly to Abby as they all bent over the staircase to get a look all the way down. "'Let's go to Ravan-Skala," he says, "The people are six hundred feet tall, you have to talk to them in hot air balloons and the Tourist Information Center is made of one of their hats," he says." Amy and Rory were clearly not as thrilled to be here as the Time Lord couple was. "I'm sorry, but I don't see any huge hats."

"Of course not, Amy." Alex shook her head. "That should have been obvious from the moment we opened the door. We're not in Ravan-Skala! That looks _much _different than what we're seeing right now." Seriously, has Alex and the Doctor taught her _nothing_?

"Amy. Beaky." He grasped onto their shoulders looking like a little boy at Christmas. "This could be the most exciting thing I have ever seen!" He ran up the stairs, dropping a quick kiss on Alex's head as he passed her.

"You're kidding." Rory said blankly.

"How can you be excited about a rubbish hotel on a rubbish bit of Earth?" Amy added. Alex rolled her eyes, they just didn't get it! They weren't _on Earth_! Ha! As if. They were in _space_! That was _much _better!

And it wasn't even a hotel; actually, it was a prison that was holding a Minotaur alien that fed off of people's beliefs and faiths. So, _there _Amy! What were you saying about _rubbish_?

"Because, assembled Ponds, this is not Earth." The Doctor patted the paneling and Alex shrugged mentally. Tomato Tamato – you can explain it one way or the other. She couldn't blame her boyfriend, considering he didn't even know any of that yet. Yep, it was awesome to hold all the cards – well, sort of. It sucked when she had to let someone die, but she was determined to keep the things the way that they were.

No changing timelines or events if she could control it. She couldn't stop the ones that were out of her hands – like the Doctor falling in love with her. Of course, not that she minded – oh _no_! She _loved _the fact that the Doctor loved her. But, it was something out of her hands that she couldn't control. Well, actually, it had been out of everyone's hands. Anyone who tells you that you can control who you fall in love with is lying to you. You can never control something like that. You can only let it happen, and if it's an unrequited love, Alex was so very sorry about that.

"It's so similar to an Earth hotel…" Alex muttered to herself. "Seriously, I'm impressed by the craftsmanship. I mean, _seriously_, the time and money it must have taken in order to get it to look this pristine and accurate…"

The Doctor took Alex's hand and they continued up the stairs to the level where the TARDIS is. "Then where are we?" Amy asked.

Abby gurgled something and her mother giggled. "Right you are, my darling girl!" She turned to Amy. "Abby said, '_Well obviously we're either on a planet or a spaceship made to look like a retro hotel – and seriously, you need to catch up with us Time Lords_." Abby could almost been seeing giving Amy a look to keep up with them.

The Doctor was laughing. "Oh, Abby, you truly are your mother's daughter." He kissed her head gently and she squealed. "I love you too." He murmured against her forehead.

"Where else would that sass come from?"

Alex looked up at Rory. "Did you seriously ask that? Do you _not _know what kind of man Eleven is?" She gestured to him as he turned to Rory and flicked his hair. "He is _all _sass! I _would _say that he invented it, but I can't because Nine came first."

"Nine?" Rory repeated.

"Yeah, as in the Ninth Doctor. Two regenerations before this face – now _he_ was _all sass_. Seriously, I swear, Nine invented sass. Eleven's just enhanced it." They were getting off track, Alex realized. Well, more so she was and she was dragging them along with her. She really needed to remember priorities here. "So, seriously Doctor, where are we?"

"I don't know." The Time Lord answered. "Something must have yanked us off course." That wasn't really surprised – and it isn't like the TARDIS fights it or anything. As she said in _The Doctor's Wife_ she always took him where he needed to go. The TARDIS refused to be told steered anywhere else once she knew where the Doctor had to be. "Look at the detail on that cheese plant!" He grabbed one of the leaves and took a deep breath.

"Right, but who would mock up an Earth hotel?"

Anyone. Alex thought. There was a big wide universe out there, and lots of planets loved the design and feel of buildings down on Earth – so they liked to recreate it. Of course, lots of times they could never quite get it right. There was just something about humans making it themselves that makes it… _human_ – if that makes any sense. If anyone else does it, they just don't quite get the _feel_.

The Doctor picked up an apple from a bowl. Alex could feel her mother watering when she saw it – it was nice and ripe. "Colonists, maybe, recreating a bit of home, like we ex-pats open English pubs in Majorca." He took a bit of the apple, and Alex bit her lip to stop making a noise when it made that delicious _crunch _that showed it was perfect. "No, whoever did this I'm shaking his… stroke… her hand… tentacle." The Doctor looked over at her, and saw the look of reverence she was giving the apple and handed it over to her. She snatched it right out of his hand and took a huge bit. "If you were hungry you should have said something." He muttered in her ear. "It seems that while you take care of the baby, I need to take care of you."

"I thought you always did that." She said as she crunched on the apple. She wiped away a bit of the excess juice from her chin.

"I protect you, Allie, but apparently I have to make sure you eating right and getting enough sleep. I have to play the _human _boyfriend." He kissed her temple. "And I'm fine doing that if it means that you stay as healthy as Abby does."

"But," okay she wasn't eating _just _right and maybe she was getting less sleep that normal, but that was all about being a mother. She would make herself get up in the middle of the night to get see Abby instead of the Doctor. He needed his sleep too – seriously, she could see the bags under his eyes – and she hated to wake him up.

Abby gurgled and the Doctor nodded his head. "You tell mummy that." Alex gave him a look. Their daughter had told her that she shouldn't fight it; it was daddy's job to take care of mummy just as much as it was to take care of her.

"Ugh, fine!" Alex threw her hands up in mock surrender. "I can't do anything if you _both _gang up on me!" She crossed her arms – well sort of, she crossed them as much as she could with Abby against her chest – and pouted. Abby giggled in delight at seeing her mother do that and the Doctor kissed her cheek again.

"You know we're just looking out for you." He ran his hand down her cheek and made her look at him. "You know that, right?"

"Of course, Doctor." Alex rolled her eyes. "Why would you even ask me that? Of _course _I know that, Doctor." She reached up and gently kissed him. She was surprised that he would even ask that, considering that she had always known that. He would always look out for her; he would always take care of her. He was determined to do it, and it warmed her heart because ever since she was a little girl it had always been the opposite.

It wasn't that her parents didn't love her or anything – no, no they loved her very dearly. But her sister was always sick a lot so a lot of their time and effort went into helping her sister. She would often help her sister a lot. But often times, because she didn't want to add to her parents' worries and problems, she often times just kept to herself. Whenever she became sick, she rarely said unless it became really bad, she often times just spent time on her own either downstairs – in what her family affectionately called her 'girl-cave' or on the computer.

She supposed even after her parents' death, it was such a habit of hers that she never bothered to break it. No matter where she was sent to or which foster home she ended up in, she kept to herself and took care of herself on her own. It was why she loved the Doctor so much, because he wasn't willing to let her do it alone anymore. He was stubborn when it came to taking care of her. He was going to do it despite anything she told him.

And she was grateful too. Despite whatever she told anyone else, she often got tired of depending on her own – when her parents were alive if she got tired she could just go to them and they would help her out with whatever it was she needed. Once they died, she never felt connected enough to anyone else that that option never opened itself for her again. Not until she met the Doctor, she was able to connect with him enough that she could tell him when she was tired and he would make sure to take care of everything for her.

She didn't need to act strong all day and night with him. He _wanted _her to relax and let him take the reins sometimes. He _wanted _her to ask for help and to say when she was tired or upset so he could help her and fix it. "Doctor," Their eyes locked and Alex smiled very gently at him, trying to express the gratitude she held for him. "_Thank you_." She whispered to him.

He didn't say anything, he never needed to. She knew that he would know what she was talking about. That was the beautiful thing about the physic connection they had with each other. "Have you seen these?" Both Time Lords looked over and saw that Rory was looking at all the profiles on the walls. "Look at the labels underneath." All three of them gathered around, and read the planks. "Commander Halke, defeat. Tim Heath, having his photo taken. Lady Silver-Tear… Daleks."

Amy picked up with a few more. "Paige Barnes, other people's socks. Time Nelson, balloons. Novice Prin, saberwolves. Royston Luke Gold, Plymouth. Lucy Hayward, that brutal gorilla. "Doctor, what does it mean?"

"I don't know." He replied. "Let's find out." The company all walked down the stairs and it ended in the reception. Alex looked around and then shrugged and saw a bell at the desk – never put a shiny object that makes bells in front of an American. She rang it three times in quick ressions and giggled.

"I love shiny things that make noise." Abby let out a giggle with her mother. "Want me to do it again, sweetheart?" A gurgle. "Why it would be my pleasure!" Alex whacked it a few more times and two girls went into a fit of laughter. When they looked over they saw that Rory, Amy, and the Doctor were looking at them. "What? I'm American, lighten up! Don't give an American a shiny new object that makes noise and expect them to be able to resist. We're like children in that aspect."

Three people suddenly came around the corner and everyone jumped. Alex immediately threw her arms around her baby, and the Doctor stepped in front of her so he was between the people and her. "Blimey, that was quick." The Doctor muttered.

"Well, a hotel's customer service says everything about the hotel." Alex commented offhandedly.

"We surrender!" One of the newcomers said, waving a white handkerchief as a white flag.

"No, it's okay, we're not… we're nice!" Rory threw out.

"She threatened me with a chair leg." The Doctor said, turning to his girl to complain as the woman in a nurse's outfit held the leg out offensively.

"Oh you poor thing," Alex replied sarcastically. "You'll get over it."

"Who are you?" that same woman asked.

"We're back in reception…" The last man muttered as he fixed his glasses.

"We surrender!" The first one repeated.

"Never been threatened with a chair leg before!"

"Yes you have," Alex gave him a funny look, "Don't you remember –?"

"Oh _yeeeees_," The Doctor smiled. "Those were good times!" She continued to give him a look, "okay so I lied. Rule One, love, I always lie."

"Okay, I need everyone to shut up!" Everyone turned to the woman with the chair leg. Alex was impressed at how she was able to handle this calmly – considering what the brunette knew was going on throughout all the rooms. _Nightmares_ – seriously, this one was up to par with _Night Terrors _in creepiness. "Their pupils are dilated. They're as surprised as we are. Besides which, if it's a trick, it'll tell us something."

"Oh, you're good. Oh, she's good. Amy, with regret, you're fired." The Doctor pointed a finger at her, but didn't even look away from Rita.

"What?" Amy asked dangerously. She didn't find that funny at all.

Alex was glaring a whole in his back, "Oh, Doctor? What about me than, eh? You going to _fire _me too?" The Doctor slowly turned around and could see he was treading _dangerous _waters.

"Of course not, love." He walked back over to her and kissed her head. "No one could _ever _replace you."

"I would hope so." Alex muttered.

The Doctor slowly lost his smile. "Don't, Allie, don't you dare start thinking for a second I would give you up. I will _never _do that. Never in a million years." She didn't want to look at the Doctor, she wanted to be mad at him – but she couldn't deny the relief that was spreading across her as he said those words. It gave her comfort to hear that he meant every word. "I love _you _and no one else." He murmured into her ear and she finally looked at him. "There we go," He kissed her cheek, "give me a smile, love. I live for your smiles."

Aw. She always melted whenever he got romantic or sweet – which was pretty much all the time. Alex couldn't stop herself from smiling at that. He returned it and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips. "So, judging from the instinctive response to surrender, are you from Tivoli?" Alex asked.

"Yes, the most invaded planet in the galaxy. Our anthem is called _Glory To Insert Name Here_." Wow, Alex could only nod her head. She wasn't really sure how to respond to something like that. They must get invaded a _lot _if they made their anthem interchangeable so they could praise which force was controlling them at the time.

"You with the face, Howie," _Smack_! "Ow!" He winced as he felt the suddenly collision of hand to the back of his head. He turned around to see Alex was giving him a dangerous look. He then realized what he had done. "Right, rude there, sorry."

"Don't apologize to me." She scolded him and then looked pointedly at the young man. "And make sure to sound like you mean it, too!"

The Doctor almost groaned. He hated it when she got like this, but knew that he probably deserved it. She _hated _it when he was rude to anyone. "I'm sorry, Howie." The Time Lord was only doing this to please his love.

Howie was blushing and fiddling nervously with his jacket. The Doctor felt a sudden wave of jealousy come over to him. He looked over to his darling girl; she was satisfied with his apology for now. She looked radiant, talking to Abby with a cooing baby tone. Abby loved it, squealing in laughter as she squirmed around in delight. "You said you were surprised to be back in reception, Howie." He didn't take his eyes off his beautiful girl. He didn't understand where her insecurities came from. If anything, the Doctor should be the one to feel that way. Such a beautiful, sweet, kind, _pure _girl… out of all the options that they ever came across, why would he pick a broken, sad, lonely, dysfunctional man?

He should be the one grateful. He should be the one that was insecure…

"The walls move, everything changes." Howie explained.

Well, sort of explained, it didn't make much sense and the Doctor didn't like that. He turned to the smart one. "You, clever one, what's he talking about?"

Rita made a better effort at trying to explain it. "The corridors twist and stretch, rooms vanish and pop up somewhere else. It's like the hotel's alive." The Doctor walked around and got to a small radio that continued to play elevator music. He turned it off, muttering something about how that was enough of that.

"And it's huge," Howie added, "with, like, no way out."

Well, they were standing before the front door, so… "Have you tried the front door?" Rory asked.

"No, in two days, it never occurred to us to try the front door. Thank God you're here." Rita replied with sarcasm. Alex quirked a smile, giggling to herself. The Doctor scanned the door as Amy laughed at the comment. With a look from her husband, Amy cut her laughter off. The Time Lord opened the doors wide and it was nothing but a wall behind them.

"They're not doors; they're walls, walls that look like doors. Door-walls, if you like, or 'dwalls', or 'woors' even." Yeah, Doctor we get the point, Alex thought with a roll of her eyes. She gestured to him to continue on. "Right, yeah, you'd probably got it when I said, 'they're not doors.' I man, the windows…" He walked over to them and threw open the blinds to show that they were also walls. "Right, big day if you're a fan of walls."

"It's not just that. The rooms have… things in them." Rita mentioned.

The Doctor smiled. "Things? Hello!" He loved things and Alex knew that – but these were things that were dangerous to anyone in this room, including him. "What kind of things? Interesting things? I love things, ask anyone."

"But they're not things, Doctor. They're nightmares." Alex explained. The Doctor stood up and walked over to her, looking her deep in the eyes. _Oh good, he's smart enough to know that when I speak about something that no one else knows, it means to listen up_. "The placks of all those people, Doctor? Remember when Rory read off the one about the Sontaran. Remember what it said? You said when we dealt with them with Donna that Sontarans never turned their backs. We saw how proud and arrogant Sontarans would be – think about it, dear, what's the one thing that a Sontaran would be afraid of…?"

"Defeat…" He muttered, realization coming to him. All the phrases beneath the names were what they were afraid of – what their nightmares were.

"So, they're nightmares?"

"Not just nightmares, Amy." Alex walked up to her. "It's more than that – so much more. It's that _one fear_, that one thing that you are more terrified than anything else…" She thought of how to explain it without giving away Lucy's note – since they hadn't found it yet. "It's that one nightmare that is scarier to you than anything else – and you saw on the placks that it literally could be anything. You don't know what it is until you open the door and find out – _but _the moment you do it honestly could not have been anything else."

There was silence in the air when Alex finished. Everyone was tense when they realized how serious this was. Rita, Howie, and the Tivoli alien were looking at her with shock, not understanding how she could know that if she's only just got here. "How do you know that?" Rita asked.

Alex made a face and waved her hand. "That's not important – not to mention it's complicated and boring and such – so, moving on to another question, how did you guys end up here?" Despite everything that's probably happened to them, it's still always difficult to explain that she's from a different dimension and she knows everything about this show. Yeah, _really _difficult and complicated and boring – seriously, better things to figure out than about where she's from!

Rita snapped out of it first, "I don't know, I'd just started my shift. I must have passed out, because suddenly I was here."

Howie fixed his glasses again, "I was blogging, next thing, this."

"Oh, I was at work," The Tivoli finished. "I'm in town planning. We're lining all the highways with trees so invading forces could march in the shade."

"Ah." The Doctor muttered. Yeah, Alex still had nothing to say to that. It was kind of weird how passive he was about this, but if he was from Tivoli then the race probably knew exactly what they were doing. They _were_ the oldest race in the whole wide universe for a reason.

"Which is nice for them." He added.

"Yeah… So what have we got? People snatched from their lives and dropped into an endless, shifting maze that looks like a 1980s hotel with bad dreams in the bedroom." He took out a Rubik Cube. "Well, apart from anything else, that's just rude."

"Where did you get that?" Alex asked. Her eyes widened. "Did you steal that from George?"

"No." The Doctor spoke too quickly and Alex's mouth dropped open and she smacked him playfully in the shoulder. He lifted up his chin in defiance to her. "He _gave _it to me, thank you."

"Oh?" Alex giggled. "You know I'm just pulling on your leg. But I thought you didn't like those, you said they were rubbish." Which seriously, they _are_. She hated those things with a burning passion.

"I was having an off day that time, and figured I'd give it another go. George wanted me to anyways." He threw it up into the air and then dropped it. "Now, let's go get the TARDIS." He grabbed onto his girlfriend's hand and they shot up towards the stairs with everyone else in tow. "We'll pop back to the TARDIS, I'll do a planet-wide diagnostics sweep, then we'll have a sing song."

"Ooh!" Alex clapped her hands as Abby giggled again. "Can we do the Campfire Song Song?"

"The _what_?" Rita asked.

"It's called the Campfire Song Song? Seriously have you never heard of it?" The Tivoli and Rita shook his head. While Howie didn't respond, she could see he recognized it; he just didn't want to admit it. "It's from SpongeBob SquarePants! Jesus, I mean, I can understand why you don't know it," She gestured to the alien and then gave a playfully disapproving shake of the head to Rita. "_Shame _on you, Rita! Didn't you ever have a childhood?"

"Well, excuse me if I was busy with my family and school…" Rita muttered.

Alex rolled her eyes and Abby responded to that. "Exactly, darling!" She gestured to her child. "What she said! I'm only joking with your, Rita, geez, lighten up." The Doctor had stopped suddenly and Alex ran into his back. She grunted and nursed her nose. She looked around the Doctor to see why he had stopped. Oh. Yeah. The TARDIS disappears. The Doctor reached out and felt around in the air where the TARDIS was. "What are you doing?"

He turned around to her, panicking only slightly. "Figured it might have been a nice go to check to see if the TARDIS wasn't just cloaked or something. And it's not. It's gone." He started to pace.

"But you parked it here, didn't you?" Amy asked.

"What's a TARDIS?" Howie asked.

Rory leaned against the banister. "Our way out. And it's gone." He dropped his head into his hands.

There was a pause and Alex turned to where they had came when she heard the music start up. "Doctor…" She said hesitantly. "Didn't you turn off the radio?" Both Time Lords looked at each other and suddenly he was in front of them. He grabbed Alex's shoulders and shielded Abby away from everything. She could feel he was starting to panic, but wasn't going to show it. He was worried, though, about her and Abby – among everyone else as well.

"We shouldn't have brought her," The Doctor growled. "We should have let her stay in the TARDIS. She would have been safe there!"

"Well, there's nothing we can do now, Doctor."

The Doctor cut her off. "You knew about this, didn't you? You _knew _and you still let her come along! _Why_, Allie? _Why_? Now the TARDIS is gone and she could get _hurt_!" Alex reeled back when the Doctor yelled at her in a harsh tone. His face slowly cleared as she felt tears come to her eyes. "Oh no, Allie…"

"You think I'd let her be hurt?" Alex couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You _actually believe _that I'd let anything happen to her?" She slapped him hard. "How dare you even suggest something like that, Doctor! She's not just your daughter, Time Lord! She's mine too!"

She turned away from him and put some distance between them. She heard the Doctor talking but she ignored him. She gently traced Abby's face. She cooed at her mother, telling her it was okay. "I would never let you get hurt." Alex muttered. "It's why I said that I'd keep you in the wrap the whole time we were here." She felt a few tears escape. That genuinely hurt… She couldn't _believe _that the Doctor would even begin to suggest such a thing. Of course she would never let Abby get hurt! He wasn't the only one that cared about their daughter!

Abby made a noise, telling her mother that she shouldn't be mad at daddy. He was just frightened for the both of them. Alex leaned her head down and nuzzled into her daughter's face. Abby gurgled something and reached up with her tiny hands and touched her mother's cheek, grabbing a piece of long brown hair into her fist.

There was two hesitant hands on her shoulders after a moment and she looked over for a second to see it was the Doctor. She turned away from him and shrugged of his hands. "Allie," His voice broke and he gently rested his face onto her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I am. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to say that, honestly, I didn't. I love you so dearly. I became frightened when we couldn't find the TARDIS – but not just for Abby. I knew you would never forgive yourself if something happen to Abby, and I didn't want to think about that."

She sighed deeply before she turned and pressed her side to his chest. She rested her head on his shoulder, and pressed her forehead into his neck, feeling his heartbeats. He instantly wrapped his arms around her waist and continued to murmur he was sorry. "I know, Doctor." She finally said. "You're forgiven. You're always forgiven." She felt the Doctor relax and realized just how much it affected him for her to turn her back on him.

She made a mental note to never do it again. "Come on, love. We need to go meet Joe." He took her hand and they followed Rita down the stairs to where Joe was. The Doctor tightened his hand, squeezing three times in 'I love you'.

Alex smiled and squeezed back four times, 'I love you too'. Abby made a noise and looked at her parents pointedly. They laughed. "She's right," The Doctor said and kissed Alex's temple. "We're much too in love to fight with each other."

She turned her head and kissed him on the cheek. "So we really should stop fighting and just trust each other." Alex added.

"I trust you with my life, Allie." He responded. "With everything, I trust you with everything love." They smiled at each other and it was another promise – to remember to trust each other and show that to the other.

-x-

Rita led them to the dining room and the Doctor was the first to answer. Joe was tied to a chair in the middle of the room – all around him were ventriloquist dummies. They were all laughing and bobbing there heads back and forth. "Oh wow, that is creepy." Alex muttered.

All of the dummies instantly stopped laughing at her voice and they turned their heads to watch them. Oh yeah, _very _creepy – not scary, mind you – but it was _definitely _creepy. "Hello, I'm the Doctor." The Time Lord greeted. Alex walked over to the tied up man, and saw he looked… almost drugged. He seemed very out of it, and much more happy than normal, he was sweating and Alex could see his pupils took up most of the iris. Geez, what has this guy been smoking?

"You're doing to die here." He said dreamily. Alex looked at the others uneasily. And here she thought the dummies were creepy… Nope. This man was taking the cake on the creepy scale.

"Well, they certainly didn't mention that in the brochure."

Alex gave him a funny look. "Did they need too? You always attract the dangerous trouble." Yep, that was the Doctor. The man with a sign over his head that said, 'GIVE ME SOMETHING DANGEROUS! I'LL ACCEPT ANYTHING THAT COMES MY WAY!'

"Oh, so it's my fault?" The Doctor asked good heartedly.

"Of course it is," Alex teased. "Last time I checked, you always believe that." Although, in that aspect, Ten was the _worst_. God, that man somehow was able to make _everything _his fault… Ugh. That man had _way _too much angst for one person.

"Is Joe there?" The Doctor asked, turning his attention back to the man before them. The Time Lord sat down across from Joe, and Alex plopped down onto her lap. "Can I have a quick word?" Abby had fallen silent, and when Alex looked down at the girl, the little baby was staring apprehensively at Joe.

Wow, seriously, Abby was one smart baby. "Oh, it's still me, Doctor, but I've seen the light. I lived a blasphemous life, but he has forgiven my inconstancy, and soon… he shall feast." Dude, he is one seriously freaking guy. And knowing that it was a giant Minotaur that he was 'worshipping' just seemed to make it creepier…

"Well, you've been here for two days, what's he waiting for?" The Doctor asked.

"We weren't ready. We were still raw." Raw in the sense that they didn't worship him yet. They had to find their rooms first and then they needed to be converted into food and _then _they were ready to be eaten.

"But now you're what?" The Doctor searched for the right word. "Cooked?" That was probably a good analogy for this considering that their faiths and beliefs were what the Minotaur fed on. Yeah, cooked… We're someone's future dinner/lunch/breakfast/snack… Alex tried not to cringe.

"If you like, soon you will be, too." She felt her boyfriend lean over for a second and watched as he saw something. She then followed the Doctor's eyes and saw that he was looking at Joe's dice cufflinks – she then saw the horseshoe tie clip. Dice cufflinks showed he was a gambler and the horse tie clip showed he believed in luck. Both of those little hints will come in handy later on. "Be patient." Joe continued. "First… find your room."

"My room…" The Doctor repeated. The room with your nightmare – so specific once you see it, it literally could not have been anything else. Alex figured that hers would probably be the Doctor's death – or maybe that the Doctor never existed. Either one was truly frightening to her, but she hoped to God that she never found out what would be in her room.

"There's a room here for everyone, even you, Doctor." Joe said. Alex grabbed onto his hand. The Time Lord squeezed her hand gently to show her it would be okay. "Yours is here too, Alex." A sudden chill went through her, she never told Joe her name… "Considering all the things you've seen, I bet yours is… _personal_." He looked down at the baby.

Alex shot up out of her seat and wrapped her arms around Abby in fright. The Doctor almost as soon as she did. He was glaring menacingly at Joe. "Allie," She shook when the Doctor put his hands around her waist. "Shhh, love, shhh, nothing's going to happen to either of you. I _promise_." He kissed her shoulder to comfort her. She turned around and buried her face into the Doctor's shoulder. She could feel herself crying – what if that's what her nightmare is? Not just the Doctor dying but her _baby_…

"Oh God," Alex sobbed. "What if that's my nightmare? What if that's what's in my room? God, Doctor, I can't… I…" She buried her face into her boyfriend's shoulder and sobbed. He gently hushed her and rocked her back and forth.

"Nuuuuh!"

Both of them looked down at Abby, and she was wiggling around. She was holding out her hands to her mother. She repeated the noise over again. "Yes, Abby, you tell Mummy!" The Doctor nodded and then cupped Alex's cheeks. "You listen to your daughter, Allie. Because you know how smart she is. She's telling you the truth, love. I would never let anything happen to you," Abby made another noise and the Doctor corrected himself. "Okay, _we _would never let anything happen to you."

Alex smiled a little and the Doctor turned back to Joe. The brunette wrapped her arms tightly around Abby and nuzzled into her head. "Thank you, baby girl." She whispered to her daughter, and her daughter cooed. The brunette woman just tuned everything else out. She forced those fears out of her mind – she hoped to God he didn't change them just on her simply thinking about her fears. She hoped it had to take actually _seeing _the fears in order for him to change her. But she didn't want to be thinking them, even despite that, she couldn't. She had to stay strong for Abby – she needed to stay strong so she could help the Doctor.

"Allie, come on, let's go." She turned to see that the Doctor had gotten a hand dolly and was using it to bring Joe along with them. She nodded her head and they all went back out of the room.

-x-

They all ended back at reception. They all gathered around the information center. Alex knew that the Doctor was frustrated that he didn't understand these things, but Alex knew he would get it in the end. She trusted him on that. He would get them out in the end. "Why you four?" The Doctor finally asked. "That's what I don't understand. Aside from all the other things I don't understand."

"I thought you understood everything." Alex teased. "So is that just a guy thing? Making everyone believe you know everything even when you do?" The Doctor gave her a look, but she knew that she was right. "You are such a guy," she giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "You have such sharp sexy cheekbones." She muttered against his skin. She saw goose bumps break out as he shuddered.

"Stop it." He poked her side and she squealed before smacking his arm. "Behave." He reached over and turned off the music again.

"What does it matter?" The Tivoli spoke up. "Sooner or later, someone will come along and rescue us. Or enslave us." While he didn't seem to mind either one, Alex wasn't about to let someone _enslave _her. No sir, she wasn't going to let that happen. She was American – they were very stubborn about their rights and their freedom.

"First, we need to find the TARDIS." The Doctor said with finality. He's the one with the plan – well, sort of. He seemed to always have a plan, but Alex knew he just made it up as he went. "Quick thing before we go. If you feel drawn to a particular room, do not go in, and make sure someone else can see you at all times." The Doctor looked over at Alex, and she knew he was silently telling her to specifically stay in _his _sights at all times. She returned it with a similar look telling him to stay in their sights at all times as well.

"Joe said _he _will feast. Is there something here with us?"

"Most definitely." Alex replied to Rita's question. "Always want to be on the safe side and assume that – oh and make sure to also make the assumption that whatever it is wants to kill you – ya know, so you stay… _alive_." Yep, that was such a epic warning. Alex almost rolled her eyes at herself.

Joe started laughing and everyone turned to him. The Doctor gave him a small smile, "Something you want to add, Joe?"

"Here comes a candle to light you to bed, here comes a chopper to chop off your head. Chop, chop, chop, chop." Alex felt chills run down her spine when he said that. Good God, that is creepy… Ugh. She keeps saying that, but the more she stays here the more really everything becomes creepy.

"Can we do something about him?" Howie exploded. It wasn't helping any of their nerves if Joe continued to just press their buttons and… act all _drugged up_. The Doctor and Alex look at each other and suddenly a frightening grin spreads across the brunette girl's face.

-x-

So, as their walking down the hall, Joe could no longer speak to them because Alex had found some duck tape and tapped it over his mouth, because when in doubt _duct tape_. That was one of her many mottos. She loved duct tape, seriously, _everything _could be duct tapped and it was so powerful and strong.

You could set of an atomic bomb on it and it still wouldn't break the duct tape. The Tivoli started to walk down a hall and Alex stalled when she saw her Time Lord was going a different way. "Doctor, this way…" He turned back around and walked with his girlfriend next to him. He reached out and grasped her hand. Alex smiled and tangled their fingers all together. It felt safe to be by the Doctor's side holding hands with him.

It felt like nothing could go wrong – as if you could throw anything you possible want at them, and nothing would ever break them apart. They were invincible when together. She heard Rory and Howie talking but she ignored it, and rested her head on the Doctor's shoulder. He kissed the top of her head and murmured against it. "We'll get out of her, love. Don't you worry. I won't let anything happen to you two."

Abby giggled and made a noise. Alex giggled. "You know she's right." The Doctor rolled his eyes and that just had the two girls laughing even harder.

Suddenly room 158 opened up and a gym teacher stepped out in front of the couple. They stopped and the three Time Lords looked at each other. "Hello." The Doctor greeted.

The gym teacher scowled at them. "Have you forgotten you PE kit again?" Everyone else had stopped to watch the interaction with slight fear in their eyes. "Right, that's it, you're doing it in your pants!" He went back into the room and slammed the door shut in his anger.

"But that's not scary at all." Alex said confused. "I thought nightmares are to be scary! What's the problem of your gym teacher telling you that you're going to be doing it in your jeans then?"

"Allie," She turned to the Doctor. "Pants in England mean your underwear…"

There was a moment's pause as Alex processed that. "Ooooohh." She nodded her head slowly as she realized how frightening that could be to people. Alex saw movement out of the corner of her eye, and turned to see Howie reaching for a door. "Whoa! Whoa! Howie!" She rushed over to him with the Doctor right behind her. Alex tried to pull the boy away, but it was too late the door was already open.

Inside was a group of high school or college girls. They were clearly those pretty and popular girls that couldn't give a rat's ass to someone like Howie. "Oh, look girls, it's H-H-H-Howie!"

"What's 'loser' in K-K-K-Klingon?" All of the girls laughed at him and Alex could feel her eye twitch.

"Oi!" She was about to go all black mother on their asses and not even care about the fact that it was a nightmare. "Where are ya parents, ya little back street sluts?" The girls stopped laughing. "Oh, don't give me those stares! Ya'll need to grow up! Get some sense and maturity! Or else you're going to end up all prostitutes 'cause you can't fit anything else in those walnut sized brains other than sex! And you know what? People like _H-H-H-Howie_," she mocked their tones. "are going to end up with magnificent jobs with all the money and you're going to be left with someone who's just going to use you for pretty looks." All of the girls were looking furious and Alex gave them a patronizing smile. "_So long ya bitching whores_!"

She grabbed the handle and slammed the door shut. She was still grumbling and it was clear that she was still bothering. "Allie, love," she turned to her Time Lord. "Have I mentioned how much I love you?"

She giggled. "You love me more than those kinds of girls, Doctor?"

He was smiling and kissed her lips. "Of course. You're right, there minds are so tiny." He gestured with his hands. "I would never be able to love those kinds of girls – anyways their not my snarky, protective, beautiful, brilliant Allie." Aw. She couldn't get over how romantic he was sometimes. She leaned up and kissed him.

She then turned to Howie. "You okay?"

"This is just some m-m-messed-up…" He seemed to struggle to get the words out smoothly. "CIA stuff, I-I-I'm telling you."

The Doctor put a hand around his shoulders and started to get him to walk, patting him on the chest. "You're right, keep telling yourself that. It's a CIA thing, nothing more." Alex turned around when she heard a growl come from somewhere behind them. Abby gurgled and her mother patted her head gently, telling her it was okay. "Allie, come on…" The Doctor didn't like that sound, Alex could tell, and she didn't either. She quickly got moving so that she was caught up and right next to the Doctor's side.

"I don't like that noise." She murmured to him as she grabbed his hand again, showing him how much she didn't like it.

"I don't either…" The Doctor replied as he squeezed her hand.

-x-

They had moved down quite a few more hallways and the Doctor was checking around for clues. He felt the wallpaper, tapped the light fixtures, and ran a finger across the plaster where it had been scrapped continuously by something. Amy and Rory had said something near the same time, but as they did a growl was heard again, but this time it was louder. Everyone turned to the noise and Joe started to struggle against his bonds.

"Okay, whatever that is, it's not real, yeah?" Amy didn't sound very convinced and was probably saying it out loud for someone to confirm it so she would feel better. Alex was feeling the same way and Abby curled back into the wrap. She hushed Abby gently and wrapped her arms protectively around her baby. Seriously – _seriously _– she would rather die than let someone hurt her baby.

"No, no, I'm sure it isn't," the Doctor didn't sound sure either, "but just in case, let's run away and hide anyway. In here." The Doctor, Howie, the Tivoli, and Alex all ran into one room with Rita pulled Joe into another.

Alex jumped in pure fright when she saw the Weeping Angels before her. She wrapped her arms tightly around Abby. "_Whoa_!" That slipped through rather loudly as she backed up against the wall. "Holy…"

The Doctor went into the room with Rory cutting her off from finishing it. Rory froze at the sight of the Angels, and the Doctor loud a noise of shock. "Don't… blink." Amy stressed as the four time travelers kept their eyes on the Angels – knowing what would happen if you don't.

"What?" Howie asked.

Alex explained. "They're aliens called Weeping Angels. They're statues, sure, but only when you're looking at them. The moment you so much as blink – they're that quick – the moment you blink or turn your back, the moment your eyes are off them they'll get you. They'll send you back in time and feed off of the potential energy from the lives that you would have lived. They are deadly fast – the fastest in the universe."

"Then why are they stone?" Howie asked.

"It's a defensive mechanism. A genius one, actually. You can't _kill _stone, can you? So, when anything is looking at it – even another Weeping Angel – it turns to stone and it can't move. It remains completely still – just like stone. It's why they're always covering their eyes – hence the name Weeping Angel. They have to cover their eyes, because a Weeping Angel isn't immune to turning to stone when another Angel looks at it."

The light start to flicker and Alex cursed. The angels began to do that creepy thing where they would move once the lights were out, but something occurred to the brunette woman. "Why haven't they gotten us yet?" The Doctor asked. He stepped forward and tapped one on the forehead. Nothing happen and Alex slowly relaxed. No matter how scary a bad dream is, they can't actually hurt you – the part of your brain where dreams are is on the opposite side to where you feel things like pain. "Amy, they're not real."

"What?"

"It's just a dream, Amy. It's like that." Her friend explained. "Remember when you're sleeping and you have a bad dream, it's just like that. No matter how scary bad dreams are, they can't hurt you." Amy nodded slowly.

The Doctor cupped her face so she was looking at him. "They should have gotten us by now. Amy, look at me, focus on me. It's your bad dream, that's all."

"I don't even think they're for us." Rory pointed out. In the cupboard, the Tivoli screamed and slammed the door shut. No, it wasn't, Alex saw. It was for him… This bad dream was probably his.

_Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump_.

Everyone turned to the door as the rhythmic noise continued. Alex realized that it was footsteps. The creature was walking past their door. The Doctor slowly inched towards the door. "Doctor, what are you doing?"

"I'm sorry, I just have to see what it is." Of course he does. Hasn't he ever heard of curiosity killing the cat? Alex supposed he would answer with the 'satisfaction brought it back' crap. Ugh. Annoying Doctor and his annoying comebacks. "I just have to see." The Doctor looked out the peephole. Alex held her breath and looked down to see the shadow as the creature passed the door. "Oh, look at you… You are beautiful." After a moment, the Time Lord jumped back as if startled. Alex went over to him, and wrapped around arm around his waist.

He looked down at her for a second and saw two curious and loving faces look back at him. He kissed them both on the foreheads before going back to look out through the peephole. "I think it's going after Joe." After a few very long and intense moments, the Doctor slowly opened the door and stepped out into the hall. He turned his head just in time to see Joe's body being dragged away. "Leave him alone!"

Alex jumped out of the room and turned her head just as the Doctor darted around the corner. "Doctor! _Doctor_!" Everyone gathered up with her and she lead them as they ran down the direction where the Doctor left.

However, it just continued to become one hallway after another, each of them lined with room after room after room. The group burst into a room only to see that they were back in the Dining Hall. "What?" Alex whirled around. "How did we get back here?"

Everyone filled in. "Like we said, the hallways change. Didn't you hear us?" There was something about Rita's tone that Alex didn't like. It rubbed her the wrong way.

Alex looked at Rita with a small scowl. "Yes, I did. But it's one thing to hear it and another to experience it." She said curtly. She looked around and saw that all the dummies were now lined up at the end of the stage. That was weird, they had been in the seats, but now they were just sitting there. They weren't laughing or staring at them or anything… The brunette could see that Amy was looking at Rita with a scowl on her face, and figured that Amy had gotten the same feeling from Rita's words. "Doctor!" She rushed towards the man but stopped when she saw he was carrying Joe. He walked over to the small stage and laid down Joe in front of the dummies.

-x-

As the Doctor was scanning Joe and the dummies with the screwdriver, Alex was holding Abby gingerly. She had a white cover over her, to give herself modesty as Abby breast fed. By how long this had been going on, Alex figured that Abby must be pretty starving. She ran a hand up and down their daughters back and looked up to see that the Doctor and Rita were talking.

She felt her eyes narrow as she saw that Rita was slowly inching herself towards the Doctor – he of course was completely oblivious to this. It suddenly clicked why Rita was giving her such a hard time. She liked the Doctor, even in the small time that she knew him. She probably thought he was handsome, smart, and funny – what wasn't there to like? But despite the fact that the Doctor and her had made it clear that they were madly in love, she still seemed to think she had a chance.

Alex almost snorted and turned back to Abby as the little girl pushed away from her dinner. Alex then held her head and rested her on her shoulder, and gently started to pat her back so she could burp. Abby gave a small very quite burp and then made a sleepy noise. She laughed, "well of course, darling, you're a lady. Ladies don't burp in public." Abby squirmed around a bit and responded to that. "Oh, alright," she had brought a small bag with her – that was bigger on the inside – that she kept all of everything Abby needed. She paused for a moment and then leaned down and smelled.

Oh.

"Okay, first you need to be changed, and _then _I'll let you play, okay?" Abby made a noise of consent and Alex pulled out a large blanket. She laid it out and gently put Abby onto it. She hid Abby away from everyone other than the Doctor and Rita, because she didn't know how uncomfortable they would get that she was changing Abby's diaper. She knew the Doctor would be fine since it was her daughter, and Rita was a nurse so she had to have dealt with this – and she wasn't going to lie… Part of her _wanted _to freak out if to see her reaction.

The Doctor watched her as she changed Abby's diaper. He couldn't help but smile. A few buttons still weren't buttoned up, so the Doctor could see her gorgeous neck. That gorgeous sensitive neck that he loved giving attention to when it was just the two of them in the their room. "So, are you and her…?" Rita gestured and trailed off. The Time Lord was oblivious to how important this question was to her.

"Yes, very much so." The Doctor smiled down at Rita – but Rita's eyes narrowed just the slightest bit and the corner of her lips turned down just a tad. "_Very _very much so. I love her more than I could ever express, and she loves me! Can you imagine?" He smiled as he let his eyes trail back to his favorite girls. "She's mine… The baby, she's Allie's and my daughter."

"That's _your _daughter?" Rita was crushed.

"Yes," The Doctor watched as his two girls started talking to each other. He could hear Abby letting out a bout of laughter as she threw her hands up. Alex laughed in response and pressed a raspberry to Abby's exposed stomach which just got her giggling more. He couldn't help but smile – that was his heaven. That was his happiness. It may be true that he had a room in there, but he knew that even if he did see it, he would never let it change him, for all he would have to do is look at his two girls, and he would remain strong.

"You… really love her, don't you?" Rita looked at Alex jealously. She was so lucky to have someone like the Doctor and it didn't even seem like she really appreciated it… Alex was just taking advantage of the Doctor's affections, she figured, if she had a guy like the Doctor… "It doesn't seem like she returns it… She doesn't seem to appreciate it very much…"

The Doctor's smile faded as he turned to Rita. "Rita, you're a very clever, girl, do you know that?" She nodded, and smiled – maybe he was starting to see that he would be better off with – "But my Allie is _so much more _brilliant that you could ever dream off." Rita lost her smile. "She's strong, and brave, and beautiful, and sweet, and kind, and more than you could ever hope for. Don't you dare tell me that Allie doesn't _appreciate _my love, because you don't understand her – you don't _know _her – no, not like I do. My love for her means the world to her – and I say this because I am amazed that such a woman would feel that way for someone like me. You're a clever girl, so don't you dare ever say bad things about Alex again, okay?"

She nodded and the Doctor walked off to hear that Alex was having a conversation with Abby. "I know, right? He's can just be so… I don't know, almost egotistical, ya know?" Everything was packed away again in the small bag again, and Abby was back in the wrap. Alex was curled up in the chair, speaking animatedly to their daughter. Abby was looking at her mother with such a look of intensity that you would have no problems thinking she _was _listening to her mother. "It's just, I wonder sometimes how he can get through the TARDIS doors with an ego that size! And he always thinks that he knows everything! And just, man…!" Both girls giggled.

"Who are you talking about?" The Doctor asked smoothly as he crossed his arms and gave Alex a look that showed he had a good feeling who she was talking about.

Alex giggled a bit more nervously. She was panicking mentally – oh damn, he heard me! Abort! Abandon ship! "I don't understand, Doctor." She tried, acting innocent and oblivious. "Talking about what?"

"You know what." He replied and leaned forward. She felt the hairs stand on end and was cursing mentally as she bit her lip. Oh Lord, he was giving her that look! That look that he gives when he wants her to tell him something and she can't resist that look because it's just that kind of look that makes all of her willpower dissolve and oh dammit! –

"I'm sorry!" She held up her hands and laughed. "I'm sorry! I was just telling Abby about how you can be somewhat arrogant and that you act like you know everything and I'm sorry and please don't be angry!" She was cowering behind her hands and Abby was having a _huge _fit of laughter at her parent's antics.

Eleven was losing the battle with trying to hide a smile from coming to his lips. "Is that what you think, eh?" In a flash, he was tickling her and she was laughing wildly.

"AH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY – HAHAHAHAHAHA – PLEASE – HAHAHAHAHA – STOP – I CAN'T ! MY STOMACH!"

The Doctor leaned forward and kissed her deeply. That sobered her up quite quickly, and she cupped the nape of his neck, fiddling with the ends of his hair. They completely lost sight of everything else as they kissed. Alex loved it when she kissed him. It was just so special. He always did it in a way that made her feel like she was the only thing to ever matter to him – and she supposed that was true for Eleven, considering she was his first face, and in essence his first love. The Doctor's tongue slowly slipped into her mouth and their kissing went a couple steps deeper.

She moaned in delight and made sure to keep the Doctor's face pressed up against him. Without warning, something kept tapping her in the neck. The Doctor and her broke apart in unison to see what it was, and Abby was glaring up at them. She garbled a noise and both the parents looked sheepishly at each other before apologetically at their daughter. "Right, yes, more important things to do here than kissing…"

"We'll continue later." The Doctor whispered in her ear, and that brought a bright smile to her face.

"Well, if you two are done trying to suck each other's faces off, look at this." Both Time Lords came up to see the pieces of papers Amy was holding. "I found it in a corridor; I completely forgot I had it."

Amy handed the notes over to the Time Lord and he tapped her in the forehead with them for forgetting. Although, Alex could see _why _– considering they had dealt with the Weeping Angel room, the fact that this hotel is being run by an alien Minotaur, and Joe inexplicably dyeing kind of takes your mind off something as small as a couple of pieces of paper in your pocket.

"Er…" When everyone stared at him, he realized he should read it aloud. "_My name is Lucy Hayward and I'm the last one left. It took Luke first. It got him on his first day, almost as soon as we arrived. It's funny_." Alex could almost hear Lucy's voice in her head, just like the episode. She remembered seeing Lucy's picture on the wall – _that brutal Gorilla_ had been under it. "_You don't know what's going to be in your room until you see it, then you realize it could never have been anything else. I just saw mine. It was a gorilla from a book I'd read as a kid. My God, that thing used to terrify me._" Alex could feel her heartbeats racing in her chest. She started to look around, just to make sure it was just them in the room. She couldn't help but feel a bit paranoid. "_The gaps between my worship are getting shorter, like contractions. This is what happened to the others... and how lucky they were. It's all so clear now. I'm so happy. Praise him_."

The Doctor was clearly disturbed by the notes and Alex wrapped a hand around his elbow. He wrapped an arm around her and gently kissed her forehead. Abby was shifting nervously, and both parents wrapped their arms around her as if to protect her.

"Praise him."

Everyone's head shot up and around to look at Howie was wide eyes. Oh damn, Alex thought as she remembered, they found his room so he's been sitting there – cooking if you will – until now he was nice and juicy for the creature. Alex couldn't stop the wince and shudder at that thought. That was a bit cruel even in her head, and that honestly frightened her a bit. "What did you just say?" The Doctor asked.

"Nothing." _I don't think so_, Alex could see he was struggling with it. His mouth kept twitching like he wanted to say something, but he refused to let them out. But he was fighting a losing battle, "Praise him!" He clapped his hands over his mouth – and that's when everyone lost it.

Alex winced and tried to hold up her hands but everyone was panicking. Gibbis kept saying that the monster was going to be led right to them because of Howie, Amy and the Doctor were trying to calm him down and Howie was understandably upset that he was going to get eaten. "Guys, we need to –" No one was paying attention to her and she looked down at her daughter. The younger girl made a gesture and then put her little hands over her ears. "You're good." She then turned the Doctor around – confusing him in the process but he still continued to try and comfort Howie.

"_Enough_!"

Alex raised the sonic screwdriver to the ceiling and turned it on. A high shrill shrieking echoed in the halls and everyone cringed and put their hands over their heads. Alex slowly lowed it and took a deep breath. "Okay, guys, seriously, _enough_. We can't all be panicking – that's when we make bad decisions. We need to stay calm and focus. Now, first' things first, let me make this clear we're not going to get rid of Howie or anything like that. _We all _stay together, alright?"

Gibbis wasn't having any of it. "Don't you see? He'll lead us right here!"

"What do you suggest?" Both Alex and Rita snapped at him.

"Look, whatever it is out there, it's obviously chosen Howard as its next course. Now... tragic though that is, this is no time for sentiment. I'm saying, if it were to... find him, it may be satisfied and let the rest of us go. All I want to do is go home and be conquered and oppressed, is that too much to ask?!" He sat down with a huff.

Alex took a deep breath, but the Doctor put a hand on her shoulder – no, he was going to handle this. Rita suggested that she stay with Howie, but Alex shot down that idea. "No, we need to stay together. None of us are going to let anything happen to Howie."

The Time Lord leaned down and whispered into Gibbis' ear. "Your civilization is one of the oldest in the galaxy. Now I see why. Your cowardice isn't quaint, it's sly," Gibbis made a noise as if he wanted to disagree but the look on the Doctor's face kept him from speaking, "aggressive." Another noise, "It's how that gene of gutlessness has survived while so many other have perished. Well, not today. No one else dies today. Right?" The Tivoli slowly nodded his head and mouthed 'yes'. "Brilliant."

Gibbis shot the Doctor a look when he walked away and he wrapped an arm Howie before sitting him down. "Howie, any second, it's going to possess you again. When it does, I'm going to ask you some questions. Please try and answer."

They all sat down and naturally Alex sat next to her Doctor. "I'm proud of you for being polite."

He smiled at her. "Of course, you raised me to be like that." She raised an eyebrow with a smirk on her lips. "Okay, so I'm not polite all the time, but Howie is about to change – I figure it would be best. He's probably scared."

"Oooh, good Doctor, you're being mindful of other people's emotions. I'm _so _proud of you." She patted his shoulder and kissed his cheek. The Doctor had turned to get those lush lips but Alex pulled away and was turning her head towards Howie. You could literally _see _the change spread throughout him. A smile came across his lips and he was suddenly relax and Zen. It was just like Joe – he seemed almost drugged. "Doctor…" She tugged gently on his arm.

He looked over to see the change in Howie and knew it was now time. "Howie… Howie." The boy looked up at him, and Alex felt a chill when she saw just how out of it he seemed to be. "Howie, you're next, we're all dead jealous, so tell us… How do we get a piece of the action? Why isn't he possessing all of us?"

"You guys have got all these distractions," He tapped his head to mean his brain. _Faith _– that was what the creature fed on. It was faith in anything really, and that was the 'distraction' so to speak. It needed to convert your faith into something it could feed on, "all these obstacles. It'd be so much easier if you just let it go, you know, clear the path."

"You want it to find you?" Amy asked slowly, to emphasis how crazy this was. But it was too late, Howie was already gone – there was nothing to convince him that the creature shouldn't find him. "Even though you know what it's going to do?"

"Are you kidding?" Howie looked as if his answer should have been obvious. "He's going to kill us all! How cool is that?!"

Everyone left the table and crowded around. "That's just creepy," Abby made a noise of agreement. "There's nothing we can do, it's clear, he's _desperate _to let the creature have him. We can't convince him it's wrong to do so."

"It's as I thought," The Doctor said, "it feeds on fear." Alex bit the inside of her lip as to not give anything away – just like the episode, just like the episode, just like the episode. She kept repeating it over and over again in her head like a mantra. She sighed mentally, sometimes knowing the future _sucked_. "Everything, the room, Lucy's note, even the picture in the reception, has been put here to frighten us. So we have to resist it. Do whatever you have to, cross your fingers," he gestured to Rory, "say a prayer," to Rita, "think of a basket of kittens," he gestured to Gibbis. He then turned to his darling girls, he then pointed to them, "and hold on _very tight _to me and don't let go." Both girls smiled slight. "But do not give into the fear."

"Okay, but what are we actually going to do?" Amy asked.

"We're going to catch ourselves a monster." The Doctor grinned.

"Oh no," Alex spoke up. "This is one of those plans where you become reckless and almost die, isn't it?" The Doctor just continued to grin as he rushed off. Alex dropped her head into her hands. "Yeah, it is." Abby made a noise. "Yeah, he is reckless, I know. I've tried everything, but he just doesn't listen!" She complained to her daughter as they walked off after their Time Lord.

-x-

The Doctor had explained what the plan was – and in case anyone was interest, yeah, it was a plan that was dangerous and reckless, but what can you do? Rita, Amy, Alex, and Abby all hid in one of the rooms and waited until the creature had passed. Rory would be on the other side waiting as well. Both were waiting for the creature to get into the room so they could lock it so it could be just the Doctor and him.

"Anything to do with you?"

Alex looked over confused at Rita before turning to see a very sad clown sitting on the bed. "Oh…" While she found clowns creepy, this didn't do anything to her so she shrugged. "Nope. Nothing to do with me." She looked over at Amy and the woman shook her head.

"How's it going?"

He just continued to stare at us. "I thought clowns don't talk." Rita paused, thinking about that. "Or is that just mimes?" Another thing that kind of creped her out. She hated mimes.

"No, I think clowns don't speak as well." Rita commented and Alex nodded.

"I always get those confused – too many creepy things. Never want to go to a circus 'cause of it."

"_Shhh_!" Amy hissed. They heard the rhythmic footsteps and Alex could see the shadow of the creature as he passed their door. Alex heard the distinct scrapping noise as the alien Minotaur's horn scrapped against the beam – the same mark which the Doctor had been looking at earlier. Alex peeked through the silver of opening that Amy allowed her to have.

"It's in!" She whispered urgently. "Let's go!" All three girls rushed out and Rita and Alex closed the doors. Amy ripped off a piece of the railing from the wall and slid it through the door handles. "Rory!" She called to the other side. "He's in!"

It was hard to hear the Doctor through the doors, but all four girls pressed their ears up against the door so they could try and hear – in case something went wrong and the Doctor got in trouble. Alex could just barely make out words – but she remembered enough of the conversation from the episode. It was telling the Doctor that this was actually a prison for the alien Minotaur, but most importantly it didn't want to do this – it was only instinct. It wanted it to stop just as much as they wanted it to. But it couldn't stop itself, because it was just pure instinct.

Then Alex heard something perfectly clear that made her blood chill. "My master, my lord." Their heads shot up.

"That's Howie." Rita pointed out.

"He's gotten out." _No! No! No! NO!_ Dammit, Alex was panicking. If she remembered the creature's instinct and the creature would break through the other door – the one Rory was guarding – and would escape to find Howie as he continued to call out for the creature.

Alex ripped the paneling out of the way and the three girls threw open the door. The Doctor let out a small scream in surprise when the door opened but he saw it was just the three girls, and relaxed. "Pond, bring the fish." He ran out the way that the Minotaur went.

"Oh, good Lord!" Alex took the wrap off and handed Abby to Rita. "Please, please, _please _Rita take very good care of her!" She nodded and Alex rushed off to find her Time Lord. "Doctor! Doctor!" Alex just kept trying corridor after corridor but she couldn't find them anywhere. Alex was whirling around on the spot as she looked for any signs of them. But she couldn't find any and that was making her extremely nervous. "Doctor!"

She took off down another corridor and stopped, but there was still no Doctor. Alex felt… _something_ drawing her to turn around. She slowly did and watched as one of the doors just seemed to come closer to her. It kept… _whispering _almost, calling Alex to open the door. The girl hesitated – resisting the pull for a few moments – but her feet started to move on their own. She became entranced by the door. Something was just telling her – _begging _her – to open the door.

She wondered what would be inside. She figured she had already knew – but Lucy had said that you only would really know until you saw it. She was now right in front of the door. She figured it had to be something to do with the Doctor or maybe Abby – or who knows, it could be both. Dear God, that thought _would _be her nightmare.

She was slowly reaching up to grasp its shiny golden handle. She couldn't stop wondering what would be in her room. The whispers grew louder, telling her that she would never know until she opened it and then everything would be okay. She would just peek in and everything would be fine. She would only need a quick look, nothing to long for the monster to get at her.

Her hand was now clasped around the handle, and she slowly turned it to open.

"_Allie_!" The tug was small, just enough for her to hesitate. "_Allie_!" It called again, and it was another small tug, but the whispers and the urge was just too strong.

The door knob was now turned all the way and Alex slowly pushed it open.

A shrill cry echoed throughout the halls. Without even realizing it, Alex was suddenly turning her head to the noise. It sounded again, just as the voice called out her name. Abby, something was wrong with Abby. Within an instant, Alex's thoughts only centered around Abby – she needed to get back to her daughter. She needed to fix whatever it was that was wrong. Without even looking behind her to the door, with the whispers completely gone, Alex took off towards where she had come.

"Allie!" Alex turned the corner and saw her family rushing towards her. The Doctor looked completely flustered and it was clear that he had been running as hard as he could to find her. "_Allie_!" Abby let out another cry – but this one was out of happiness when she saw her mother again. "Rita told me what happened! She said that you ran off! Why did you do that? You know that someone is supposed to be with you at all times! You could have found your room and no one would help you!"

"I did…" She blurted out, and the Doctor froze and looked at her with wide eyes. "No, no, not like that. I never opened it."

"Explain." He said softly.

"That's why I brought her, Doctor!" Alex finally explained, gesturing to their daughter. "I brought her because I realized that there would be something more powerful than the urge to open the door! Motherly instinct! A mother's instinct to protect and fix what was wrong with her child would be more powerful than whatever physic trigger that would get the people to open the door. I told Abby that, I said that if I ever left – I told her that if I didn't come back within at least two minutes that she was supposed to cry. She was supposed to cry as loud as she could so that I would hear her."

"So that if you ever found your room, you wouldn't open it because she was crying." The Doctor finished.

"Exactly, that's that what happened Doctor. I didn't even hear _you_!" Both knew that said something. She always heard her Doctor's voice. "It didn't even register in my brain when you called out my name. If it had just been you, than I would have opened that door and looked inside. But I _didn't_, because I had also heard Abby's cries." The Time Lord handed over their girl to her mother. "I mean, it's not even that it has anything to do with the fact I love her more than you or anything like that. Dude, you can handle yourself! You're old enough. But, she's not, she completely defenseless."

He was completely relieved and grasped her face into his hands. "I was so worried; love, when I heard you had run off to find me. I was so frightened. I had a feeling the hotel would keep us apart, and I had been terrified that you would have opened the door."

Alex wrapped an arm around the Doctor's neck and she felt him press his face into her hair. "I'm okay, Doctor. I swear I didn't open my door, everything's fine, okay? Everything is okay." He nodded into her hair and then pulled back only to kiss her deeply. She felt it, through his kiss, how desperate he was, how frightened he had been.

Alex kissed him back, a silent message that she was fine. She was okay. They were all back together, and everything was going to be fine. "Come on," she murmured. "Let's get back to the others."

-x-

Abby was hungry again, so she sat down in a chair at the base of the stairs and fed her darling daughter. Alex looked up and saw that the Doctor and Rita were talking on the stairs. While Rita was quite close to the Doctor, Alex didn't feel the sense of jealousy or anger that she usually did. Throughout this whole adventure, she realized how differently the Doctor treated her compared to the others.

He constantly wanted her to be by his side. When she ran off, she could feel the desperation in him and she knew that he honestly had been worried that she had opened her door. As she looked back at it, even when he had been angry at her for bringing Abby, while the words had hurt he was just frightened for the both of them – Abby had totally been right in that aspect. Everything in this whole adventure showed that Alex really didn't have a reason to be worried or jealous.

He had seen a beautiful girl like Amy – and before he found out about Rory – he wasn't even remotely interested. He still waited for her all that time, no matter how flirty Amy got with him. We had met people like River, and he still didn't show any signs of being interested even in the slightest.

He only had eyes for her. She only had eyes for him. Both of them continued to just see each other and no one else. Alex didn't think it was possible anymore for either of them to see someone else in the same way that they saw each other. Even the _TARDIS_ saw that they loved each other. It was why she slept with him in the first place, it was why she had Abby. It was all for the Doctor, because she knew deep down in her heart that there would _never _be anyone else.

But as she looked at the interaction between the Doctor and Rita, it was always nice to have a visual to give you a smack on the head to show how stupid you've been. The Doctor finally came down the stairs and paused when he saw such a bright beautiful smile on her face. "What?"

"Nothing." She giggled. "I just love you, is that wrong?"

He grinned. "Never." He kissed her gently on the lips. "Come on," He was about to go off but Alex didn't move. "Allie?"

She then looked pointedly down at her chest, where Abby was still getting her feed. "Um… hello? Feeding our daughter right now…" The Doctor flushed but he walked back over, and she saw he tried to pick up the modesty blanket a bit. She smacked his hand away and gave him a stern glare. He backed up. Abby finally pushed away from her food, and smacked her lips sleepily. "Oh, there, we go." Alex lifted her up and helped her to burp before looked over at the Doctor. "Could you help me put my bra and shirt back on?" He nodded, and covered her with him, so even if someone walked by they couldn't see over the Doctor. She felt him fumble with it a bit, and realized it was a nursing bra. "You just take the part that's open doctor, pull it over, and there should be clip near the top where you just pop it in." He found it and did just that, before he buttoned up her shirt for her.

"There we go," He kissed her gently on the lips, and helped her get Abby into the wrap again. Abby was out like a light before they even started walking.

"So, where are we going?" She asked as they went down a hallway.

"We're going to go find security." Oh yeah. Alex remembered that, she turned down a hallway, not even realizing the Doctor hadn't followed her until it got suspiciously quiet. Alex turned around and saw the Doctor wasn't in sight. "Doctor?" She called out and groaned. "Oh come on, not again!" Thankfully Abby didn't stir, but Alex didn't need to worry about her. She was a deep sleeper. "Doctor!"

She tried to backtrack to the stairs, but only ended up just getting deeper and deeper into the hotel. She was having such a headache right now, and was getting _sick _of this stupid friggin' hotel! She took a deep breath to calm herself and continued to walk in a random direction. She didn't go anywhere near the doors, and she certainly never tried to open one. God knows, one of them would be her room.

She stopped and then looked around, she saw a room that got her attention and when she walked over to it, she saw that it was security. She could hear voices already in there, and was about to go inside when Amy and Rory came up behind her. "Ah!" She jumped and felt her heart race. "Good God! Don't do that! You scared me to death!"

"Sorry," Rory held his hands up and Alex rested a hand on her now racing heart. "Rita's gone missing."

She looked up, surprised, and then whirled around and threw open the door. She saw that the Doctor was there, speaking on the phone and when she looked over her shoulder to see Rita on the screens her heart dropped into her stomach. It was too late. Rita was right when she told the Doctor that the hotel would keep them apart. There was no way to rescue her now – she was gone.

Alex felt a few tears fall from her eyes. Amy relayed the same message to the Doctor, but both already knew she had gone missing. The Doctor continued to beg her to let him come and find her, to do anything so that she wouldn't be killed. Alex put a hand on the Doctor's shoulders and then put her head onto it. She cried softly, not able to bare it. "Let her have her peace, Doctor. It's the least we can do." She whispered in his ear as Rory pointed to the screen, seeing the beast come for her.

The Doctor continued to beg even after she hung up. He looked over at his girl, his darling darling girl, and saw she was crying and shaking, but she was nodding. She was telling him to give Rita her wish. _Remember her as she was_.

The Doctor pulled out his screwdriver and turned off the monitors so to Rita's wish. Alex wrapped her arms around her Doctor, and he cried silently – without tears. Before the Doctor, Alex wouldn't have believed that possible. But ever since she met him, she realized that you could be sobbing and crying without one single tear being shed. She ran her fingers through his hair to calm him, and the Doctor gripped her tightly to him, as if she was his lifeline – she _was _his lifeline.

One free hand had reached up and was gently running its fingers across the still sleeping Abby.

-x-

The Doctor was screaming as he threw and knocked things over. Alex was at the far both, gently rocking Abby back and forth. She had woken up – seeming to sense her father's anger – and had cried softly, upset that her daddy was upset. Alex continued to rock her back and forth, running a hand across her back to soothe her.

The Doctor storm into the room and sat down without a word next to her. He was glaring out in front of him, and his hands were clenched around the Rubik cube as he started to work at it without even looking at it. Abby and Alex shared a look, before the woman decided this was enough. "Doctor, open your arms."

"Why?"

She gave him a look, and he peeked over at her before he did was she told him. She then put Abby into his arms. The Doctor instantly looked down at Abby. She reached out to him with her small hands and started making noises – mimicking her mother's words whenever he got angry. Alex then reached around and held his shoulders tightly in her arms. She felt the tension and anger and frustration and sadness all seep out of him.

He rested his head onto his Alex's shoulder and the three of them rocked back and forth. He looked down at the same bundle of life that was in his arms – still amazed, even now, that was he was able to create with her. All the negative emotions that had been whirling around him disappeared as he held his daughter while behind held by Alex.

"I love your both." He murmured. "I'm sorry."

Alex kissed his head to show she wasn't angry at him at all, and Abby echoed it.

"We love you too." Alex spoke for both of them. They loved him no matter what. That would never change.

-x-

The Doctor had calmed down, but he kept both girls as close as he could to him. He needed them to keep stable. He would be completely lost without them. "Okay. It preys on people's fear and possesses them." Alex looked down and her brow furrowed when she saw that the Rubik cube was completed. He must have done it when he was angry. She raised an eyebrow, so he was able to complete it when he was angry, but when he was level-headed they were rubbish? She almost laughed if it wasn't for the fact that would have been _completely _inappropriate.

"But, Rita wasn't scared." Alex pointed out, to keep him thinking. "She was brave – especially near the end."

"Maybe it's something to do with the people, some connection between the five of you that'll tell me how to fight it." She could hear the Doctor's gears turning and when she looked at the clock, knew it would only take a minute or two before he would figure it out.

"Yes. You keep saying that, but you never do. And while we wait, people keep dying. And we'll be next!" Gibbis pointed out. Alex was really tired of him. He was up there that guy from _Voyage of the Dammed_, Rickston Slade. Oooh, just thinking about him made her eye twitch. She really did hate that man with a burning passion.

"Look, he'll work it out, he always does. Just let him riff and move anything expensive out of his way." Alex could see the moment when the light bulb went off over the Doctor's head. There we go, Alex thought, he had figured it out. He looked over to her, to confirm if he was right, and Alex gave a very discrete nod. It wasn't fear that the creature was using, but _faith_.

"Oh no." The Doctor dreaded that his Alex would tell him he was right, and he was hating for being right at this moment. "Oh, no, no."

"Doctor, what's wrong?" He looked over at Amy and then back to her and Alex's eyes dropped, and he knew what that meant.

"It's not fear. It's faith. Not just religious faith, faith in something." He got up and walked over to Gibbis' table. "Howard believed in conspiracies, external forces controlling the world. Joe had dice cufflinks and a chain with a horseshoe. He was a gambler. Gamblers believe in luck, an intangible force that helps them win or lose." The Doctor moved to and started to walk back and forth between Amy's and Rory's table and Gibbis' table. Alex got up and walked over to stand in front of Gibbis' table. "Gibbis rejected personal autonomy and is waiting for the next batch of invaders to tell him what to do. They all believe there's something guiding them, about to save them. That's what it replaces. Every time someone was confronted with their most primal fear, they fell back on their most fundamental faith." He sat on a barstool and Alex went over to him, she put her hands on his shoulders and rubbed them when she felt such tension. "And all this time, I've been telling you to dig deep. Find the thing that keeps you brave. I made you expose your faith. Show them what they needed."

"But why us? Why are we here?"

"It doesn't want you, Rory. That's why it kept showing you a way out. You don't believe in anything." It can't do anything with Rory, because if he has nothing to believe in, then there's nothing to convert into food.

"It wants them." He gestured to both Alex and Amy.

"Us?" Amy asked alarmed, but Alex just lowered her eyes to the ground. She had known it the whole time. Abby shifted in the warp, not at all happy about this. She ran a hand across her back to calm her. The ginger got up and walked over to her, she paused as she sat down and contemplated this. "Why?"

"Because we have faith, Amy." She turned to her brunette friend. "But not in anything religious, it's our faith in the Doctor." It was why she had been so adamant that Abby was there – so she wouldn't open her door. She didn't want to know what was inside, she never did. She knew that the moment she had seen her door, it would have changed her. It would have changed her faith in her Doctor.

"But why do they lose their faith before they die and start worshipping… it?" That was a good question. The Doctor stood up and walked near Rory to explain.

"It needs to convert the faith into a form it can consume. Faith is an energy, the specific emotional energy the creature needs to live. Which is why at the end of her note, Lucy said…"

"Praise him." Alex's eyes widened and her head snapped over to Amy. Her eyes were wide too and both of them were looking at each other in alarm.

"Did you just say…?" Alex murmured, but Amy was already nodding her head in fear. Everyone jumped to their feet and was staring at Amy.

"No. Oh, please, no." Rory begged, but it was already happening. Alex could see it in Amy's eyes – she was already starting to praise him. The change was already happening. Rhythmic thumping echoed throughout the hotel and everyone knew the beast was coming.

-x-

The five of them rushed down the hall. The Doctor had a tight grip on Alex's hand as they tried to escape the beast. At one point, Alex turned around and saw Amy had stopped. "Amy!" She cried, that got the attention of the boys and they turned around too.

"Amy?" The Doctor called to her, but she completely ignored him.

"What are you doing?" Gibbis yelled to her. But Alex knew it would all be white noise to her. Amy would only be focused on solely on the beast.

"He is beautiful." Amy said – and Alex almost rolled her eyes when she heard a tad bit of lust in there. Oh yes, very Amy, she gets controlled by the beast and feels lust for it… Gibbis yelled to leave her but the Doctor and Rory each grabbed an arm and threw it over their shoulders.

"This way!" Alex called as she shot down another hallway with everyone else in tow. Without thinking, Alex just threw open a door and they all rushed into it. Alex almost crashed into small Amelia. The young girl turned around and looked up at Alex for a long moment, before she turned back around and looked at the window. Alex realized what it was, Amy's fear had been if the Doctor never came back. All those years ago, when she was just a child, as she waited for the Doctor and her, and they never came back. That was Amy's fear, if the Doctor had never returned.

"Allie," The Time Lord grabbed onto Alex's arm and guided her to the floor, and she forced her eyes away from the heartbreaking sight. He turned back to Amy, "I can't save you from this, there's nothing I can do to stop this." Both girls looked at him in alarm.

"What?" Amy whispered.

Alex didn't understand why he was saying this. What was the purpose? Anyways, he was lying – she knew this. He could do anything. He was the most amazing man she ever met, and no one could even think to hold a candle next to him – in her eyes at least. "I stole your childhood and now I've led you by the hand to your death. But the worst thing is, I knew. I knew this would happen. This is what always happens." Alex could feel tears start to come to her eyes, as she just listened to the Doctor. These words were the worst in the world to her – how could he say things like that? "Forget your faith in me. I took you with me because I was vain, because I wanted to be adored." He stroked Amy's hair, and Alex could feel her hand shaking inside the Doctor's. He looked at her for a moment – just a fleeting moment – before looking back at her ginger friend. "Look at you. Glorious Pond. The girl who waited for me. I'm not a hero. I really am just a mad man in a box. And it's time we saw each other as we really are." He kissed her forehead. "Amy Williams." He tapped her on the chin. "It's time to stop waiting."

Alex was just staring at the space where the Doctor had left. Amy and Alex put a hand on each other's shoulders, both needing the support. Amy's faith in the Doctor was broken, which would finally give the Minotaur the peace he was looking for. But, Alex still couldn't get the words he had just said out of her mind. She didn't want to believe him. She kept her faith in him for so long, that she couldn't just let it go… It was the one thing that always made sense to her – the one thing she could always rely on. Both of them slowly got up as the hotel started to disappear before their eyes.

She looked around and saw that it turned into a black room with a light grid as the floor. A instrument panel was over by the side, still running. "What is it, a Minotaur? Or an alien? Or an alien Minotaur?" From all of their adventures, something like that was never out of the question. "That's not the question I thought I'd be asking this morning."

"You never do plan for it." Alex said as she hid her hands behind her back, which were still shaking – _she _was still shaking. "It just happens. With our lives, _anything _can happen." She laughed a little and Amy smiled a bit.

"It's both, actually." She noticed the Doctor wasn't trying to comfort her, and that made her _extremely _uneasy. Something had occurred to him – she could feel it – some decision he came to her, and he wasn't telling her what it was. He always told her his ideas and decisions and things, so why wasn't he telling her now? She realized it was something about her, some decision he made about her, and she knew she wasn't going to like it. Why else wouldn't he tell her? The Doctor walked over to the information panel. "Here we go." He started to look through the information. "Distant cousin of the Nimon. They descend on planets and set themselves up as Gods to be worshipped. Which is fine, until the inhabitants get all secular and advanced enough to build bonkers prisons."

"Correction, prisons in space." Rory corrected and Alex saw he was looking out of a window looking down into the universe.

"Where are the guards?"

"Probably doesn't need any." Alex offered as she eased herself over to the Doctor's side. "It's all automated. Like he said, _advanced_." She reached out and touched her Time Lord's arm, and he grasped her hand tightly and kissed it a few times for good measure. It just made her more uneasy – she didn't like the under message she could feel he was saying to her. She didn't even want to admit what he was telling her – she didn't want to listen.

"Allie's right, it drifts through space, snatching people with belief systems and converts their faith into food for the creature."

"It didn't want just us." Amy pointed out as she walked over to the other side of the Time Lord. "So, you must have believed in some god or someone, or they'd have shown you the door, too. So, what do Time Lords pray to?" There was a pause, as the Doctor look at her. Alex had walked over to the minotaur and was giving him comforting words, to soothe him as he eased into his peace. Amy still saw it though, it was a fleeting second, but she saw the Doctor's eyes flicker over to Alex.

"According to the in-flight recording, the program developed some glitches. It got stuck on the same setting, the fears from people before us weren't tidied away." That made sense, and it also made it somewhat creepy. You didn't know which room was yours or someone's before you. It kept the suspense in the air, and that totally freaked her out. She was glad it was over now.

The Minotaur started to growl and Alex hushed him gently, but he continued to speak. "What's it saying?" Amy asked.

The Doctor translated. "'An ancient creature, drenched in the blood of the innocent, drifting in space through an endless, shifting maze. For such a creature, death would be a gift'." He leaned down and put his hand on the Beast's face. "Then accept it. And sleep well."

However, as the Doctor got up to turn away the Beast had one last thing to add. He froze and Alex could feel his eyes going wide as he tensed up. Amy looked at the Doctor for a moment before looking at the only other person who could translate. "'I wasn't talking about myself'." Everyone paused for a moment and turned back to the Doctor as he stood silent for a moment as the Beast died. He then seemed to snap out of it as he walked over to the TARDIS. Amy, Rory, and Alex looked at each other for another second before they followed him.

"Could I have a lift?" Gibbis asked as he stood near the TARDIS. "Just to the nearest galaxy would do."

-x-

The Doctor had been making the Alex more and more uneasy as he started up the TARDIS. He kept as far away from her as possible, and she couldn't figure out if it was something that she had done wrong… She was worried, but he wouldn't let her help him. He continued to shy away from her, not even meeting her eyes.

It was only when the TARDIS had landed and they exited did it all suddenly make sense. Everything clicked in her mind as the Doctor explained that the house and car was the Ponds'. She was looking at a house right next to theirs, however. It was a beautiful single story house that stood at the end of the block. It mirrored the Ponds' house in color – a beautiful soft blue for the house and TARDIS blue for the door.

She knew it was her house. She just knew it. She knew it was her house, and she knew what this meant. She could feel tears coming to her eyes as the Doctor explained to Amy why he was doing this. She didn't hear any of the conversation as she just continued to look at the house. Part of her hated it so much – with a burning passion. She had to close her eyes against the on slaughter of emotions.

He was leaving her _again_.

He promised her that he would keep her close. He promised her that he would never let her go. He promised that they would fly together forever.

He lied.

She should have known. Rule one: The Doctor lies. "I can't believe you're doing this." She muttered as he walked up next to her.

"I have to, Allie."

"No, you _don't_." She snapped as she whirled around to him. But he was just staring at her with sad calm eyes. "You _don't have _to do anything! _Why_?" That was one of the things that she needed to know. _Why_?

"Because I can't let anything happen to either of you. You're both my _life_ and if anything happened to you I would never let myself live it down." He grasped onto her hands, trying so hard to get her to understand.

"But that's stupid!" Alex replied, on the verge of crying. "It didn't work the last time, why would you try it this time!"

"There's nothing else I can do!" He replied, and she saw that he was crying. He was crying and desperate and sad and in pain to let her go. "I can't do anything else, love. Being near me is dangerous and stupid. You've already been hurt, but what if you get hurt and you can't get through it like you did all those other times? What if you got seriously hurt? What if you _died_? What if you _both _died?"

Alex was crying too. She hated the fact that she understood him at that moment. He couldn't bear to have them die – he couldn't even bare that thought. So he was pushing them away. Giving them a life he could never have and she never wanted so that they could be safe. The Doctor wrapped his arms tightly around his two girls and they were both crying. "Doctor, please, please, please…" Don't go. Please, don't go. She didn't want this life, she never wanted this life. She just wanted him.

"I'm sorry, love, I'm so so so sorry. But I know you understand this. I can't let you die and I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you both, and if that means ripping out my hearts and leaving you behind so you can live a _safe _life then I will."

"What about me?" Alex snapped. "Why is always about despite your pain you'll do whatever you want? Have you ever thought about what _I _want? I don't _want _to stay here! I don't _want _a normal safe life! I want _you_!" She was falling apart, but could see that there was nothing she could do to convince him to change his mind. "I love you Doctor, please don't make me do this again."

The Doctor grabbed her hand and put a ring on her finger. "It's to protect you both. They won't be able to find you as long s you wear it." He then kissed her with everything he had. They both did. It was a kiss of goodbye, so desperate and sad and salty and Alex continued to cry. Why did she have to understand that he was doing this for them? Why did she have to understand that? In that moment, Alex wished that she didn't understand him. But she couldn't change that, she did understand him, and she knew where he was coming from. "I love you," He pressed his forehead against hers. "I love you both so much. Never forget that. And…" She could see he was struggling to get the words out and she was begging him with her eyes not to do this. "Be brilliant for me."

With that, he was back in the TARDIS and she was gone. Alex collapse onto to her knees and let out a wail of pure anguish. He hadn't even looked back, and she knew it was because if he did he never would have gone through it. Amy rushed over to her, but Alex just handed Abby over – who she vaguely realized was crying as well. Amy took Abby away from her, and Alex just collapsed on her hands and knees and sobbed and sobbed and sobbed.

Her head was spinning and pounding from this much pain, her voice had gone raw, and there were no more tears left in her body to make. She put her hands to her face, and could still feel the pain and anguish and distraught in her body. Rory had come back out of the house, and was alarmed to see his best friend on the ground with Amy over her. Rory had rushed over but Amy told him there was nothing they could do.

And there wasn't.

Because the Doctor left, everything that she lived for was gone. No. She looked over and saw Abby, who was still crying, still wailing out. Upset that her mother was crying, upset that her father had left, upset that her mother wasn't doing anything to help her.

That thought brought her out of her haze and she grabbed onto Abby and held her closed to her chest. Alex could feel Abby was still crying but she wasn't making a noise. She was silently crying now. She was still upset that the Doctor had left – probably as much as Ales was, but she was quite for right now.

"What do we do now?" Amy asked her when she saw Alex had coherent thought.

She smiled humorlessly, and when she spoke her voice was horse and cracked in different places. "I don't know, Amy. I don't know."


	48. Chapter 48

**Chapter Forty Eight**

**I decided to split this episode into two parts instead of leaving it as one, to see how it goes. All mistakes are mine.**

He was in a dark place. He was in complete silence. If it wasn't for what was in his hands, he probably would have gone completely insane. But it was a picture. A picture of his beautiful girlfriend with his beautiful daughter. Alex had sent it to him after he had left her. Oh, one of the hardest things he had to do.

And in the end, it did nothing…

They were still here, a fix time broken, and she was in danger – _both _of them were in danger. He ran his thumb across her face, stroking her cheek. Or, at least he wished he did. It was all his fault that they were in this situation. He wanted her to know that, but could never tell her now. He looked over at his daughter. She had a smile on as bright as the sun. He could hear her bubbly laughter. He could see Alex laughing with her, telling their daughter to look at the camera. He could see the love and adoration that was in her eyes, even now.

"I'm sorry, Allie…" He murmured. "I'm so sorry…"

The door opened up and instantly his eyes were drawn to the noise. He put the picture back into a safe place and watched as two guards came in to take him away. He didn't even say anything; just let them put on the handcuffs and dragged him back into the palace.

He kept his head down as they entered the Caesar's office and the soldiers forced him to the ground. "Leave us!" Churchill commanded. So, he was going to try again… The Doctor had to make this time count. Time was running out, there wouldn't be much more times for this to work. "Tick tock goes the clock, as the old song says. But they don't, do they? The clocks never tick. Something has happened to time. That's what you say. That's what you never _stop _saying. All of history is happening at once. But what does that mean? What happened? Explain to me in terms I can understand. What happened to time?"

The Doctor finally lifted up his head slowly. He had aged, his hair was longer and he now had a scraggly beard. He paused for a moment, the memories overtaking his thoughts before he snapped out of it. "A woman."

-x-

_The Doctor was done. He thought he would just lie down and let the Silence take him. But he decided against it. No, if he was going to die, he was going to find out why. He was going to find out why so maybe Alex and Abby could be at least a little bit in peace. Oh his dear Alex… _

_He pulled out a small device and looked at it. Alex was making some breakfast for Abby and her. She was gorgeous, she was _always _gorgeous. Abby was in a high-chair laughing away. He could see though, that his darling girl was tired. He didn't blame her. He was exhausted, but he had to keep moving in order to protect both of them. If somehow the reason for him dying had anything to do with his girlfriend or his daughter, then he would do everything he could to save them – even if it meant dying in their place…_

_The Doctor put away the device and then walked towards the chaos that he had caused. "Imagine you were dying. Imagine you were afraid and a long way from home and in terrible pain." He looked up from his – very cool – Stetson, locking eyes with the Dalek's eyestalk. "Just when you thought it couldn't get worse, you looked up… and saw the face of the devil himself. Hello Dalek…"_

_The Dalek was disabled. He was unable to move as his one true enemy got right up in front of him. However, his first priority was the safety and preservation of the Dalek kind – exterminating the Doctor only came second. "Emergency, emergency, weapon system disabled, emergency! Emergency! Emergency!"_

_The Time Lord didn't bother much to listen as he used the sonic screwdriver to remove the casing lid. "Hush now; I need some information from your data core. Everything the Daleks know about the Silence!" He opened up the data core and gathered up everything he could._

_He then opened up his screwdriver to see the results. Right. Onto his next stop…_

_-x-_

_He followed a cloaked figure for a while now. Oh, the things he knew his girl would be thinking about if she found out. He could almost _hear _her humming the James Bond theme song as she would over dramatically pretend she was a spy. It brought a smile to his lips. Even when she wasn't here, she was in every thought he had. He couldn't get rid of her – and he didn't even want to._

_He followed his next target into a bar and looked around before walking right up to the bartender who was behind a grate. "Gideon Vandaleur. Get him. Now."_

"_Who says he's here?" He didn't have time for this. He patted his pocket, feeling the device in there, knowing who it was showing. He needed to get this done before something horrible happened to them. He put the Dalek eyestalk onto the counter with a loud clang. The bartender looked down at it with fear before looking over at the Doctor. Without another word, he rushed off to get who the Doctor had asked for._

_He walked over to a table, and picked up a random magazine. As he read it, he realized it must be about knitting. He smiled a bit, wondering if Alex would enjoy it. It seemed like she could make all sorts of things for all three of them. He pulled out the device and looked at it again; Abby was taking a nap – according to the time – so Alex was just sitting on the couch, looking out the window. He could see she was wishing for him to come back. His hearts broke. He could see tears were running down her face, and he hated himself for leaving her. But he had to… He _needed _to, in order to protect them. In order to give them a life he could never have._

_For a moment, she looked away from the window, as if disgusted with the sight, and he could see her face more properly. He ran his thumb across her cheek, but it did little to ease the ache in him. If only he could hold her, kiss her… _

_No. The Doctor hardened his resolve. He _had _to keep her away from him. He was protecting her – he knew she understood this. She may not like it, but she knew why he was doing it. He was a dangerous man with much more dangerous enemies. Any one of them could use either her or Abby to get to him, and he just couldn't let that happen._

_There was shadow in his peripheral vision and the Time Lord put away the device instantly. He looked up as the cloaked figure he had been following sat down next to him. He put down the hood, to show he was wearing an identical eye patch to the one Kovarian had been wearing. Mentally, he was smiling. He remembered once that Alex had simply just called her 'Eye-Patch Lady' since she couldn't remember the name. Ah, his darling girl and her absolutely terrible memory. Still so brilliant in so many ways – the Time Lord in her now only enhanced what was already there._

"_Father Gideon Vandaleur. Former envoy of the Silence. My condolences." The man's eyebrows furrowed together. _

"_My what?"_

"_Gideon Vandaleur has been dead for six months." The Doctor whipped out the sonic screwdriver and activated it. Vandaleur winced and the brunette man aimed it at his eye. "Can I speak to the Captain, please?" He asked to the rather surprised and shocked solider. He couldn't help but be a little excited. The Teselecta was something that he always found fascinating. He wondered if Alex found them just as exciting as he did… _

"_Hello again!" He spoke once he was sure he had the captain's attention. "The Teselecta, time-travelling shape-changing robot, powered by miniaturized people. Never get bored of that! Long time since Berlin." _

"_Doctor!" Vandaleur said annoyed. "What have you done to our systems?"_

"_They'll be fine." That was one of the good things about his sonic screwdriver. It would never damage them in any way to harm them. "if you behave. Now this unit can disguise itself as anyone in the universe so if you're posing as Vandaleur, you're investigating the Silence… Tell me about them."_

_Vandaleur studied him for a moment. It was obvious that he was hesitant in telling him anything, but he finally conceded. "Tell you what?"_

"_One thing. Just one. Their weakest link."_

_-x-_

_The Doctor sat across from a Viking with an eye patch as well – the Silence's weakest link. Between them was a chess set. The Doctor remembered teaching Alex how to become better in chess. She admitted that while she loved playing the game, she was absolutely terrible at it. The Doctor – in their spare time when they weren't saving civilizations or races or seeing magnificent sights – he would sit her down and teach her how to win a chess match._

_She never did beat him at it, but they both had fun. She told him that she honestly believed she would _never _be able to beat him, but he always held a little bit of doubt. Especially when she became half Time Lord, he wouldn't put it past her that someday she _could _beat him in a chess match._

_But this man certainly didn't have the brilliance or the brain to beat him like his Alex had. He had cornered the man now, using the Viking's queen against him. He wasn't impressed with the man before him. "The crowd is getting restless!" He held out his hands to gesture to the crowd around them. They were yelling and screaming and cheering for the Viking to make a move. "They know the Queen is your only legal move. Except you've already moved it twelve times, which means there are now four million volts running through it."_

_The worker for the Silence looked around at the crowd who continued to yell for him to make his move. "That's why they call it Live Chess." It wasn't the best option in order for him to get what he wants. And he knew that Alex would disapprove of the idea of Live Chest _immensely_, but he had to do what it took to find out why the Silence was trying to kill him. "Even with the gauntlet you'll never make it to bishop four alive."_

"_I am a dead man." The man finally spoke with a gravelly voice. "Unless you concede the game."_

_The Doctor leaned forward. "But I'm winning." He remembered Alex laughing when she found out that he was quite competitive when it came to games like chess. She had laughed and told him that she wasn't surprised – she almost expected that he would be competitive. He was the cleverest man in the universe, and he liked to show it. _

"_Name your price."_

_Everything was working just like he planned. "Information."_

"_I work for the Silence." He was already shaking his head. "They would kill me." He made a gesture that they would end his life._

_Well, they were going to end his life as well. "They're going to kill me too, very soon. I was just going to lie down and take it, but you know what? Before I go, I'd like to know why I have to die."_

"_Dorium Maldovar is the only one who can help you." While he was giving information that the Doctor wanted, he was frustrated he was giving him useless information._

"_Dorium's dead." He sighed with frustration before leaning back in his chair again. "The Monks beheaded him at Demons Run."_

"_I know. Concede the game, Doctor… and I'll take you to him." The Doctor watched him for a long moment. He didn't understand how he could considering Dorium had his head cut off, he was pretty sure no one could come back from that… Well… There was that one time… No, even then it was pretty impossible. But, he had to do this. He had to protect them. He reached out and knocked down the King, signaling his forfeit. The crowd around them groaned, but he ignored them. The Doctor just stared at the Viking._

_-x-_

"_The Seventh Transept. Where the Headless Monks keep the leftovers. Watch your step, there are traps everywhere." The Viking led him through a dark tunnel. He was cringing a bit at all the dirty and muck, and could hear Alex squealing in disgust. She would grab onto his arm, and huddle under it so that she could be as far away from the gunk as possible. He reached behind him, as if to grab Alex's hand, but was only met with air. His hearts squeezed tightly and he dropped his hand back by its side._

_Right. Yes. Alex wasn't with him anymore; she was at home with Abby – safe and sound. No matter how many times he told himself that, it didn't stop his hearts from constricting at the thought that his beautiful brilliant girl was no long by his side. It felt like a part of him was gone – a huge part – and it only was whole again when he was with Alex. He remembered this feeling when he had let her go the first time – oh God, how he hates himself. She came back near the end of his regeneration, and he remembered how happy he had been that he got to see her face one last time as his previous regeneration._

_The Doctor's eyes dropped to the floor, often times he doesn't think of his past regenerations. It would be locked up in his brain – a way for Time Lords to cope with regeneration. But, he found himself thinking about his time with Alex as his past self. He thought so differently than he did now, but in the end, the notion that Alex was to be protected no matter what echoed through from his past self to now._

_He heard something scurry by and cringed. "Eww! I hate rats." He muttered. He could hear Alex squealing in fright at the little creature and practically jumping in his arms. She would berate him for picking such a horrible place, and complaining and whining that there should be a better way to do this._

_He could feel his lips turning up against his will. "There are no rats in the transept." _

_Oh. Well that made him feel better. "Oh, good." He nodded his head. That indeed made him feel better._

"_The skulls eat them."_

_Right, never mind, he took back his previous thought. He saw all the skulls turn to face them and watch as they continued down the creepy hall. Alex would cling to his back, murmuring about how she hated places like these. She did always hate to be scared – he remembered her mentioning how she couldn't even stand a scary movie. She would hate a place like this, but he remembered agreeing with her that she also loved them. He would always protect her whenever she went to scary places like that, and both loved that feeling. He loved it when his Alex relied on him for anything, and she loved to do it. She loved it when he played her 'Knight in Shining Bowtie'._

_The tunnel opened up to a rather large room and the Doctor looked around. He saw five pedestals around the open room, each of them holding up a box. "Why are some of them in boxes?" _

"_Because some people are rich and some people are left to rot. Dorium Maldovar was always very rich." The Doctor scanned the beautiful decorated box, and heard a latch come undone. He smiled a bit at his screwdriver, before sliding the door open. Dorium's head lay their seeming to sleep…_

_Until he coughed._

_The Doctor jumped a bit, and then looked over at the Viking before back at Dorium. He had a look of almost chagrin on his face. He hated it when they did that… Something doesn't move until something stupid like coughing happens, and they let you know they're actually live. He _hates _that. "Thank you for bringing me, Gantok."_

"_My pleasure." The Doctor heard something being charged up and turned around to see he had a gun to his face. Ah, lovely, a gun. He hated guns. It's one of the many things he infused into Alex's brain. "It saves me the trouble of burying you. Nobody beats me at chess!" Well, almost nobody. Seriously, no one has yet to defeat the Doctor at chess – and Alex is a beautiful exception. He looked lower when he started to see a tiny bit of steam and saw that Gantok was going to step on a trap. Before the Time Lord could warn him, the floor opened up, and the Viking went down through it._

"_Gantok!" He rushed over to the opening, but could do nothing but watch as the skulls buried him out of sight, screaming the whole way. The skulls suddenly turned and the Doctor jumped – 'Close the damn door, Doctor!' he could hear Alex scream at him – and he scrambled to grab his screwdriver and closed the door._

"_Hello? Is someone there?" The Doctor turned and saw the noise must have woken Dorium. He walked over into the blue man's sight. "Ah, Doctor! Thank God it's you. The Monks, they turned on me."_

"_Well…" He wasn't exactly sure how to put it. "I'm afraid they rather did a bit."_

"_Give it to me straight, Doctor. How bad are my injuries?"_

"_Well…" How exactly do you tell someone that they've been beheaded without it sounding rude? Damn. He wished he had Alex here, she would have some beautiful way to express it while still sounding so sweet and kind and gentle and polite. He had a habit of butchering up the words that came out of his mouth – thank God he had her._

_But Dorium laughed and the Doctor relaxed slightly, realizing he already knew. "Oh, your face!" The Time Lord quirked a smile, but the thought of wishing Alex was here with him when she wasn't was a bit of a damper on his spirits._

_-x-_

"This is absurd!" Churchill interrupted the Doctor's story. The Doctor put down a hand that he was using to help him tell the story. Even now, he could feel the ache – the rather painful ache – of missing his sweet girl. She was strong, he had never doubted that. She was one of the strongest people in the universe. He wasn't. He was weak, even now, when he _should _be strong for them, all he could do was wish she was there with him. "Other worlds, carnivorous skulls, talking heads. I don't know why I'm listening to you."

"Because in another reality, you and I are friends. And you sense that. Just as you sense there is something wrong with time." The Doctor explained. He needed Churchill to believe him. This had to work in order for the Doctor to fix time.

"You mentioned a woman…" He muttered.

The Doctor felt another squeeze. "Yes, I'm getting to that part." It was all his fault she was pulled into this. All his fault.

"What's she like? Attractive, I assume." More than that, the Doctor could still see her perfectly clear in his mind. He could feel her warmth, smell her skin and hair, see her smile, hear her laughter, see her smile as her eyes light up.

"An angel." The Doctor said softly, almost to his self. "An angel in converse." That's what she was. That's what she would always be to him. His stunning angel in her adorable converse.

"Tell me more." Churchill put the cigar back into his mouth and returned to his seat.

_-x-_

"_Oh, it's not so bad really, as long as they get your box the right way up." Dorium was telling him. The Doctor wasn't sure if this was making things creepier. He could almost see Alex's face as she thought about how this wasn't exactly selling her on the whole getting beheaded thing. "I got a media-chip fitted in my head years ago, and the wi-fi down here is excellent. So I keep myself entertained."_

_The Doctor didn't have time for this though. He was on a mission and his family's lives could depend on it. "I need to know about the Silence."_

"_Oh." The Doctor could sense that if Dorium had a body, he would get more situated. "A religious order of great power and discretion. The sentinels of history, as they like to call themselves."_

"_And they want me dead." The Doctor added. That was the most important part of this. But _why_? Why did they want him dead?_

"_No, no really." The Time Lord raised his eyebrow. "They just don't want you to remain alive."_

_Oh, yes, because that makes things so much better. The Doctor almost rolled his eyes, hearing in the back of his mind Alex make some smartass cheeky comment about it. "That's okay. I was worried for a moment there." He almost patted himself on the back for that. It seemed Alex was rubbing off on him more than she realized._

"_You're a man with a long and dangerous past." Exactly the reason why he left Alex and Abby down on Earth. They were so much safer down there and as far away from him as possible. "But your future is infinitely more terrifying. The Silence believe it must be averted."_

_The Doctor became annoyed. "You know you could've told me this, the last time we met." This would have made his life so much easier. He probably would have dropped Alex off sooner. He might have made sure she was on Earth in a safe time period, and then never came back for her in the first place. He knew she would be more furious than she is with him now, but it was all to protect her – she _had _to know that. She knew everything about him._

"_It was a busy day and I got beheaded." Dorium looked around his box to make his point._

"_What's so dangerous about my future?" If anything, all he wanted was to continue on adventures with Alex. He wanted to raise Abby so that she loved the stars and universe as much as her parents did. He wanted to make a bigger family with his precious girl. Hell – very rarely, he even entertained the idea of _marrying _his girl! His hearts squeezed until he felt like he couldn't breathe. He didn't imagine it often, but sometimes… _sometimes_ he did. Just for a second or two. He would imagine how he would do it, the look on her face, what ring he would give her. _

_Oh. He could imagine the shock that would first come onto her face, before a beautiful smile would just light up the whole room. Her eyes would sparkle with happiness, and content, and affection, and love, and tears. He could imagine what the ring would look like on her finger._

"_On the fields of Trenzalore, at the fall of the Eleventh, when no living creature could speak falsely, or fail to answer, a question will be asked. A question that must never, ever be answered." The Doctor remembered this all before. He pulled out a small notebook that Alex had suggested he use. Since he was always dashing about and meeting people and always hearing this in the beginning only to have them come back to bite him in the ass later, his girl suggested that he should keep a notebook with him so that he could keep up with everything._

_He was now extremely glad that he always followed her advice. "Silence will fall when the question is asked…" His mind worked in over time. His still couldn't figure out what the question was… Everyone kept talking about a question, but the Time Lord couldn't figure out what the question was. It frustrated him to no end. He needed to figure it out to find out if it had anything to do with his precious girls. They were involved somehow, he _knew _they were._

"_Silence _must _fall would be a better translation. The Silence are determined the question will never be answered. That the Doctor will _never _reach Tenzalore."_

_None of it made any sense, none of what Dorium was telling him fit together. "I don't understand." And good God, did he hate admitting that. He could see Alex rolling her eyes now if she caught the slight look of distain the Doctor had on his face when he said that. She always got annoyed when she saw how much he detested admitting that he didn't know anything. "What's this got to do with me?"_

"_The first question." Dorium said, his voice becoming ominous and deadly. "The oldest question in the universe, hidden in plain sight. Would you like to know what it is?"_

_The Time Lord _really _didn't like the look that was on the blue man's face. He could feel the faint memory of Alex shuffling behind him, and pressing her hands to his back, peeking over his shoulder just enough to still see Dorium. _

"_Yes." The Doctor said – after shaking himself off and hardening his will. He needed to know this question. It had everything to do with the safety of his girlfriend and his daughter._

"_Are you sure?" The tone of his voice only got worse and it was really starting to creep the Doctor out. He heard scrapping and saw that all the skulls were shifting their heads towards him. Ugh. That is really creepy._

_The Doctor swallowed before looking back at Dorium. A flash of Alex's and Abby's face went through the Doctor's mind's eye and he nodded. "Yes."_

"_Then I shall tell you. But on your head be it." He laughed. _

_-x-_

_He didn't have time for this. Didn't Dorium understand that?! Well, it didn't matter. The Doctor had slammed the hatch shut and picked up the large box. He grunted – a lot heavier than he thought it would be. But was able to get him and the box into the TARDIS. "It's not my fault. Put me back." Dorium had complained the whole way and the Time Lord was starting to get one hell of a massive headache._

_The brunette man plopped the box down onto the seat by the console before going over to the monitor. He could hear Dorium complain some more but he just tuned it out. He turned on the monitor and saw a photo of Alex on there. He smiled a tad bit, seeing her face lit up more than the sun. He loved her so much. He ran his finger across her cheek. He loved her so dearly and there was nothing that he wouldn't do for her. _

_He switched the screen and pulled up the date and time of death. He knew that Alex had known about his death all along. He knew that Amy, Rory, and River all knew about it too. They all knew about it, but because it was his future he knew that they couldn't tell him, so they kept it secret. He couldn't imagine what sort of pain that would put Alex through, knowing her Time Lord's death and not able to do anything about it._

"_We all have to die, Doctor… But you more than most. You do see that, don't you? You know what the question is now; you do see that you have to die!" The Doctor switched the screens back to his girlfriend. He now understood everything. All the pieces fell into place. He ran another finger across her cheek. There was only one way for him to answer that question, and he understood what she had to do with it. Oh, his dear precious Alex. He was sorry. He was so sorry, and now he could never tell her that._

_-x-_

"But what was the question? Why did it mean your death?" Churchill questioned as the Doctor had fallen silent. He could feel his hearts shattering. Everything was wrong, nothing was right, and it pained him that she had been forced to be in the center of it all.

"Suppose there was a man who knew a secret." The Doctor explained. "A terrible, dangerous secret that must never be told. How would you erase that secret from the world? Destroy it forever, before it can be spoken?"

Churchill paused, and a look of clarity came to his face. He understood what this man was saying now. "If I had to, I'd destroy the man." And that's what all of it meant. The Doctor knew a terrible, dangerous, horrible secret and the Silence needed to kill him before he ever uttered it to anyone else. And there was only one way for him to utter it to someone.

"And silence will fall." The Doctor finished. "All the times I've heard those words, I never realized… It was my silence. My death. The Doctor will fall." He knew Alex wouldn't be happy with this – oh, how much of an understatement he realized that was. Both of them seemed to have fallen under the illusion that they would be traveling forever. And, oh, how he wished that were true. He knew Alex had been wishing just as much. But, reality caught up with them and now all of time was falling apart. This was why they wouldn't be traveling together forever. Even their beautiful, wonderful, amazing adventures would have to come to an end as well.

The Time Lord looked around, just now fully realizing that they had moved from where they had been. "Where are we?"

"This?" He turned to Churchill as the Prime Minister looked around for a moment. He seemed to also just realized they had moved. "This is the Senate room."

"But why did we leave your office?" The Doctor's senses were telling him something wasn't right – and it wasn't about time or anything like that. No, something else was off.

"Well, we wanted a stroll, didn't we?" They didn't just have a stroll. The Doctor realized that his he was slightly out of breath.

"I think I've been running." He muttered, and put a hand to his chest. He could feel his hearts racing. His senses were almost screaming at him, something was wrong. He remembered Alex always talking about how you should always trust your senses. The Doctor looked over to see the Prime Minister had his revolver. "Why do you have your revolver?"

"Well…" It took the man a moment to answer, as if he was looking for a reason why himself. "You're dangerous company, Soothsayer."

The Doctor started to piece it all together and looked at his arm. One black mark laid right in the middle of his white skin. He knew instantly what that meant. His back tensed as he looked around cautiously. "Yes. I think I am." He always knew that, and always told Alex that. But, of course, his sweet girl never wanted to listen to him. No, that wasn't right. She knew he was dangerous company, and ignored it was more like it. She was a clever girl, but she was always extremely loyal. She would never abandon him, which was why he had to do the abandoning.

"Resume your story." Churchill said.

Yes. His story. He needed to finish his story.

_-x-_

_Dorium would not shut up! It was grating on the Doctor's already fried nerves. He gestured to the box angrily. Oh, how lovely and wonderful it would be if he would just throw it across the room. He could hear Alex scolding him about how that wouldn't help anyone right now, and hell, it would just make matters worse. He could hear Alex soothing him, pressing her lips to his ear as she wrapped her small arms around him, helping him to relax and remain calm._

'_Take a deep breath, Doctor,' she would murmur. 'I'm right here, and we can work this out together.' The Time Lord took a deep breath, and clenched his fists. Yes, everything would be fine if she was here. And yet, everything would also be horribly wrong. His brain and his hearts were at war with each other and it was just making everything else annoying. _

_The Doctor walked over and yanked open the hatch, only to see that Dorium's head was upside down. Well, that would explain why he's complaining about a headache. He made a face for a moment as he turned his head over as Dorium opened his eyes to realize what the problem was. "Oh."_

_The Doctor righted himself and walked back over to the console, before fiddling with his beautiful machine. "Why Lake Silencio? Why…" the Doctor gritted his teeth together. "Utah?" It was boring. Unconditionally and unacceptably boring. Out of all the lovely and wonderful and beautiful and exciting places to die, why did he have to die in _Utah_?_

"_It's a still point in time. Makes it easier to create a fixed point. And your death is a fixed point, Doctor." _

"_Been running all my life. Why should I stop now?" He refused to accept it. As long as he continued to run and never looked back – never went back to his girl. Never met up with her again. Then he could continue to live. Yes. He could continue to live, and hell, he could probably get away with protecting Alex and Abby without actual contact. He had done it plenty of times before, and he could certainly do it for his girls._

"_You can't run from his." Dorium told him with finality. The Doctor shifted from foot to foot. No. He wouldn't accept it. No matter what Dorium told him. No matter what _anyone _told him! "Because you know what's at stake. Why your life ends." _

_No. He could protect them. All he would have to do was stay away from them and he could protect all of them. "Not today." He picked up his phone and started to dial._

"_What's the point in delaying? How long have you delayed already?" Dorium asked._

"_Been knocking about. Bit of a farewell tour." If he had been running this far and everything when fine, then who was to say that it wouldn't be fine if he ran for an infinite amount of time? No one! "Things to do, people to see, there's always more. I could invent a new color, save the Dodo, join the Beatles!" When someone answered the phone finally, he got right down to business. "Hello, it's me. Get him! Tell him, we're going out and it's all on me, except for the money and driving." He turned his attention back to Dorium. "I've got a time machine, Dorium... it's all still going on. For me, it never stops. Liz the First is waiting in a glade to elope with me. I could help Rose Tyler with her homework; I could go on all of Jack's stag parties in one night."_

_Dorium was getting angry with the Doctor's flippant attitude. "Time catches up with us all!"_

"_Well, it has never laid a glove on me!" The Doctor snapped. He could do it! He could save Alex and Abby and Amy and Rory and River and all of them if he just stayed away from them. That was all he had to do! He could do it! "Hello?" He asked into the phone when a new voice picked up the phone._

"Doctor, I'm so sorry, we didn't know how to contact you. I'm afraid Brigadier Lethbridge-Stewart passed away a few months ago." _Everything seemed to stop for the Doctor. His good friend. His very good, very wonderful, very old friend died… 'Time catches up with us all'. It was like a slap in the face. "_Doctor_?"_

"_Yes. Yes, I…" The Doctor couldn't put it into words. He couldn't put any of it into words. For once, the mighty powerful Doctor was speechless._

"It was very peaceful. He talked a lot about you, if that's any comfort. Always made us pour an extra brandy in case you came 'round one of these days._" _

"_Doctor? What's wrong?" It must have been clear on his face. But he realized that Dorium had been right. Time did catch up with them all. Even him. Even the Doctor. _

"_Nothing. Nothing. It's just…" The Doctor slowly hung up the phone, and he sighed deeply. He didn't want to, but he had to. No. He was wrong, he was very wrong. No matter how much running, there were some things that even the Doctor couldn't outrun. He knew that the Silence would find a way to get him to Utah one way or another. If he went willingly, it would protect Alex and Abby more than if he was to continue to run. He reached into his pockets and pulled out the blue envelopes. His hearts dropped into his stomach, but he had to do this. To protect his family. "It's –"_

_A klaxon went off. Both men looked around startled. What? The Doctor brought the monitor over so he could look, and saw that the warning was coming from Alex's house. The Doctor felt ice in his veins. Little Abby was in her crib, crying out with no one answering her. "No. No. No." He didn't even realizing he was muttering it before he checked through all the feeds, but Alex was nowhere to be seen. No. This wasn't possible. Alex wouldn't dare leave Abby all alone without someone to watch over their child. _

_The Doctor was instantly moving into action. He whirled around the console, pushing and pulling and pressing buttons and levers with a frantic mad air around him. Dorium was trying to get his attention, but the Time Lord ignored it. The moment the TARDIS landed, he rushed out towards the door and swung them open, leaving the headless man unmovable in the chair. "Allie!" His hearts were racing in his chest. "Allie! Allie, where are you?" He was rushing around the house, checking everywhere she could be. But she was nowhere to be found. "_Allie_!" Still no answer. Pure terror went right through him and the Doctor was properly panicking now._

_No. No. No. No. No!_

_Finally, he got to the nursery and swung the doors open. Abby continued to cry out. "Abby!" He rushed over to her, and picked her up. She continued to wail out, even within her father's grasp. "Abby, speak to me! What happened? Where's Allie?"_

_Abby calmed down only slightly and relayed what had happened to her father. It was just as the Doctor feared. He looked up slowly. The Silence have Alex, and they were somehow going to use Alex to get the Doctor to die. No… Oh God, no. No. This isn't happening! _

_Even after everything the Doctor did, Alex was still taken! _Why_? The Doctor let out a cry of anger and frustration and sadness and pain and despair. They still took his darling girl even though he hadn't met up with her this whole time. _Why_?! Abby started to cry again, understanding that this was very bad and that her mother was in horrible danger. The Doctor took his daughter back to TARDIS. He continued to berate himself, why did he let this happen? Why hadn't he been paying closer attention?_

_Of course, that was a stupid question. He hadn't been paying attention because he was trying to find out why he had to die – which was also important for saving her. But why hadn't he done it sooner?! He was such a complete moron! He tried to shush his daughter in his arms. And she did finally calm down; she snuggled into her dad's arm, and continued to cry silently. It broke the Doctor's hearts. But there was nothing he could do. It was his fault that Alex was in this situation in the first place._

_The Doctor pulled out the blue envelopes. There was only one way to save Alex from the Silence now…_

_As he said before, he would do anything for both his girls – _anything_. And if he had to die to save them, then he would welcome death with open arms._

_-x-_

_The Doctor went back to the Teselecta. They were the only ones who could help him. Yes, he would accept death. And yes, he would accept it with open arms. But… He had to see Alex's smiling face just one last time before he did. He couldn't resist._

"_Surely you could deliver the messages yourself." Vandeleur pointed out. _

"_It would involve crossing my own time stream…" The Doctor remembered the last time that happened, and almost grimaced. "Best not."_

"_According to our files, this is the end for you. Your final journey." The Doctor didn't answer, and just looked out in the distant for a moment. "We'll deliver your message. You can depend on us."_

_The Doctor smiled softly. He couldn't bring himself to do anything else. Not with what he was about to do. He knew his Alex was going to be so furious and hurtful by this once it was through. "Thank you." The Time Lord turned and headed towards the door. His final journey. He felt it was fitting that it would be because he was protecting his Alex. Out of everything, if he had to die, then by hell he wanted it to be protecting his Alex. And by God, he would make sure her face was the last thing he saw before he went._

"_Doctor," He turned and saw that Vandeleur had stood up to address him. "whatever you think of the Teselecta, we are champions of law and order, just as you have always been. Is there nothing else we can do?"_

_He didn't answer. He lowered his head and left._

-x-

Churchill spoke up once more. "Why would you do this? Of all the things you've told me, this I find hardest to believe. Why would you invite your friends to see your death?"

"I had to die." The Doctor said simply. "I didn't have to die alone."

The Doctor could see it now. He had gone all American; to make sure they wouldn't suspect a thing. He remembered waiting on the car of a 1960s station wagon. He remembered when Amy, Rory, and Alex all turned around when he greeted them with 'Howdy!' He remembered the look on Alex's face – the look of pure delight – when she saw him. He remembered how she smelled and felt as he hugged her once he was done hugging Amy and Rory. He remembered the pain he could feel in the back of his mind and deep within his hearts. He remembered mentally whispering that he was so sorry to her. He could remember it all.

"Amy and Rory. The last Centurion and the girl who waited. However dark it got, I'd turn around, and there they'd be." The Doctor smiled as he remembered his friends. "If it's time to go, remember what you're leaving. Remember the best. My friends have always been the best of me."

"And did you tell them this was going to happen?" Churchill questions curiously.

"It would help if you didn't keep asking questions." Churchill was affronted by his tone. The Doctor ignored that, he looked down at his arm and saw two more marks had appeared. His voice lowered to a whisper. "We don't have much time."

_-x-_

_A gun fired off in the distance and the Stetson flew right off of the Doctor's head. He winced, and could see the bright light in Alex's eyes. Of course, she already knew who shot the hat off, and of course she would find it funny. He turned around with the others to see River standing with the sun behind her, blowing at the muzzle of her gun. Sometimes, he really hated that woman…_

"And this woman, did you invite her?" Churchill questioned.

_"Hello, sweetie." She said as if nothing was wrong. The Doctor offered a smile, and could see that Alex was practically resisting the urge to dance around in joy. Oh, how he loved her laughter. How he loved her so dearly. _I'm so sorry, love_, he murmured in his head. He had to do this._

"Yes, she was there."

_"Perfect ten, River." Alex lifted up her hands and gave her a thumbs up. River laughed._

_-x-_

_Amy, Rory, and River were all sitting around the edges of a couple of picnic blankets laid down together. The Doctor and Alex were lying across the blankets. Alex's back was pressed against the Doctor's chest._

"Alex Harper came twice."

"_Napoleon gave me this bottle." The Doctor mused as he poured River a glass. He didn't even offer one to Alex knowing that she would refuse. The moment the Time Lord had laid down, he made sure his Alex was as close to him as possible. She ended up lying out in front of him, her whole length pressed up against him. He enjoyed it so much – even more so knowing that it would be the last time. "Well, I say gave… threw."_

_Alex laughed and it was the most beautiful sound the Doctor had ever heard. "Same difference, darling." She had said. He chuckled and kissed her cheek. He had wanted so badly to kiss her on the lips, to just drown out everything and remember one last time what her lips tasted like. He wanted that to be the last thing he remembered. But he couldn't, he was ahead of his darling girl slightly, but enough that it did count._

_She beamed up at him, and he nuzzled his nose with her. She giggled again, and the Doctor drank it all in. He then lifted up the bottle. "Salut!"_

"_Salut!" They all cheered as they toasted._

"_So when are we going to 1969?" He felt Alex shuffle about and knew that she already knew everything. She was already half Time Lord by the time this came around. He kissed her head. He just couldn't keep his hands to himself. Once he remembered why he _hated _wine, he wrapped his arms tightly around his girl and breathed in her scent. _

"Everything was in place. I only had one more thing. I only had to die."

_The Doctor stood up and waved his hand at the older Canton. He waved his hand back. He looked down at Alex and she titled her head slightly, looking beautiful even in her confusion. He couldn't bear to look at his girl now, so the moment she tried to look at him confused, he looked away. He knew it was an act anyway. She knew exactly what was going on – but she couldn't let the other know._

"_Oh, my God!" River muttered._

_Everyone else stood up, and looked at the astronaut in the lake with confusion and curiosity. This was it. The Doctor knew it was. This was it. He had to die. He was going to die. He looked over at his beautiful girl. There was just the slightest sign of tears in her eyes, and he knew that they would soon be shed. His hearts broke at that, but he _needed _to do this._

"_You all need to stay back." The Doctor said softly but firmly. "Whatever happens now, you do not interfere. Clear?" He didn't wait for an answer as he walked with confidence over to the astronaut. He knew who it was, and it was all his fault she was involved in this. She shouldn't have been involved. He should have stayed away from her, for her own sake. Maybe even farther back then now. He should have never found her that second time. He should have never have found her when she was watching over River. He should have made sure she was safe and then never came back._

_The Doctor finally stood in front of the astronaut and his eyes softened as he looked into the visor. He knew he had locked eyes with her even if he couldn't see them yet. No, her face had to be the last thing he saw before he went. "Well, then. Here we are at last."_


	49. Chapter 49

**Chapter Forty Nine**

**Okay, here's the second part to _The Wedding of River Song_. ************Has not been looked over yet, all mistakes are mine.**

_The astronaut slowly lifted up the visor, and Alex's crying face came into view. "Doctor," she was crying, and her voice shook, and it took all his will not to just take those few steps towards her and bring her tightly into his arms. "Please, please, I can't… I can't stop it. The suit, Doctor, the suit's got complete control. They got me while I was at the house. I hid away Abby, 'cause I didn't want them getting to her, but they got me, Doctor. They forced me into the suit… I can't… They want me to kill you."_

"_It's okay, love. Abby explained everything to me." Alex sniffed and he could see that she relaxed. She knew that would have been one of her worries. Alex was such a wonderful mother._

"_She's okay, right?" _

_The Doctor nodded to reassure her. "Yes, she's fine. I dropped her off with Martha, so anytime you want to go get her, she's safe and sound." _

_Alex nodded too, but then shook her head and the Doctor knew she was doing everything she could to fight against the suit. "Please Doctor, do something, please, I don't want to do this. I can't do this! Please! I don't want to kill you! Please! Do something! Make it stop!" She was gasping with tears falling fresh on her cheeks. "I can't stop it!"_

"_You're not supposed to. This has to happen." He said firmly. Something in the back of his mind noticed something was wrong. She remembered every single detail of every episode now that she was half Time Lord. So… why was she so panicked right now? Shouldn't she know what would happen? The Doctor quickly scanned her face and could see no indication of it in her face. _

"_Doctor, Doctor, Doctor," her sobbing voice brought him back to her for a moment. Her voice was a plea and a prayer. "Please, please, please, _run_!"_

"_I did run." The Doctor gave her a gentle look, hoping maybe that he could commutate that everything would be fine. But he could see it wasn't working. She was too wired up – she was too caught up in the thought that she was going to kill him that nothing else would register properly to her. The Silence – they had to have done something to her mind. Had her forget – they were careful, so they would know that she knew everything about the episode, so since they didn't want her interfering, they had her forget about what would happen in the episode._

_Dammit. _

_That made everything so much harder._

"_Running brought me here." He continued to try and relay the information to her through a look, but it was in vain. She was looking at him with desperate, crying, panicked eyes. She wasn't paying attention closely enough to what he was silently trying to tell her._

"_Doctor, _please,_ I'm trying to fight it. But… I can't… I can't. It's just too _strong_!" She was sobbing now, quietly and the Doctor's hand twitched. If only he could reach out and caress her cheek, say soothing words to her and get her to remember that everything works out for the better in the end._

"_I know. It's okay. This is where I die." The look on Alex's face was of pure horror. He knew this wasn't worse on her than it was on him – if it was possible. Not only was she going to have to watch him die – _twice _– but she was going to be the cause of his death. His hearts ached so _deeply_. "This is a fixed point, this must happen, this always happens. Don't worry, love…" The words almost came before they died away. While her not remembering did but a slight bump in his plans, he wouldn't be deterred. He had carefully made this plan out, and he was going to make sure it went through. "Look over there, love."_

"_Doctor," her voice was a plead and a sob. She did what she had been told and could see her past self. He looked over at of the corner of her eye, and saw that Alex was shifting from foot to foot – clearly uneasy and anxious. "Why? Why? Why… _Why _would you make me _watch_ this?" She turned her eyes back to him. He looked deeply in her eyes, for a moment enjoying the beautiful aura that seemed to just glow in her eyes. It reminded him of the galaxies that he had taken her too._

"_So that you know this is inevitable." The Doctor responded softly. "And you are forgiven. Always and completely forgiven." He put his love and devotion and care and adoration into his eyes, knowing it would be the last time he ever looked at her like that again._

_Fresh tears poured down Alex's face and her lip trembled as her arm started to raise up. "Please! Please, Doctor, _please_, don't do this! Please! Run! Anything! Just… _please don't make me do this_!"_

"_I can't." The Doctor responded, keeping his eyes locked onto Alex's. He wanted those beautifully expressive eyes to be the last thing he ever saw._

"_Time can be rewritten!" Both knew she was now just throwing things out there, desperately trying to get him to run. "Please don't make me kill you! I can't! Don't let me be responsible for your death!" _

_His hearts broke as the tears continued to come, but he braced himself. This had to happened, and by the end of it, he hoped that Alex wouldn't be angry with him for too long… He did want to kiss those lips so badly…_

"_Don't you dare." The Doctor responded. "… I love you, Allie Harper. Completely and unconditionally. I will always love you. Goodbye love."_

"_Doctor, Doctor, Doctor…" Her words have died down to just his name. He closed his eyes, accepting his fate and focusing in on her voice. He let himself bask one last time in the sound of his name on her lips._

_The first sonic gunshot went off._

_He flinched._

_The second._

_Another flinch._

_A third. A fourth. A fifth._

_He flinched at each other. There was a slight pause, before he peeked an eye open, realizing that something was _very _wrong… _

_He was still alive._

"_Seriously Doctor? No… _Seriously_? Did you _actually _think I was going to stand there and have them force me to kill _you_?" She rolled her still wet eyes. "You are such a moron."_

"_What have you done?!" _

"_Well…" She looked playfully thoughtful, drawing out her 'e' for an even more playful air to her. That wasn't right. She was sobbing a second ago, and now all the tears were gone within a flash. That wasn't right. He understood everything about his girl, but right now… Nothing was making sense about this woman. He realized with some distain that she must be getting pointers from River without even knowing it – because seriously, _that _is a woman he will _never _understand. "I think I just drained all of my weapon's power!"_

"_But this is fixed." He gestured between the two of them, and Alex didn't even bat an eyelash. "This is a fixed point in time." He repeated, hoping that would get through to her._

_It didn't. She just laughed and rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, Doctor! Don't take me for an idiot! Fixed points can be rewritten!"_

"_No they can't," The Doctor responded with frustration. Why was he having this conversation with her again? Shouldn't she be killing him? Oh yes, that's right, that's because _she decided to go against a fixed point in time! _Oh yeah, _definitely _taking pointers from River. "Of course they can't, who told you –?!" _

_A bright flash of light stretched across all of them, cutting off the Doctor in mid-sentence._

-x-

The Doctor now stood on the other side of the room away from Churchill. Now his story had been told. It now all made sense to the Prime Minister. He was frustrated. The one time Alex went against what he told her… and she ends up completely destroying all of time with it. He sighed. At the same time, he couldn't blame her. He knew for some time what one of her greatest fears was… Seeing the Doctor's death. He should have known that she wouldn't have stood for being the _cause _of it.

"Well?" Chuchill questioned after a moment of silence. "What happened?"

"Nothing." The Doctor said. Nothing and Everything. All of time was now going at the exact same moment; slowly it's collapsing and crashing in on itself. And there was only one thing that could happen.

"Nothing?" Churchill walked over to the Doctor.

"Nothing happened. And then it kept happening. Or, if you prefer, everything happened, at once, and it won't ever stop. Time is dying. It's going to be 5:02 in the afternoon for all eternity. A needle stuck on a record."

"A record? Good Lord, man, have you never heard of downloads?"

The Doctor's eyebrows furrowed and looked over at the Prime Minster. Out of all the things he's ever heard, that had to be one of the weirdest. "Said Winston Churchill." A man _way _before 'downloads' were ever made!

Churchill sniffed. "Gun smoke… That's gun smoke!" He lifted up his revolver to see that was the cause of the smell. "Ah. I appeared to have fired this."

The Doctor's senses were screaming at him again as he lifted up his hand to realize that he was holding a spear. They were in danger. "The creatures that lead the Silence. Remarkable beings… They're memory proof."

"But what does that mean?" Churchill asked. _Trouble_. They started to back up to the center of the room. The Doctor's eyes were already darting around to see if he could spot any of them, but he couldn't see any… Where were they all?

He had to explain quickly in order for them to get out safely. "You can't remember them. The moment you look away, you forget they were ever there." He looked down at his arm to see that there was only a total of three. Well, that was good. "Don't panic. In small numbers, they're not too difficult."

However, he soon regretted saying that for when he switched the weapon to his other hand; his whole arm was covered with tally marks. Damn. Way more than three, apparently… Winston and the Doctor looked at each other before slowly raising their eyes to the ceiling. There, a rather large pack of Silence was hanging there, like bats. The Doctor heard something hitting the ground before rolling over to them, he looked down to see it was a bomb. "Go!"

The Doctor pushed Churchill out of the way just as the bomb went off. It went off and smoke filled the room. Arm soldiers burst through the doors across the room from them, and the Doctor rolled over onto his back and both men slowly sat up to watch as the soldiers trained their guns onto the enemy. One soldier was commanding the others to keep the Silence in sight at all times. Through the smoke, the Doctor saw a woman walk towards them wearing a black suit. His hearts raced for a moment, before slowly, realizing that the shape and height of the woman was all wrong for her to be Alex. "Who the devil are you?!" Churchill demanded. "Identify yourselves!"

The Time Lord squinted his eyes as the smoke slowly started to lift. "Pond. Amelia Pond." The Doctor laughed with delight. _Amelia Pond_! His best friend was okay then! That was great! Churchill aimed his gun at her and the Doctor instantly put his arms out.

"No!" He pushed the weapon down. "She's on our side, it's okay." Yet again, though, the Doctor regretted his words when Amy finally got close enough for the Doctor to properly see a silver eye patch over her right eye. "No, Amy, Amy." He murmured in despair. "Why are you wearing that?"

The ginger didn't respond. She lifted up a gun and everything went black for the Doctor.

-x-

The whole train ride here was time for Amy to explain to the Doctor what was going on. He made sure to listen in, but something else was on his mind. "Allie…?" The Doctor had asked Amy once she had finished explaining everything to him. "Where is she? Is she okay?"

Amy looked at him for a long moment, and the Doctor grew frustrated when he saw that she knew something that he didn't. It was rude – no, more than that it was completely unacceptable! This is _Alex_! This was his girlfriend – the mother of his _child_! He wanted to know where she was! Amy didn't answer, for they had finally gotten to Caro.

The trip through the pyramid was filled with more explaining. The Doctor understood why he had to keep the eye patch on and with reluctant put it over his eye. Finally, _finally_, they entered the main room and the Doctor's hearts stopped when he saw the very woman who he had been looking over all these years.

-x-

So, all of time was falling apart! Isn't that great? _Well_, not really… But it was the only way to save that absolutely daft man. Ugh! He can just be so frustrating at times! Alex couldn't believe that he seriously thought she was just going to roll over and let the Silence force her to do the one thing that she would _never ever _do. She would never be responsible for the death of her Time Lord.

She would never be able to live with herself if that ever happened. Seriously, _never_. Not to mention, oh God, what was Abby think? She would never be able to look at her daughter the same way again! All she kept seeing over these long – _long _– months was the Doctor in Abby's face. He kept saying that Abby looked like her, but he was wrong. Abby looked like a female version of the Doctor – so much so, that it was actually a tad bit frightening.

How would she be able to kill the Doctor, and look at their child again?

No. No way. Nuh-uh. She _refused _to take part in the death of her Doctor. Hell, she refused to have the Doctor die – period. "Hi Honey, I'm home." Ah. Speak of the Devil and he shall appear.

Alex turned around to see the Doctor in all his beautiful glory. Oh, see this was much better. Meeting him like this was _much _more preferred than meeting at the lake side to kill him. "You're late." Alex spoke and smiled up at him dreamily. She could see he was looking her over – no matter how angry he might be with her right now, he was clearly just as worried and relieved that she was okay. "Seriously. _Late_. I just don't know what to do with you." She let out a laugh, but saw his eyes narrow. "Oh, don't worry, dear. I don't like the eye patch – you know, too many memories. So, with my super-duper special Time Lord brain, I made contacts that do the same exact function as the eye patch. So, you get to see both of my lovely eyes, eh?" She winked at him.

His eyes stayed narrowed, and Alex's smile slowly lessened. That wasn't what he was narrowing his eyes at, of course. But she had wanted him to play along with her, at least. She sighed deeply, apparently, he was more angry with her than she thought. "The death of time. The end of time. The end of us all. Oh, why couldn't you just die?"

"Did me best, dear. I showed up." The Doctor responded as he moved around to inspect the pyramid. River walked over to Alex, but the woman held up a hand and shook her head. The Doctor was mad at her, and no one else. It was best if it stayed between them, because that's where it all started. "Love what do you done with the pyramids. How did you swing all of this?" He turned to his beloved Alex, and she looked deep into his eyes, bathing in his beautiful hazel eyes. Oh, how much she loved his eyes.

"Got to say, in a pinch, River's hallucinogenic lipstick does come in handy." She smiled over at the woman. She actually had a lot of fun putting all of this together. "I mean, seriously, you would not believe the effect it had on President Kennedy." She grinned at the Doctor. "Although, met Cleopatra. God, real bitch that one."

"Push over." The Doctor agreed. "I always thought so."

"You know," Alex continued in a conversational tone. "She mentioned you." She continued up with this. She figured it was best to let him get out his frustration when he felt it was right. Pushing him over the edge would just make matters worse.

"Doesn't matter." The Doctor answered. He walked up close to Alex. She could feel her heart rate increasing despite trying to keep calm. She saw the Doctor's eye flicker over to the pulse on her neck and his lips twitched in a smile. She gave him a look. It wasn't her fault, really. Come on, she hadn't even _seen _the Doctor in ages! Let alone touch him or kiss him so she naturally was feeling a little light headed right now – of course, that was a poor excuse, since she _always _felt light headed around her Doctor. "Was getting all of this hard?"

Oh. How could she resist it when he's left it wide open for her like that? "Yeah." She smiled up at him suggestively. "But I like _hard _things." This time, she saw the Doctor's heart rate increase. She heard his breathe hitch. She just continued to smile up at him sassily. She winked.

"I bet you do." He returned in a voice that was husky and melted her knees. "In fact, I _know _you do."

"They're flirting!" Kovarian looked away in disgust. "Do I have to watch this?"

"Oh come on, Kovarian! It was such an easy mistake! You don't just want to kill the Doctor, you want to hurt him, so what's one way to hurt him so immensely?" Alex slowly walked away from the Time Lord and over to the woman, her voice getting angrier and deadlier. "Well, that's simple. Take the woman that the Doctor loves and force her to be the one to kill him. Thought it was easy, I bet. Think I would just roll over… I mean, it would do exactly what you wanted. The Doctor would die at the hands over his own lover… _Except one little thing_ – because I love the Doctor, I _wasn't _going to just roll over and let you force me to do something like that. Please," She rolled her eyes. "It's going to take a lot more than some flimsy suit to force me to do something like that. Be more creative next time you want to kill him."

"It's not funny, Allie." The Doctor snapped. "Reality is fatally compromised. Tell me you understand that."

Alex almost rolled her eyes. Why was he continuing to act as if she was some stupid human? Of _course _she understood that! She understood that perfectly well. Didn't mean she was going to do something about it. "Want some dinner, dear? We haven't had a proper date in _ages_." She offered, deflecting his seriousness with flirtation.

This time he didn't bit. Alex was slightly disappointed. "I don't have time. Nobody has the time, because as long as I'm alive, time is dying. Because of you, Allie." Alex could feel tears coming to her eyes. How could he talk about his death so flippantly? How could he act as if that shouldn't be anything at all? Like it should be no problem?

"Yes, you're right, Doctor. _Because I refuse to kill the man that I love_." She snapped at him. She wasn't about to do it! She _refused _to do it! Didn't he understand that? Didn't he understand _why _she couldn't do it?

"I know you love me, Allie. I know you love me so much. It's sweet, love, it really is." He started to advance on her. She didn't even flinch, she held her ground. "It's so beautiful sweet, but I love you more than you could ever imagine! I love you _more _than you do! All those other times, yes, they might have been playful, but this time I am seriously. I love you _more _than you love me."

"Get him!" Amy commanded to the guards.

"Don't let him touch her!" River added.

Soldiers grabbed onto the Time Lord and forced him away from his girlfriend. "Don't take us for a fool, Doctor." Alex said in a quiet and even tone. "I've explained to them what happens if we touch." Alex turned to walk away. She refused to let on about how much that had shaken her – and how much that had angered her. How could he think that? How could he _possibly _think that he loves her _more_? Was he stupid? Was this not showing how much he was _wrong_?

She loved him more! She was risking everything – _literally _everything – to save him. To make sure he doesn't die. To make sure she wasn't the cause of his death. Alex suddenly felt a tug on her arm, she whirled around to see that the Doctor had a hold of her. No! "Doctor!" She struggled, pulling on his arm and tugging as both River and Amy yelled at him to let go. "_No_! Doctor! Stop it! Let me _go_!"

Alex could feel it – could honestly feel as time started to move. "Doctor!" Her voice completely broke as her mask to be strong fell apart as she felt the ground beneath their feet start to shift. Time was moving and it was forcing them back to where they had been. _No_! "_Please! No_!" For one split second, they were back at the lake side. Alex was staring in horror as she watched the suit's arm – the one she was _in _– as it raised up to fire at her Doctor.

The soldiers forced him back just as Alex threw herself away from the man. She stumbled before falling onto the ground. Tears were running down her face as her breathing was rasping. Oh God, she was there. She had almost killed the Doctor – she almost killed the man she loved. "Cuff him." River commanded as she walked over to the shaken woman. She was trembling on the ground, and looked about ready to just collapse and curl up into a ball.

The blonde gently put her hands on her shoulders and Alex let out a silent sob. She finally righted herself so at least she was sitting, leaning against one of the table. She looked at River with wide tearful scared eyes. The Doctor groaned as the men hand cuffed him. Alex closed her eyes and sobbed silently again. "Why do you always have handcuffs?" They made sure that the cuffs were locking his hands _behind _his back, so he wouldn't be able to touch Alex again. "It's the only way, Allie. We're the opposite ends of the disruption. If we touch, we short out the differential, time can begin."

"_And I'll be on a lake side killing you_!" Alex had jumped up and screamed at him, finally snapping. "_Don't you get it, Doctor?! I will not do it! I refuse to kill you! I will not take any part in it! Don't you get it?! I'm doing this for you! I'm doing this for River! I know you figured it out! She's going to go to jail for a crime she's never commited because she loves me and wants me to be safe and I refuse! I __**refuse**_!"

Alex's voice was hoarse by the time she was done. She pressed her hands up to her face and started to sob. "There isn't another way, love." For once since the whole time he's been here, the Doctor's voice softened.

Alex whirled around, but stopped. She looked away from the Time Lord and took a very deep breath, before looking back at him. Her eyes were filled with tears as the two of them looked at each other for a long moment. "I never said there was," she said in a broken voice before she turned away.

-x-

"Where's Abby?" The Doctor asked.

"Well, clearly not here." Alex responded. Her voice had become void of emotion. The Doctor winced at that. It seemed he was more affected than he was previously letting on. Alex came right in front of him, knowing the soldiers were holding him back. They almost came nose to nose. "I wouldn't put her in a place where all these Silences were. Nope. Refused to do it – I don't want her even in the slightest bit of danger."

"Yes, because the end of time isn't dangerous at all." The Doctor droned.

Alex narrowed her eyes. "What is the matter with you?" She murmured. "You're acting stupid, and we both know it. Why are you acting so carelessly about you _death_?"

"Maybe you're just over reacting." The Doctor said gently.

"Maybe." She agreed. "But you're definitely under reacting."

"Maybe I've noticed something that you haven't…"

What? Alex's eyebrows furrowed and she looked at him weirdly. What could he possible notice that she wouldn't have? She paused for a moment, and looked around the room before looking back at him. He wasn't looking at the room… He was looking at her… Alex opened her mouth, but after a quick second decided to change the subject. "You know, there's so many stories about River and you. But, I realized something. It wasn't about _River _and you. It was about us." She reached up and the Doctor's eyes fluttered for a moment, as her fingers followed the path of his face without touching him. "It's vague enough that it could be easily mistaken for either or. But we both know who it is."

"Idle gossip."

"Archaeology." Alex retorted with a smile.

"Same thing." She laughed softly.

"Yes, I forgot. This is the man who once said 'I'm a time traveler, I point and laugh at archaeologists'." She looked down at his lips. She wanted to kiss him so badly. She traced the air just in front of his lips. The Doctor leaned forward to kiss the tip of her finger, but she put her hand down before he could. "What do you think, Doctor? Am I the woman who marries you or the woman who murders you?" She certainly wasn't going to be the woman who murders him. She felt her hearts increase in speed. She wasn't going to lie; she had wondered what it would be like to marry the Doctor. It was a glorious and wonderful image in her head, that she wished more than anything would come true.

"Can't you be both?" He murmured to her. The smile on Alex's lips vanished as she looked at the Doctor astonished.

"Both?" She whispered. "You want…"

"Why not?" He asked, and seemed to enjoy the fact that he had taken her completely off guard. "Like I said, Allie, my beautiful sweet Allie, I love you more than you could ever love me. You became the mother of my child. And that made me the happiest man in the world. But I then realized that only one more thing could make me truly the happiest man in the world." He leaned forward – as close as he could with the soldiers holding him back. "Just one thing, Allie, marry me. Let's start time again and we'll get married."

For one second, Alex was about to agree. All she had heard was 'Marry me'. The Doctor actually saying marry me to her. She opened her mouth, but then realized what he really had just said. "River," She stepped back. "Slap him for me."

_Whack._

"Ow!"

"Do you think I'm an idiot, Doctor?" She whirled around to him. "That was _low_! Asking me to marry you so you could get me to touch you! I didn't know you were so cruel…" Alex crossed her arms, and River slapped him again for good measure.

"Ow! Stop that!" He snapped at the blonde before turning to his darling girl. "Allie, it's the only way! We start up time and then we can get married!"

"We _can't_!" Alex snarled. "_Not with you lying dead on a lake side, now can we_?!"

"Doctor…" Everyone looked over to Amy. "What's that?" They followed Amy's eyes upwards, and Alex realized that water was slowly dripping through the cracks. What the…? But… How is that possible? There wasn't any water here, other than…

Oh.

Oh shit.

"The pyramid above us. How many Silence do you have trapped?" The Doctor asked.

Kovarian was the one to answer. "None." That one word made Alex's heart stopped. None were trapped… Alex remember when the Doctor said there was a difference between dormant and patient. Alex closed her eyes slowly. This was so bad – like truly that was an understatement kind of bad. "They're not trapped, they never have been. They've been waiting for this, Doctor… For you."

Alex's mind went into overdrive as she tensed up. Okay, there was no way for them to get to the exit. There were _way _too many Silences between them and it. So, what could they do? They couldn't leave… clearly, they couldn't do it because they still had to show the Doctor what they had been creating. Rory burst into the room, cutting off Alex from her thoughts. "They're out! All of them."

Alex moved quickly into command. "Men, barricade that door with some sort of wood or anything we've got that can keep it closed. All men need to keep their eye drives on, and make sure to not take your eyes off that door!" The men did what she ordered, and she turned to see that the Doctor was eying her. She recognized the look on his face and smirked at him. "And yes, I know I'm sexy when I'm giving orders. Maybe I should give them to you in the bedroom once in a while, see how it goes." The Doctor swallowed, clearly enjoying that thought.

"No one gets in here!" A soldier said.

"Ma'am, my men out there, should be able to lock this down we have them outnumbered." Rory said, then why was Alex getting a bad feeling. She turned towards the woman tied to the chair and raised an eyebrow at her. What has her all happy?

"And you're wearing eye drives based on mine, I think. Oops!"

"Oops?" Alex questioned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

She got her answered went one of the technicians suddenly screamed out. Everyone whirled around to her, and the brunette woman rushed over to try and get the eye patch off. "Ouch!" She hissed, and realized that the eye patch now had electricity across the whole patch – and it was connected to the brain and… Oh shit.

Rory and Amy helped when more eye patches started to act up. Alex was able to take it off, but it was already too late. "She's dead." The half Time Lord said softly. The Doctor suddenly groaned when his eye patch activated. "Amy, help him!" Alex panicked. The ginger haired woman was able to take it off, just before hers went haywire. "River!" The blonde was already moving. "See, I told you this was bad…" Alex muttered under her breath to no one in particular. "I _said _those eye patches were evil. And everyone got on my case when I didn't want to wear one and instead made my own contacts. Well, yes, good thing I did it now…"

"We could stop this right now, you and I." The Doctor spoke urgently to the woman he loved. She could see he was desperately trying to convince her. She shook her head slowly. She still refused to kill him. "Amy, tell her!" The Time Lord snapped to his best friend.

"We've been working on something. Just let us show you." Amy said. He looked back at Alex and she pleaded with him silently. They had something to show him, and he desperately needed to see it. He kept flying around time and space and continued to think that he wasn't important – that no one noticed him, that no one appreciated him. Well, he was an idiot. And he was wrong. And he _needed _to know this.

"That's my point." The Doctor responded. "There's nothing you can do. My time is up."

"No, it's not." Alex snapped. "If you just let us show you it, then things can work out differently maybe."

"No they can't."

"We're doing this for you!"

"Then people are dying for me." The Doctor said bitterly. "I won't thank you for that, Amelia Pond." Oh, why was he being so difficult? Out of all the times he's been difficult, this had to be the worst? Why won't he let us do this for him?

It bothered Alex, just like his apathy towards his death. Seriously, it really got under her skin and she was a tad bit upset with him. "Come on, Doctor!" Alex snapped. "Just let us show you this, _please_!" Both women looked at him earnestly. The Doctor couldn't fight he, Alex could see that he saw this, so he lowered his head to show that he would go along with it for now.

"River, come on, I need you if this is going to work." Alex turned to the blonde and she was already moving. "I hope you're ready for a climb." She said to her Time Lord before walking off herself, "Follow us when you can, Amy!" She threw over her shoulder. She could feel the Doctor right behind her as River and Alex talked about what they were going to do.

"This is pointless, Allie." The Doctor finally grumbled. Alex gave him a sparring glance before continued on. "We could just end this right now, all of this could stop _right now_!"

"Would you shut up, Doctor?" Alex snapped. "I am sick of you saying that! I am not going to kill you, don't you get that? What if the roles were reversed?" The Doctor froze and looked at her with wide eyes. There were a million words spinning around in his eyes that never met his lips, but Alex understood every single one. "_Exactly_. Now shut up and walk."

-x-

They finally arrived to the top of the pyramid where they're distress signal was set up. "River, please…" Alex said and the woman got to work.

"What's this? Oh, it's a timey-wimey distress beacon. Who built this?"

"I'm the child of the TARDIS," River answered. "I understand the physics."

"Yes, but that's all you've got – a distress beacon!"

"Yes, Doctor, we understand that, but do you?" Alex walked over to him, trying to relay her message to him. He _had _to understand that. "We've been sending out a message across the stars. The universe is still turning, Doctor, outside of this little bubble – thing that we're in right now. And we've been sending a message throughout all of it. The past, the present, the future, to every single planet across every single glaxay. 'Please, help us, the Doctor is dying'."

The Doctor cut her off from continuing. "Allie, Allie, this is ridiculous. That would mean nothing to anyone, it's insane. Worse, it's stupid! You embarrass me."

Alex's face became completely still when he said that. "Lexa…"

"Why would you say that?" The Doctor looked over to her, and his eyes soften. "I embarrass you? Did you actually just tell me that? Why? Because I'm doing something you could never do? Because I'm asking for help? _What is with you, Doctor_? Why are you so against asking for help? Are you just such a completely idiot that you don't want to do it? How dare you say that to me!" Those words really stung. Out of everything in the universe, she would never want to embarrass him! And that would never be her intention. That really stung… Right now, she really wanted to slap him herself.

"Allie…"

She gave him a hard look and he sighed. "That was mean, Doctor."

"I'm sorry, I know, I didn't mean it like that. Allie, it doesn't mean anything – that signal. No one's going to care. But you're right," he walked over to her and they stood before each other. "You're totally right. It's something that I could never do. Ask for help. No one would care for me, Allie. No one would answer the call. All of this," he gestured to the machine, "is in vain, Allie. And we both know it."

Amy and Rory arrived, but the Time Lord couple just continued to look at each other. Alex ran her hand through the air right in front of his face, and he closed his eyes. She wanted so badly to touch him. It had always been a very big thing in their relationship – to touch. But now that it wasn't something they couldn't do, it was becoming very annoying. Amy told Alex to tell the Doctor what they had found.

"You're wrong, love." She whispered softly to him. He opened his eyes slowly and raised an eyebrow. She had to let him know this, because he had to understand that he _was _wrong. "There are reports of sun flares all across the world. But they're wrong, there's nothing out there. No solar flares. It's not the sun that's causing the interference, it's _you_, love. It's a million million voices all saying 'yes, of course, of course we'll help'. You touched all those _lives_, Doctor. Millions and millions of lives on millions and millions of planets. You're wrong, Doctor. All it took was nothing more than for you to _ask_. You're saying all of this, and you've already decided that the universe would already be better off if you were here, but I'm sorry, love, but the universe doesn't agree with that."

The Doctor leaned down and got right in Alex's face without touching her. "Allie, no one can help me. A fixed point has been altered, time is disintegrating."

"I'm not going to let you die –"

"But I _have _to die."

"Shut _up_, Doctor!" Alex dared to lean just a tad bit closer. They're skin was just _barely _touching. "and let me finish. I'm not going to let you die until you _know _– know that you are _wrong_, so wrong and that you are loved by so many people. More people that you can possible imagine – and by _none _more than me."

The Doctor was looking deep within her eyes, and Alex made sure to show that she was one hundred percent serious. There were so many people that had been affected by the Doctor, and none of them were about ready to let him die. "Allie," his voice was soft. "Dear sweet Allie – _my _Allie – we know what this means." Yes, we did. Alex knew exactly what she was saying, and what it meant, and she was still behind it completely. She wasn't going to let him die. "We are ground zero of an explosion that will engulf reality. Billions and billions will suffer and die."

"None of those billions will suffer more than me if I have to be by that lake side killing you." Alex said firmly. She didn't even bat an eyelash, and she knew that it would should she was _very _seriously. She wasn't joking anymore.

"Oh really?" The Doctor responded, skeptically. "More than every living thing in the universe?!"

"Yes." Alex replied evenly. "You keep saying that you love me more, but that's not true. It's not, Doctor. _I_ love _you _more." The Doctor didn't have anything to say to that. He was out of words. "I love you, Doctor. _So dearly_. And I'm not going to kill you. I love you so much, more than the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the Earth and all the other worlds around us. More than everything in the universe. I would give up anything to protect you and keep you safe. Yes, all of the universe is ending, but if it means that I won't have any hand in your death, than that means all of this right now is worth it."

The Doctor walked away with a huff and Alex closed her eyes and sighed. "Amy, uncuff me, now." Alex and Amy shared a look before the brunette girl nodded her head slowly. She rubbed the back of her very tense neck, it seemed that even in the end, it still didn't get through to him. The Doctor took a deep breath once the cuffs were off and rubbed his hands. "Okay. I need a strip of cloth, about a foot long. Anything will do. Never mind." He reached up and undid his bowtie. Alex raised an eyebrow, what was he doing? "Allie, take one end of this, wrap ir around your hand, and hold it out to me."

"Um…" Alex slowly walked over and did as she was told. But she was still lost. "What exactly am I doing, love?" They're holding the bowtie that's wrapped around their hands out to one another.

"As you're told." The Doctor said vaguely and she raised an eyebrow at him, tempted to pull away if he wasn't going to answer her. He gave her a look to show he knew what she was thinking, and was warning her not to do it. "Now, we're in the middle of a combat zone, so we'll have to do the quick version." _Quick version_? What the hell does that mean? Quick version of what? "Okay, since Allie doesn't have any parents or anything here, we're going to have to do a little modifying. Captain Williams, say 'I consent and gladly give'."

"To what?" Alex found that a very good question. What the hell was he going on about? What modifying? What did that have to do with having no parents here?

"Just say it. Please."

Alex shrugged to Rory, "I consent and gladly give." Rory repeated.

"Need you to say it to, Amy."

"I consent and gladly give."

"Okay, what's going on?" Alex asked again. "Why do they have to say that? Consent and gladly give to what?"

He finally looked at her, and the look in his eyes took her breathe away. "Since you don't have parents here, best friends of the bride can give her away instead."

"… Bride?" Alex repeated. She gasped. "Did you just say bride?"

"I did, Allie." He moved closer to her. Alex felt tears coming to her eyes. _Bride_? Then that meant… She was going to marry the Doctor. She was going to become his wife – the Doctor's wife. She bit her lip. "Like I said, love. Why can't you be both?" She let out a small noise and cupped her mouth, the tears running down freely. She couldn't believe it. She felt such happiness and content and ecstasy run through her veins that she just couldn't sort through them all. "Now, love, I'm going to whisper something in your ear, and you have to remember it very, very carefully and tell no one what I said."

They leaned towards each other as the Doctor said something into her ear. She looked at him for a second and then a small but bright smile came across her face. "Oh, you amazing man…" She muttered, for his ears only. She felt like she had just been told the secret of the ages. The smile grew until her cheeks hurt, and she was sure if she smiled any more it would break her face.

He smiled and winked at her. "I just told you my name. Now there we go, love. My beautiful lovely girl. My darling Allie. You wanted to know which woman you are – well, let me tell you. You're the woman who marries me." Alex felt the tears running down her cheeks. She married him. She _married _the Doctor. It was so beautiful and she couldn't stop smiling. "I love you so dearly, love, and I have a request, wife."

She felt so blissful right at that moment. She giggled when he called her his wife and he grinned down at her. "Yes, my dear _husband_?" Her hearts just exploded when she said that.

The Doctor's eyes got just a little bit misty when she said that, but he continued on in a steady voice. "This world is dying, and it's my fault, and I can't bear another day. Please, help me. There isn't another way."

Alex now understood, and dammit, if they were going to touch to get time to move, there was only one way she wanted to touch. "You may kiss the bride." She murmured.

"I'll make it a good one."

"You always do."

Their lips touched and Alex just melted into him. She wasn't lying when she said that he always kissed her _really _good, and this was no exception. Her hearts almost came out of her chest with how much reverence and love and adoration was in this kiss. Butterflies became a hurricane in her stomach and her knees felt like they were about to collapse. She felt like she was in the clouds, and everything else faded away. The Doctor's free hand cupped her jaw and kept her face there. Alex's free hand gripped the Doctor's hair tightly in her grasp.

_5:02_

_5:03_

-x-

_The Impossible Astronaut _continued as it should have, and everything started to move as time fixed itself. A fixed point was restored.

"_And you are forgiven. Always and completely forgiven_."

-x-

Alex had just walked home from Amy's house. Yes, yes, she knew that the Doctor had told her that she wasn't supposed to give away the fact that actually he was alive. But, he wasn't there and she couldn't resist! Anyways, she had lied plenty of times before – seriously both River and Amy should have seen that.

She had lied all through season six because of her Time Lord ability to remember every detail of the episodes she had watched. She had kept it from them that she was Half Time Lord. She had kept it from them that Amy had actually been a flesh creature. She had kept it from them who River Song really was – and the reason she had believed why she ended up in Stormcage.

So, seriously, in retrospect, keeping from them that the Doctor was actually alive was a piece of cake. Hmmm, cake… Yum.

Oh, wait, getting off track. Alex blinked a couple of times as she slowly opened her doors and walked into her house. Anyways, Amy shouldn't have known that he was lying when he said that he had told Alex his name. Rule One: The Doctor always lies. This was no exception.

Alex put everything in its appropriate place and walked down the hall into the nursery. She wanted to get Abby into her crib, before going to bed herself. She was tired. All of this had drained her of her energy. She was probably going to call the Doctor tomorrow. Something was occurring to her only just now. Why didn't it even occur to her sooner that she remembered _nothing _of the episode?

She knew that she should have remembered what happened in this episode, but it never came to her. Hell, she didn't even realize that she had forgotten. Although, she supposed she had just gotten caught up in all of the adventure and excitement and emotion of it all. Alex slowly put her child into her crib before kissing her head goodnight and walking out into the hallway. She turned off the lights and shut the door quietly.

"Hello wife."

Her heart raced in her chest when she heard his unmistakable voice as she opened her door. "Do you always sit in the dark and try and creep people out?" She asked playful as she turned on the light. There the Doctor was in all of his glory. Alex leaned against the doorframe, drinking him in dreamily.

"Just you." He murmured. He waved her over. "Come here," She couldn't say no to that. She rushed over to her Doctor's side and practically jumped into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss.

The Doctor murmured something against her lips but gave up on words and just held her tightly to his chest. Within a couple of seconds, they were already trying to suck the other's face off. Alex moaned in pure delight as the Doctor's fingers trailed over her sensitive neck sensually. "God, I love you…" She moaned as she pulled away from him, her lips already numb. Both of them were out of breath, and did she _love _it.

"I love you too." He nuzzled his nose against her. "I missed touching you," his voice was a deep rumble and she giggled, feeling up in the clouds still.

"I did too. It was so hard not to do it in the world that never was. I mean, we always touch." Just to prove her point, she ran her hands across his chest, underneath his jacket. She smiled sexy when she felt his lower half respond to it. She kissed him again. "Husband." Both of them laughed. "I can't believe we're married now! It's unbelievable!"

"No, it's just right, love. It's so beautiful right." They kissed again and Alex gripped his hair tightly in her fists. "It was always going to happen, love." He murmured against her lips. "It was just a matter of time."

"So," her eyes sparkled. "Why are you here?"

"Here to come and get you, of course." He wrapped his arms around her waist and they leaned back in the chair. "Now that everything's all sorted, I have no reason to be away from you, so that means I'm going to be spending as much time with both of you as I can. To make up for the time I missed."

Made sense, Alex thought. "That's good. Abby's been waiting to spend more time with her father."

"I'm going to be laying low, though, love. I've gotten too big. So it's best right now if I tone it down." Also made sense.

"So, it's just gonna be us three for a while." She ran her fingers across the collar of his shirt. "That's nice. That's fine." She started to kiss his jaw. "But before any of that happens, I want two things."

"And what's that?"

"First, we're getting married properly. And I mean I want a cake, and a dress, and all those lovely things." She gave him a look that meant she was completely seriously. "And secondly, I want you in my bed right now." So, without further ado, she jumped up and grabbed his hand, pushing him towards said furniture. Not that the Doctor needed the push, since he practically jumped into the bed and grabbed her arm to make sure she followed.

As they buried themselves in the sheets, Alex found herself truly content. Everything was okay with the world again. She had her Doctor back and from how eager both of them were as they rustled around in the sheets, everything was _clearly _fine there. She had Abby, she had her friends back and nothing of trouble was happening at the moment.

So, yes, she was content.

She knew that once she got up, the Doctor would be excited to show Abby all sorts of worlds and civilizations, and Alex would happily go along. She would follow her Doctor anywhere. And as she looked into her Doctor's eyes, she knew that's exactly what was going to happen. She was going to travel around with this magical, amazing, stunning Time Lord forever. They're adventures and love and lives together was never going to end, and she was damn proud of that.

But at the moment, she was glad to just be here in this bed with her Doctor.

All of the excitement of adventures could wait until tomorrow.

**Okay, so… I've got a slight confession to make. This is an open-ending to my story. Yes, I know, I said end. The reason is, is that's I've done this for **_**so **_**long, that I think it's time for me to end it. Well, to be honest, it's more so that when I watched season 7 I found I was having **_**a lot **_**of trouble fitting Alex into it. **

**So, I'm going to give you an open ending. I'm making it an open one, so that maybe someday down the road I can fit Alex into season 7 properly, then I'll get down to writing it again. I've also got another Doctor Who story that I've got going on – with a character that is much different from Alex – that I started to write for NaNoWriMo. So, this is goodbye for now. I'm sure I'm going to have more stories done down the road.**

**So, thank you everyone who's ever favorited my story; who's reviewed it; who's put me or this story on their story alert. You have all been so absolutely wonderful and I'm so very grateful to you all for being so patient with me.**

**PS.**

**I have a little side note that I must make. I'm making a little announcement, and I also need to ask for your vote in something. First off, the announcement, I want to tell you all that I will be breaking up **_**A Love Through Time **_**into parts – each part will be a season of **_**Doctor Who**_**. I want to tell you this, so you all know. **

**Secondly, I want to ask – do you like my chapters to be long or do you think I should break it up like I have for **_**The Wedding of River Song**_**? I would love to know your opinion. **

**Thank you.**


	50. Special Announcement (Please read)

Hello everyone, for those who have read my story 'A Love Through Time', thank you first off. Secondly, I am in the process of rewriting the story - as I had said in the last chapter. If anyone is interested - and for those who didn't know - I now have the first three new chapters up. It is now called 'Who and Me: and the psycho frootloop called the Master'. I urge you to read it, I feel I do a much better job. So please, go over and take a look and I hope you enjoy. 


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